Tygers hope to recapture the magic of Mansfield’s 1949 state title team

MANSFIELD — Jack Bargahiser was just a teenager 70 years ago when Mansfield Senior captured the 1949 state football championship.

But he found himself in the middle of the most famous play in school history on the biggest stage of that season. In Week Six of a nine-game campaign, the Tygers trailed 12-7 at mighty Massillon late in the second half when quarterback Don Cline dropped back to pass. Cline’s primary target, senior Ed Demyan, was covered on a crossing route over the middle. So, Cline spied Bargahiser in the back of the end zone, and threaded the needle to him for a 15-yard touchdown pass.

That score, and a later safety, secured a 16-12 victory, the first over the Tigers in 40 years. It also was the primer for Mansfield’s state poll championship from the International News Service. So far, that’s the only state football crown in school history, something this year’s ninth-ranked Tygers (13-1) hope to change on Friday at 3 p.m. in the Division III state finals against seventh-ranked Trotwood-Madison (11-3).

“I don’t know how many people around still talk about it,” Bargahiser said. “Don Cline doesn’t get nearly enough credit, and he’s the one who threw the pass. I was just in the right place at the right time.

“He was supposed to throw it to (Ed) Demyan, but I guess he was covered. You have to understand, we had pretty simple plays. Demyan was supposed to run a cross over the middle and I was just supposed to go deep. I went as deep as I could go, couldn’t go any further, and he threw it to me. I was just in the right place at the right time.”

For decades Bargahiser enjoyed a highly successful professional career at Gorman-Rupp. Yet for years he was known around town as the kid that caught the game-winning pass to beat Massillon in that historic game.

Coach Augie Morningstar was in his third year at Mansfield, and the Tygers very nearly beat Massillon in 1948 at Arlin Field, leading them at halftime before falling short.

The next year, Mansfield supporters boarded trains by the thousands to follow Senior High. The capacity crowd saw a thriller, and the next day a breathless headline in orange type blared across the top of the News Journal’s front page: “Tygers Rip Massillon 16-12!”

“The big thing was we had a lot of talent, and we were together for three years,” Bargahiser said. “A lot of guys on that team went to college, Northwestern, Yale, Toledo, Cincinnati, Ohio University.

“But the big difference is our (title) was like a popularity contest with the polls. This team is playing in a state championship game. Our season was done a month ago. It’s a big difference.”

The 1949 Tygers finished 8-1, dropping their season opener 34-27 to Akron South. 

“They had a great quarterback,” Bargahiser remembered.

But Mansfield Senior responded dramatically, reeling off eight straight victories against the toughest schedule in Ohio.

Morningstar’s run-oriented attack was led by A.C. Jenkins, Ed Demyan and Tommy Tucker. Each made the All-Ohio team, with quarterback Don Cline, James “Wimp” Miller and Tom Weaver earning all-state honorable-mention honors.

Miller was chosen the team’s MVP, while Weaver was selected the outstanding lineman.

“It would be impossible to pick an individual star from the Tyger ranks because the entire team consisted of outstanding performers,” the 1950 Manhigan yearbook stated. “Its feats in the athletic world will never be forgotten. The football team’s victory over Massillon, the winning of the state football championship, and the basketball team going to the state finals were memorable events of its senior year.

“Such names as A.C. Jenkins, Tommy Tucker, Ed Demyan, Wimp Miller, Tom Weaver and others will be long remembered in the annals of sport at M.H.S.”

Jenkins was the top scorer for the Tygers, while Tucker was the leading ground gainer. Cline completed the most passes, while Demyan was the team’s top receiver. Morningstar received Coach of the Year honors.

It was a magical run. And Bargahiser hopes to see that state championship trophy draw some company this weekend. 

“Whatever happens, they’re going to remember it for the rest of their lives,” Bargahiser said of this year’s Tygers. “They should be proud. Look how much it means to the school and to the town.”

Here’s a closer look at the 1949 season, as written in the pages of the 1950 Manhigan yearbook:

Akron South surprises Mansfield 34-27

First game stage fright was the chief factor in the Tygers’ loss. The Akronites passed and ran through and around the ragged Tyger defense, but still had to rely on a freak play in the last two minutes to break a tie game. Larry Boyle, an Akron tackle, stole the ball right from the Tygers hands and raced for the deciding score.

All-Ohio back A.C. Jenkins kept Mansfield in the game until the very last by scoring four touchdowns.

Tygers power over Cleveland East 33-15

Roaring back from a heartbreaking defeat, the Tygers scored in every quarter to completely dominate the whole game. Although the offense was greatly improved, the big difference was the Tyger defense, which didn’t allow East past the 50-yard line until the third quarter. A.C. Jenkins and Tommy Tucker led the Mansfield offense with two TDs each.

Mansfield knocks off Alliance 28-14

With A.C. Jenkins adding two more touchdowns in his scoring parade, the Tygers downed a strong Alliance eleven.

Mansfield held a 14-0 halftime advantage but the Aviators came back to tie it up 14-14 in the third quarter.

This set the stage for Mansfield’s last-quarter splurge, including a touchdown by Jenkins on a 29-yard flat pass, and one by Bargahiser, who recovered a fumble in the end zone.

This victory placed the Tygers in a first-place tie with Toledo Waite in the Northern Ohio Athletic Conference.

Tygers overpower Warren 20-0

The Tygers collected their third win in a row from a big, rugged Warren Harding team.

A tight defense, which allowed the Panthers in Mansfield territory only three times, and a pace-charging offense completely dominated the game for the Tygers.

A.C. Jenkins plunged for two touchdowns and captain Ed Demyan made his first in high school football on a 39-yard pass play.

This victory moved Mansfield a half-game ahead in the tough, Northern Ohio Athletic Conference.

Mansfield rolls over Euclid 42-6

The Mansfield Tygers ran their streak to four straight by smashing previously unbeaten Euclid.

With A.C. Jenkins playing less than a half because of injury, Bricker and Tucker bore the brunt of the Tyger offense. Tucker scored three times with Cline, Jordan and Bailey each contributing one. Cline also had a good night in passing. He completed 8 of 14 attempts. Demyan had three catches.

Mansfield humbles Massillon 16-12

They couldn’t do it, but they did. The Tygers, backed by 6,000 loyal, screaming fans, defeated the Massillon Tigers for the first time in 40 years.

Mansfield outplayed the highly-touted Tigers throughout the game and truly deserved to win.

A.C. Jenkins scored in the first quarter, but Massillon scored twice in the second to take a 12-7 lead.

Jack Bargahiser caught a 15-yard pass from Don Cline in the fourth quarter to put Mansfield in the lead again.

The scoring ended in the closing minutes when a Tiger back was forced into the end zone for a safety and the game was ours.

(It was) a much deserved victory over Massillon. This was the first time in the 40-year rivalry between the two schools that the Tygers had emerged on top. Six thousand cheering fans and a determined bunch of football players traveled to Massillon and this combination turned the trick. Not once during the entire game did one of those players or fans let up. It was truly a championship team which defeated the so-called “national champs” from Massillon. 

Mansfield blasts Kent 48-0

After beating Massillon, the Tygers went all out to retain their No. 2 ranking in the state by thoroughly defeating Kent.

The offensive power of Jenkins and the speed of Tucker and Bricker was too much. Jenkins and Tucker each scored three times and Bricker once.

Don Cline’s 8-of-17 passing and a tight defense, which allowed only four first downs (compared to 19 for Mansfield), also contributed a great deal to the team’s sixth straight victory.

Tygers take Toledo Waite 7-0

The Tygers scored in the first quarter on a 9-yard pass from Cline to Demyan, and then held on in order to edge a surprisingly tough Toledo Waite team.

Evidently the week layoff hurt the Bengals because their offensive blocking was slightly off. Twice the Tygers got within the Waite 2-yard line, but fumbles broke up the drives.

Don Cline was the offensive cog, connecting on 8 of 11 passes for 92 yards. This victory gave Mansfield a half-game advantage over Canton McKinley in the conference.

Mansfield bops Springfield 26-12

With a state championship in their grasp, the Mansfield Tygers would not be beat. Upset-minded Springfield, one of the top-ranked teams in the state, displayed a great deal of spirit and power, but still went down to defeat.

Leading 14-0 at the half, Mansfield held off a Wildcat rally in the last half.

All-Ohio A.C. Jekins scored two touchdowns to lead the Tyger scoring and help our team to a state championship.

“State Champions – These two words tell the story of the greatest football team to come of of Mansfield Senior High,” the Manhigan stated.

In basketball, the senior class rolled again. Senior High finished 22-5 under Vern Hoffman, reaching the state finals before falling 60-48 to Springfield. Junior Ken McCally set a single-season school record with 451 points (16.7 points per game). He exploded in the tourney, averaging 24 points in seven postseason games. A.C. Jenkins earned honorable-mention All-Ohio honors in that sport, too.

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