MANSFIELD — It may not be either team’s longest-standing or fiercest rivalry, but it still carries weight in both Mansfield and Massillon.
The Tyers and Tigers will meet for the 53rd time Friday night at Arlin Field. Massillon owns a lopsided 43-4-5 advantage in the all-time series and has won the past seven meetings dating to 1999.
Senior High’s last win came in 1998 in front of an announced Arlin Field crowd of 8,317. Jeremy Butts threw two touchdown passes to Jermaine Bradley and rushed for another score in a 21-0 win.
The crowd was even bigger in 1995, when the Tygers held on for a 21-20 win at Arlin Field in front of 9,100 fans. Quarterback Jeff Soliday threw touchdown passes of 6 and 50 yards to Marshall Levins and scored on a 1-yard run to punctuate that victory.
In terms of attendance, nothing compares with the 2001 game at Arlin Field. An announced crowd of 11,276 saw the Tigers escape with a 17-14 win.
That Massillon team featured Justin Zwick at quarterback and Andy Alleman and Shawn Crable at linebacker. The difference proved to be Massillon kicker David Abdul, who booted a 54-yard field goal in the second quarter. The star power was heavy. Zwick went to Ohio State, Crable to Michigan, and Alleman and Abdul to Pitt.
But Senior High hung tough. Quarterback George Andress completed 14-of-29 passes for 157 yards and a 43-yard touchdown to Jeff Montgomery, who caught six passes for 78 yards. Andress also rushed for a 1-yard touchdown.
Massillon (1-1) at Mansfield Senior (2-0): The Tigers bounced back from a season-opening home loss to Cincinnati Moeller with an impressive 35-7 win at Canton GlenOak. Willtrell Hartson rushed for 158 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. He is Massillon’s chief threat. In two games he has 284 yards and seven TDs.
Quarterback Jalen Slaughter completed 5-of-13 passes for 102 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown to Braylyn Toles. Mylen Lenix added a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter as Massillon built a 35-0 lead.
Mansfield Senior got off to a slow start in last week’s 42-9 win over North Canton Hoover before coming to life with 35 second-half points. Quarterback Duke Reese completed 10-of-15 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 23 yards and a score.
Jamir Petty had a pair of rushing touchdowns among his seven carries, while Nate Dismuke and Amarr Davis each caught a touchdown pass. Kent State recruit Keontez Bradley returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Mekhi Bradley led the way with 11 tackles and a sack.
Ontario (2-0) at Madison (0-2): The Warriors improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2013 with an impressive 35-19 win over Norwalk St. Paul.
Ontario boasts the most balanced offense in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. The Warriors have rushed for 330 yards while quarterback Bodpegn Miller has completed 21-of-33 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns in his first two games this fall. Drew Yetter has rushed for a team-high 127 yards, averaging 9.8 yards a carry. Chase Studer has 106 rushing yards on 21 carries and seven receptions for 95 yards. Bralen Boone and Drew Barnes lead the defense with 19 tackles apiece.
The Rams are still looking for their first win in the Scott Valentine era after last week’s 44-28 loss to River Valley. Madison led 28-24 midway through the fourth quarter before the Vikings erupted for three touchdowns to finish it.
Madison sophomore quarterback Cameron Kuhn attempted a jaw-dropping 74 passes, completing 33 for 348 yards and three touchdowns. Peyton Myers caught 16 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown and added a 68-yard scoop-and-score after a blocked field goal attempt.
The Rams are an emerging team.
Lexington (0-2) at Clear Fork (1-1): The Minutemen piled up 327 yards of total offense in last week’s 53-21 loss to Shelby. Quarterback A.J. Young completed 13-of-19 passes for 137 yards, while running back Carter Newman rumbled for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Jamerrion Feagin caught six passes for 39 yards and Brayden Fogle added three grabs for 54 yards. Carter Newman picked off a pass for the Minutemen.
The Colts surrendered a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to Granville’s Dante Varrasso on the game’s opening play in last week’s 16-8 loss to the Blue Aces.
Dual-threat quarterback Victor Skoog has completed 20-of-39 passes for 184 yards and rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries in two games.
Receiver Jay Jackson has six catches for 63 yards. Trystyn Robison has rushed for 57 yards on 13 carries and caught a team-leading eight passes for 43 yards. Kaden Riddle leads the way defensively with 16 tackles while Ty Sellers had a team-best three sacks.
