High School Canton McKinley Bulldogs

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11/1/05


Doss Fires Up Alma Mater For Big Win

Mike Doss

By Bill Greene

Date: Oct 31, 2005

Ex-Buckeye safety Mike Doss was off this weekend as his Indianapolis Colts had a bye week, so he made the trip to check out his Canton McKinley Bulldogs play against Massillon in one of the biggest high school games of the year. Bill Greene has more.

Ten minutes before kickoff and the Canton McKinley locker room was deathly quiet. The coaches had gone over the game plan and now a familiar face was stepping forward to address the team. Mike Doss, former McKinley superstar now starring in the NFL, had returned home.
Doss is looked upon as a big brother to these McKinley players. I saw Doss speak to this team last year in a playoff win over Cleveland Glenville. He had a positive effect on that team and I was eager to see how Doss would speak to the Bulldogs today.
"This is my off week," Doss started to say. "Believe me there's no other place I'd rather be than with you guys today. My heart's beating as fast as yours. Remember back to the first time you saw McKinley play Massillon. Remember what you thought you would do if you got the chance to play in this game. Well, today is that day. This is your time. When I was your age, I remember watching Che Bryant play in this game and I remember Demarlo Rozier playing in this game. Maybe some of you remember seeing Mike Doss play in this game. Remember there's some young kid out there right now watching you play today. Today is your day. You've got three hours to lay it on the line out there. I'm just going to tell you what they tell me in the NFL. JUST WIN BABY."
Nobody wants to disappoint their big brother and these Bulldogs didn't disappoint Mike Doss in dominating the Tigers 38-8. Doss was on the sideline exhorting and encouraging the team the entire game along with former Bulldog and current Ohio State player Tyler Everett.
The Bulldogs saved their best performance for the biggest game. From the opening play the tone of the game was set by the offensive line, nicknamed "The Brute Squad." Anthony Robinson, Zach Slagle, Drew McIntyre, Tyrell McDonald and Jarrid Haywood opened up gaping holes allowing Morgan Williams to run for 239 yards and 4 touchdowns. Williams was quick to praise his line.
"Those guys are the best line in the state," said Williams. "I couldn't gain the yards without those guys. We wanted to come out and run the football. That was our plan."
As good as the McKinley offense played, their defense was better. D.C. Alexander was dominant on the line all afternoon. Alexander intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble, had a sack and helped control the Massillon running game led by junior running back Brian Gamble. Gamble was held to only 48 yards by the lightning quick Bulldog defense. Linebackers Ed Grimsley, Mike Kirksey and Jeff Vaughn ran to the football and arrived in a bad mood when they got there. Defensive backs Harriel Moore, Wil Sheeler, Mark Jackson and Brian Williams totally eliminated the Tiger passing game. For the ballgame the Tiger offense had only 120 total yards and basically was shut out, with the only Tiger score coming on an interception return by Troy Ellis.
The loss was a tough pill for the Tigers to swallow. They came into the game undefeated and featured wins over Cincinnati Elder, Cleveland St. Ignatius and Warren. It's been a great season for the Tigers under new coach Tom Stacy. A loss to McKinley is never easy to take but the Tigers are in the playoffs and have bounced back from two losing seasons to once again become a force in Ohio football. If both teams can manage two playoff wins, there will be a rematch in three weeks.
McKinley coach Brian Cross was quite proud of his team's performance on Saturday. Cross led the Bulldogs to the state title game in 2004, with the Bulldogs falling to Cincinnati Colerain.
"That score is not an indication of how tough that team is," said Cross. "We might keep winning and they probably will too, so we could meet them again. Our defensive game plan was to defend all their weapons. We wanted to eliminate any big plays and make them drive the length of the field. We really took away all the things they do well."
In the greatest rivalry in high school football there were many stars on the field. None shone brighter than McKinley junior D.C. Alexander. After the game Alexander spoke about his team's performance.
"I give all the credit to our defensive backs," said Alexander. "I knew I could take some chances because they were right behind me. They're our leaders and I think they were great."
"This is my first year playing against Massillon and I wanted to win so bad," said Alexander. "It's also my first year playing defensive end and I'm still learning. Our coaches are so good and they had us ready for anything Massillon did. I'm so happy I can't put it into words. I just want to keep this year going for the seniors."
If Saturday's performance is any indication, it appears these Bulldogs just might be able to grant Alexander his wish. It also helped that their "big brother" took time to come home and see his team play. On this day the McKinley Bulldogs took Mike Doss' words to heart and made him proud.

 

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11/1/05

Bulldogs driven to top spot

Hard-working McKinley goes 10-0, claims BJ Poll

[SIZE=-1]By Tom Gaffney[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]Beacon Journal sports writer[/SIZE]

Talent took Canton McKinley so far. Work ethic did the rest.

That combination helped propel the Bulldogs to an undefeated season, a first seed in the state playoffs and a No. 1 ranking in the final Beacon Journal poll announced today.

``We don't accept anything except the best from them (the players),'' McKinley coach Brian Cross told reporters Saturday after his club's 38-8 victory over archrival Massillon.

``There are times when we are extra hard on them and I am sure they don't like it. Today (Saturday), they can see why we do it.''

The 2005 Bulldogs lost superstar tailback Ryan Brinson, the leading rusher in school history, to graduation, from a team that lost to Cincinnati Colerain in the state title game last season.

But junior tailback Morgan Williams took over for Brinson and rushed for 1,935 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. Meanwhile, a defense that had seven returning starters allowed more than one touchdown in only one game.

The result was a perfect regular season in which the 10 victories came by an average score of 41-9.

McKinley will be attempting to avoid an emotional letdown Saturday in its first-round playoff game at home against Brunswick, which finished fifth in the final Beacon Journal poll.

``The 11th week of the season is always very difficult for us because our kids always get jacked up for Massillon,'' Cross said.

 

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11/5/05

McKinley set for state playoff

Saturday, November 5, 2005


By Chris Beaven REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER



CANTON - They saved the best for when it mattered the most a year ago.
Tonight, the McKinley Bulldogs see if they can duplicate that feat when they meet Brunswick in the first round of the state high school football playoffs. The Division I regional quarterfinal begins at 7:30 at Fawcett Stadium.
McKinley is 10-0, ranked No. 2 in the state, and full of confidence after beating previously undefeated Massillon, 38-8, last week. The Bulldogs, the state runner-up last year, are eager for another playoff run.
“They know what it’s like to get in the playoffs and play those types of games,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said. “They’ve been in this type of atmosphere. ... It’s their goal to get back to the championship game.
“They have to take it one week at a time. They also know it’s final each week. If you lose, you’re done. There’s no next Saturday.”
The Bulldogs’ ability to handle that pressure keyed their playoff run last fall.
“When you’re playing during the season, there’s always next week,” Cross said. “You won’t have the next week unless they get this week. I believe last year they got better each game.”
The Bulldogs have shown improvement the last few weeks in beating their three strongest opponents — Jackson, North Canton and Massillon. They have been relatively loose all season. But in getting ready for Massillon, they buckled down for a strong week of practice. Cross does not expect that to change.
“Knowing the finality of it all will help them get ready,” Cross said.
McKinley played some of its finest football last week. Offensively, the Bulldogs put together long scoring dives and made big plays.
“It was gratifying because we hadn’t done that against a team with the defense of Massillon,” Cross said. “.... They executed the game plan.”
It began up front, with the offensive line playing “extremely well,” Cross said. That enabled tailback Morgan Williams to rush for 234 yards. McKinley also got its short passing game going, as quarterback Dan Grimsley was patient and accurate.
Defensively, McKinley allowed no offensive touchdowns and made Massillon’s offense play nearly the entire game on its half of the field.
Cross, however, is not totally satisfied with his team.
The offense needs to be more consistent and continue to work at using all of its weapons. Defensively, Cross wants to see better tackling.
“We’re going for the big hit too much,” Cross said. “I think our guys are watching too much TV. They might as well have their arms taped to their side because all they’re using is their shoulders.”
Cross planned to “teach the art of tackling” all over again this week because “good backs and receivers are going to bounce off those type of hits.”
If the Bulldogs stay focused, Cross knows his team is capable of winning big games. And the Bulldogs already have proven to their coach that they can achieve their goals.
“I remember taking with our captains before the season, and they truly believed they had a chance to go undefeated,” Cross said. “That was a goal ... They accomplished that.”
The Bulldogs go after their next goal starting tonight.
Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[BearBuck27]

McK is up 14-3 in the 2nd Qtr.

Morgan Williams has a TD carry, but appears to be out of the game for an unknown reason. (according to yappi)

 

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11/6/05

No big plays, but still no problem for Bulldogs

Sunday, November 6, 2005 By CHRIS BEAVEN

Scott Heckel McKinley’s Will Sheeler breaks loose on a 15-yard run during the second quarter Saturday night at Fawcett Stadium.
​

CANTON - They created such high standards during the regular season, Saturday’s playoff opener qualified as a quiet night.
Big plays did not come with ease to the McKinley Bulldogs for one of the few times this high school football season. No long runs by tailback Morgan Williams. No long returns of kicks or turnovers. Only one long pass to receiver Joe Morgan.
All that said, McKinley still put together a workmanlike, if not an impressive, effort in a 35-17 win over Brunswick in a Division I regional quarterfinal game. A crowd of 12,376 watched at Fawcett Stadium as the Bulldogs improved to 11-0 behind three touchdowns by Williams.
The Blue Devils played McKinley tougher than anyone this season, but the Bulldogs used two fourth-quarter TDs to put the game away. It is the second straight year McKinley beat Brunswick in the playoffs.
“We knew they were going to fight, fight and fight us,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said. “ ... We didn’t play our best game, but it was good enough. And that’s all that counts at this time of year.”
McKinley, ranked No. 2 in the state, advances to play Elyria, a 21-9 winner over Toledo St. John’s. The site of Saturday’s 7 p.m. regional semifinal will be announced today.
McKinley did not breathe a sigh of relief until fullback Mike Kirksey scored on a 17-yard run with 1:44 left in the game. It was McKinley’s third straight TD drive, giving the Bulldogs a 35-17 advantage.
“Our fullback had a big game for us,” Cross said.
Kirksey delivered 59 yards rushing and had a key 11-yard catch. Also big was Williams, who rushed for 109 second-half yards to key the McKinley offense. Williams finished with 175 yards on 28 carries, becoming the second Bulldog to surpass 2,000 yards in a season. He has 2,110.
“I didn’t think he ran his hardest in the first half, but then he stepped it up a notch, and we needed that,” Cross said.
Williams capped scoring drives of 74 and 65 yards earlier in the second half with TD runs. He scored from 20 yards out with 2:40 left in the third. His 3-yard TD run came with 7:13 left in the game.
Each time, though, Brunswick had answers to keep things interesting. Quarterback Anthony Lanzara scrambled and willed his way to 244 yards passing, hitting 20 of 36 attempts with two TDs.
“He’s the best player we’ve seen this season,” McKinley linebacker Joe Grimsley said.
“I thought we had them covered pretty well,” Cross said. “But their quarterback scrambles around so long, and we took our eyes off the receivers and watched him. And all he needs is about two steps, and he’ll drill the ball in there.”
The Blue Devils, in the playoffs for the fifth straight year, took the field under difficult circumstances. One of their ballboys, 12-year-old Kody Salzman, was killed in a four-wheeler accident earlier Saturday.
“He’s been with us for three, four years,” Brunswick head coach Rich Nowak said. “He was one of our guys.”
Nowak said, “In the grand scheme of things,” Saturday’s game does not matter.
“But it was nice to be together as a team,” he said. “... It was a tough thing (for the players). But they wanted to play, they wanted to play hard.”
Brunswick took the opening kick and immediately put together a nice drive. But two penalties stalled it after reaching the McKinley 29.
The Bulldogs responded with an 80-yard TD drive the first time they touched the ball. Williams ran the ball 10 of the 14 plays, and scored on a 1-yard run with 2:14 left in the first quarter.
“Our offense really picked us up tonight,” Grimsley said. “And it’s always easier to play with a lead.”
McKinley’s next possession lasted just four plays, long enough for their second score with 9:29 left in the half. Dan Grimsley lofted a perfect deep ball to Morgan, who ran under and scored on the 60-yard play.
Brunswick closed the half with a 14-play, 79-yard drive that produced a 22-yard field goal by Branko Rogovic.
McKinley had a chance to break the game open early in the third. But an illegal block nullified a 60-yard TD run by Kirksey. That was one of eight McKinley penalties.
“That’s something we have to eliminate,” Cross said. “But we didn’t lose our cool. ... There was no panic or anything. We weren’t at our sharpest, but we got it done.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail

 

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This Saturday at 7:00pm.........

At Parma Byers Field
(1) Can. McKinley (11-0) vs. (5) Elyria (9-2)

 

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10/11/05

McKinley vs. Elyria

SITE Byers Field in Parma, 7 p.m.

DIRECTIONS Take Interstate 77 north to Interstate 480 west. Exit at Ridge Road and turn south. The stadium is at the corner of Ridge and Day.

RECORDS McKinley 11-0; Elyria 9-2.

PLAYOFF HISTORY Elyria is making its playoff debut. McKinley is in the playoffs for the second straight year, 15th time overall. The Bulldogs own a 27-11 postseason record, winning state titles in 1981, 1997 and 1998. McKinley was the state runner-up a year ago.

LAST WEEK McKinley 35, Brunswick 17; Elyria 21, Tol. St. John’s 9.

LAST MEETING McKinley won 15-13 in 1990, and the Bulldogs lead the series 2-0.
WHAT TO WATCH Each offense is averaging better than 40 points a game, meaning a shootout could ensue. What could prevent that from happening, though, is a McKinley defense that yields just 9.5 points per game. In fact, last week was just the fourth time an opponent gained more than 200 yards against the Bulldogs. Last week’s subpar performance has the Bulldogs fired up to stop Elyria’s potent offense. “We’ve got to come out and play even harder this week,” LB Mike Kirksey said. “We’ve got to prove a point.” Elyria’s offense will give McKinley a lot of looks. “They run out of everything,” McKinley coach Brian Cross said. “They run a lot out of double-tight wishbone, and some spread. But they want to run the football.” The Pioneers feature two backs with more than 1,000 yards rushing — P.J. Mahone (1,579 yards), Jaa’Rome Williams (1,293 yards). They combined for more than 300 yards last week. Mahone is a 6-foot, 195-pound senior, who also has 35 catches for 765 yards. He has scored 29 TDs. “They want to get the ball to him,” Cross said. “We’ve got to stop him.” Mahone’s cousin is QB Roger Smith, who has thrown for 1,081 yards with nine TDs. Smith also has rushed for 345 yards. McKinley has plenty of offense itself. Junior TB Morgan Williams has 2,110 yards rushing and 29 TDs. Senior WR Joe Morgan has 34 catches for 923 yards and 12 TDs. Junior QB Dan Grimsley has thrown for 1,163 yards and 14 TDs. Kirksey is also a weapon at FB. The Bulldogs face an Elyria defense allowing an average of 16.5 points and 254.3 yards per game. Four teams scored 28 or more points on Elyria, while only two teams have scored more than one TD in a game on McKinley.

 

[bucknut11]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Canton McKinley 35, Elyria 9 tonight. Junior RB Morgan Williams had 190 yards and 2 TDs on 30 carries. [/FONT][/FONT]

 

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11/13/05

McKinley defense holds in win over Elyria

Sunday, November 13, 2005 By CHRIS BEAVEN

McKinley’s Joe Morgan scores on a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dan Grimsley during the first quarter Saturday.​

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Memorable goal-line stand saves Massillon



PARMA - Two big plays stunned the McKinley High School football team’s defensive players in Saturday night’s first half.
It left them seething in silence at halftime.
That meant trouble for the high-scoring Elyria Pioneers, who soon found themselves being devoured by a pack of hungry Bulldogs.
McKinley rolled by Elyria, 35-9, in a Division I regional semifinal at Byers Field. A crowd of more than 8,000 watched the second-ranked Bulldogs improve to 12-0 by shutting out Elyria over the final two quarters.
“The thing I liked is we smacked them,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said. “We were physical. That’s what I’m most proud of because that’s how we want to play.”
The win advances McKinley to next week’s regional final to play Massillon, a 27-20 winner over Findlay. The game likely will be at Akron’s Rubber Bowl as the old rivals meet for the second time in four weeks. McKinley won, 38-8, in Week 10.
The furthest thing from McKinley’s mind, though, was that potential rematch when Saturday’s halftime arrived. McKinley led, 21-9, but Elyria had smacked the Bulldogs in the mouth with two big offensive plays.
“When we went into the locker room at halftime, our defensive kids were very, very upset,” Cross said. “They don’t like giving up long runs or long passes. We didn’t have to say much to them. They were ticked.”
Elyria’s star tailback P.J. Mahone busted loose for a 62-yard touchdown on a third-and-three in the first quarter. A 55-yard pass by Roger Smith to Jordan Thomas in the second quarter set up a 27-yard field goal by Tyler Almeida.
“We don’t give up a lot of big plays like that,” McKinley senior safety Mark Jackson said. “It really upset us.”
Senior linebacker Jeff Vaughn said it simply made the Bulldogs, “more hungry to stop them.”
McKinley’s defense responded by limiting Elyria to 107 second-half yards after the Pioneers gained 165 in the first half. The Bulldogs also turned away two Elyria trips into the red zone in the second half.
“We were more physical up front and we read our keys better,” said Jackson, who also intercepted a pass, his fifth, in the second half. “We all just stepped it up and played team defense.”
It left quite an impression on Elyria head coach Mark Solis. His team entered averaging 40.2 points and more than 430 yards per game.
“I was very impressed with how they were against our run,” Solis said. “They were a little more physical, and they controlled the line. That’s why they won 35-9.”
McKinley’s special teams and offense also had a hand in things.
Joe Morgan returned three kickoffs for 89 yards to give his team field position. Brian Williams added a 65-yard punt return in the third quarter to set up McKinley’s fourth touchdown.
The Bulldogs scored on their first three possessions of the first half, driving 57, 41 and 80 yards for TDs. Fullback Mike Kirksey scored twice on short runs, while Morgan caught a 27-yard TD pass from Dan Grimsley.
McKinley’s ability to grind out drives offset Elyria’s big plays. Junior tailback Morgan Williams was McKinley’s primary source of offense. He ran for 199 yards and two TDs on 32 carries, giving him 2,309 yards on the season.
Williams ran the ball seven times on McKinley’s 80-yard drive that consumed nearly five minutes in the second quarter. The Bulldogs ran the ball on all 11 plays.
“It does make a statement,” Cross said. “That’s what we want to do, run the football.”
McKinley’s overall performance made a statement to Solis.
“That’s a physical football team,” he said. “And I’m not just talking about their front seven. They’re defensive backs are physical. ... I’d love nothing more than to see them keep going. I’d like to think we got beat by the eventual state champions.”
The Bulldogs, though, are not going to look too far ahead.
“You’ve got to have confidence, and this win helps a lot,” Jackson said. “But it’s in the past now. We’ve just got to move on to next week.”
Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven
at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail
[email protected].

Division I regional semifinals
at Byers Field
McKinley 35, Elyria 9
Elyria 6 3 0 0 — 9
McKinley 14 7 7 7 — 35
McK—Kirksey 3 run (Campbell kick)
E—Mahone 62 run (kick blocked)
McK—Morgan 27 pass from D.Grimsley (Campbell kick)
McK—Kirksey 2 run (Campbell kick)
E—FG Almeida 27
McK—M.Williams 12 run (Campbell kick)
McK—M.Williams 41 run (Campbell kick)
Team statistics Rushing: Elyria 39-175, McKinley 47-245. Passing: Elyria 5-14-1-97, McKinley 3-4-0-44. First downs: Elyria 13, McKinley 18. Fumbles-lost: Elyria 1-0, McKinley 2-1. Records: Elyria 9-3, McKinley 12-0.

 

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11/14/05

Walking off a winner enough for Bulldogs
Monday, November 14, 2005
[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Chris Beaven Repository sports writer[/FONT]


CANTON - No one on the McKinley High School football team walked off Parma’s Byers Field too satisfied Saturday night.

But the Bulldogs did walk off as winners on their way to the regional finals. And Sunday afternoon, that’s all that mattered to head coach Brian Cross, as he began preparing for McKinley’s rematch with Massillon.

“You have to get to the point now, that when you’re in the playoffs, you have to be satisfied that you moved on,” Cross said “You’re not going to play the perfect game every time. ... But you need to be satisfied with getting the job done and having the opportunity to get to play your next opponent.”

Of course, McKinley figures to be plenty excited to play its next opponent. This will be the 114th meeting in the series, and the fourth time McKinley and Massillon meet in the playoffs.

Saturday’s Division I regional final kicks off at 7 p.m. at Akron’s Rubber Bowl. The two last met in the playoffs there in 2001, with Massillon winning.
McKinley, though, has been in control of the series the last three years, winning all three matchups. That includes 38-8 three weeks ago at a sold-out Fawcett Stadium when the two entered with 9-0 records for the first time in 41 years.

“That game is past history,” Cross said. “We’ll take what we need to take from that game to help us in order to prepare for this game. But that’s all.”

Some preparation time is saved since the Bulldogs already have broken down a number of Massillon tapes. They will study a few more this week.

But Cross said it is easier to prepare for a familiar opponent in the playoffs.

Another difference for this McKinley-Massillon game will be the days leading up to the game. When they meet for their annual showdown in Week 10, the five days before are filled with events for both teams.

That will not be the case this week.

“This is all football,” Cross said. “And that’s what (Massillon) coach (Tom) Stacy talked about (after the first game), as far as he had so many outside things going on that it took away from football. ... This week, he won’t have that. I won’t have that. It’ll be a total football week.”

McKinley enters the week feeling pretty good after beating Elyria, 35-9.
“It really picks up our confidence,” McKinley middle linebacker Jeff Vaughn said after the game. “It makes us feel stronger going into next week.”
McKinley’s performance was not perfect.

The biggest flaws were allowing two big plays, a 62-yard TD run and 55-yard pass, in the first half. Those plays resulted in all of Elyria’s points. That did not sit well with the defense.

“They were frustrated in the first half after allowing them to score and have those big plays,” Cross said.

But take away those big plays, which accounted for 117 of Elyria’s 272 yards, and the Pioneers never sustained a lengthy drive against McKinley. Elyria entered averaging 40.2 points and 338.3 rushing yards per game but ran for just 175 yards. Star tailback P.J. Mahone, who had the 62-yard TD, gained just 33 yards on his other 14 carries.

“We really shut him down with the exception of that long run,” Cross said.
Offensively, McKinley gained a season-low 289 yards. But that’s a deceiving figure since the Bulldogs also gained 153 yards on kick and punt returns, leaving them several times with a short field.

When they needed to, McKinley put together three long scoring drives. Drives of 10 and 11 plays in the first half enabled the Bulldogs to take charge.

McKinley did not do much fancy, attempting just four passes among its 51 plays. Dan Grimsley did complete three of those, all to Joe Morgan, for 44 yards. The offensive catalyst was tailback Morgan Williams, who rushed for 199 yards on 32 carries.

It all added up to the only thing that matters in November, a win.

“That’s a good football team we beat,” Cross said. “And to beat them 35-9 is something.”

Bulldog bits ‘n’ pieces

HISTORY LESSON. McKinley and Massillon also met in the playoffs in 1980, 1994 and 2001. Massillon won the first and third meetings. McKinley’s win, 27-20 in ’94, came in front of 34,208 at the Rubber Bowl, a single-game attendance record for the state playoffs.

ANOTHER RECORD. Senior receiver Joe Morgan became McKinley’s single-season record holder for receiving yards Saturday. He has 967 yards on 37 catches. Matt Curry set the record at 924 in 1997. Morgan already held the record for TD catches, which he extended to 13 with a score Saturday. His 1,083 career receiving yards ranks him fifth on McKinley’s all-time chart.

MOVING CLOSER. Junior tailback Morgan Williams is within 100 yards of the school’s single-season rushing record. He has 2,309 yards. Ryan Brinson set the mark at 2,405 during last year’s run to the state finals. Williams also ranks second on the single-season scoring list with 186 points (31 TDs).

DeMarlo Rozier set that record at 192 in 1997. Williams’ career numbers of 2,622 yards and 204 points rank fifth and sixth, respectively, at McKinley.
Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail

[email protected].

 

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This Saturday at 7:00pm...

At Akron Rubber Bowl (1) McKinley (12-0) vs. (3) Massillon (11-1)

 

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11/17/05

Bulldogs know it won’t be easy
Thursday, November 17, 2005 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Chris Beaven REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER [/FONT]

Repository Scott Heckel Only the beginning - McKinley High School football coach Brian Cross (left) and Massillon’s Tom Stacy knew back in Week 10 after the Bulldogs’ 38-8 victory at Fawcett Stadium that the road to a Region 2 championship likely would be decided by a rematch between the storied rivals.
​

CANTON - They made it look so easy the first time.
Morgan Williams broke big runs. Dan Grimsley completed key passes. The defense delivered turnovers and big hits.
In a matter of two hours, McKinley’s much-anticipated high school football showdown with Massillon became just another Bulldog romp.
Three weeks later, the Bulldogs do not expect anything to come easily when they meet Massillon again. The two play for the Division I, Region 2 championship Saturday at 7 p.m. at Akron’s Rubber Bowl.
“Playing your arch-rival the second time in the season is always a tough thing,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said.
The Bulldogs wrapped up a 10-0 regular season when they beat the Tigers 38-8 at a sold-out Fawcett Stadium last month. The 30-point win was a stunning result to a matchup of unbeaten teams.
“We’re not 30 points better than them,” Cross said. “We were that day. But if we played them so many times, that certainly would not happen.”
McKinley seized control of that game midway through the first quarter. By the start of the fourth quarter, it was all but over.
Williams rushed for 234 yards, most ever by a Bulldog against Massillon. Grimsley passed for 90 yards, including a 21-yard TD to a diving Mark Jackson. The Bulldog defense intercepted four passes, recovered a fumble and limited Massillon to 124 yards.
“Our kids definitely have confidence because of what happened in the first game,” Cross said. “But they also know that game was three weeks ago. Massillon will be a different team when they play us, a better team.”
Cross likes to think his Bulldogs will be better, too.
McKinley has faced challenges of varying degrees the last two Saturdays in the playoffs. The Bulldogs beat Brunswick 35-17 and Elyria 35-9.
They dealt with an outstanding quarterback in Brunswick’s Anthony Lanzara and a game-breaking tailback in Elyria’s P.J. Mahone. Each made some plays, especially Lanzara, but the Bulldogs prevailed.
McKinley pounded out rushing yards with Mike Kirksey and Williams. Receiver Joe Morgan contributed big TD catches in each game. And the defense, particularly against Elyria, got the job done.
Now comes Massillon.
Cross wanted his team to focus on itself this week and not get caught up in any hype over playing the Tigers again.
“We’ll study films and see what they’re doing, and try to defend all of their weapons,” Cross said.
The Tigers do have more than their share of weapons.
Their primary go-to guy, tailback Brian Gamble, is as talented as anyone McKinley has seen this season. He had just 17 offensive touches in the first game, totaling 64 yards.
Massillon figures to get Gamble more involved this time. Cross is making sure the Bulldogs are ready.
“They’ll try to do what they think they can do against us, whether it’s Gamble, (quarterback) Bobby Huth, throwing to the tight end (Brett Huffman) or spreading the field,” Cross said. “... If they think Gamble is their answer, we have to be ready. He’s a very good back. We were able to hold him in check that day, but this will be a different day.
“... Some people think he’s going to explode this time. Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. It’s up to our defense to defend him the best we can. It’ll be a great challenge for us.”
Cross has learned that the Bulldogs do not back down from any challenge.
“They rise to that challenge of facing a top-notch opponent,” Cross said. “They’ll get our best shot, our ‘A’ game.”
The majority of these Bulldogs experienced first hand McKinley’s run to the Division I state finals last season.
“They understand the finality of the playoffs,” Cross said. “When we played (Massillon) before, we both knew there was another day to play. The person that comes up short this week is done. Our kids are very understanding of that fact, and they’ll be ready.”
Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven
at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail:
[email protected]



Saturday will mark the fourth time McKinley and Massillon play each other in the postseason. Here is a look at that part of the rivalry.
2005 Regular season
McKinley 38, Massillon 8

Playoffs
Division I, Region 2
7 p.m. Saturday
Akron’s Rubber Bowl
2001
Regular season
Massillon 29, McKinley 26

Playoffs
Massillon 35, McKinley 19
Tigers score on five of first six possessions to pull away early.
1994
Regular season
Massillon 42, McKinley 41, OT

Playoffs
McKinley 27, Massillon 20
Game sets an OHSAA attendance record with 34,208.
1980
Regular season
McKinley 16, Massillon 7

Playoffs Massillon 14, McKinley 6 Tigers ride the victory all the way to the state title game.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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11/17/08

Quote:

Massillon vs. Canton McKinley

What, when, where: Division I regional championship game, 7 p.m., the Rubber Bowl, 800 George Washington Blvd., Akron. Call 330-972-8102.
Records: Massillon 11-1; McKinley 12-0.

What to watch: A crowd of about 25,000 is expected to watch the renewal of one of the state's oldest rivalries on neutral turf. McKinley, ranked second in the state, won the 113th regular-season meeting, 38-8, on the final weekend of the season as it dominated up front on both sides of the ball. The Bulldogs, state runners-up last year, beat two of the best teams in the Pioneer Conference, Brunswick and Elyria, by a combined 70-26 in its playoff games, while the Tigers whacked North Canton Hoover before slipping past Findlay, 27-20, last week with a huge goal line stand as the game ended. McKinley's offense centers around junior tailback Morgan Williams, who rushed for 1,977 yards and 24 touchdowns during the regular season. Quarterback Dan Grimsley has two lethal targets in Joe Morgan and Mark Jackson. Massillon relies on junior tailback Brian Gamble, who gained 1,054 yards and scored 11 TDs in 10 games. Until the McKinley game, Massillon quarterback Bobby Huth had thrown just one interception against 12 TD passes. McKinley picked him off three times. This is the fourth time the two Stark County rivals have played twice in the same season. It also happened in 1980 (split), 1994 (split) and 2001 (Massillon sweep).

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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11/18/05

Mark Jackson does it all for unbeaten McKinley
Friday, November 18, 2005 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Chris Beaven REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]

Mark Jackson​

CANTON - His work can go unnoticed at times. He doesn’t grandstand after plays. He doesn’t complain when the ball does not come his way.
Mark Jackson just plays.
And at some point, especially in the big football games, the McKinley High School senior likely will make an impact.
“That’s a special kid,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said of Jackson. “... He’s a leader. The kids look up to him, the coaches look up to him.”
Jackson’s leadership and ability will be on display when McKinley meets Massillon in Saturday’s 7 p.m. Division I, Region 2 championship game at Akron’s Rubber Bowl. He will start at free safety and wide receiver, in addition to playing on special teams.
Jackson leads the team in interceptions with five. He also is the second-leading receiver with eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown.
“He’s been our most consistent football player on both sides,” Cross said. “... He gets our guys lined up in the secondary. He’s a coach on the field ... a total team player.”
Jackson’s smarts and attitude has been in place for a while. But the three-year varsity player quickly learned there was more to football than individual glory.
“I look at the big picture, which is getting a ‘W’ each week,” Jackson said. “Winning is more important than me getting a couple of catches a game.”
That attitude has paid off in Jackson helping McKinley to a 12-0 record. It has also earned him spots on the all-district and All-Federal League teams.
“He’s earned everything he’s received,” Cross said.
Cross hopes Jackson eventually receives a Division I scholarship. Some Mid-American Conference and Big Ten schools have shown interest.
“He’s one kid you love to sell (to colleges),” Cross said. “... He’ll be in your program four years and he won’t embarrass the program or school. You’re going to get everything positive you can get out of him.”
When Cross became the head coach at McKinley prior to the 2003 season, it did not take long for him to recognize Jackson was a winner.
“We knew he had the talent,” Cross said. “But he also had a great work ethic.”
Jackson credits his family for that. He further realized the need to work hard when he began his McKinley career standing 5-foot-8.
“Coming into high school, I wasn’t confident in where I’d fit in.” he said. “I knew if I worked hard, things would fall into place for me in life.”
Things began to fall in place in football his sophomore year when he started as a wing back. He caught nine passes for 76 yards and two TDs. He ran the ball 25 times for 103 yards and another score.
Jackson hit a growth spurt the next season. He now stands 6-foot, and weighs 185 pounds. With the added size, and the continued hard work, came confidence that only furthered his development.
He caught a team-best 15 passes for 161 yards and a TD last season. He also intercepted three passes as a starting cornerback. His interception in the end zone with 59 seconds left preserved last year’s state semifinal win over Glenville.
“I just got blessed with an opportunity to make a play, and I made the play,” he said. “I was just happy to get the team to the next point (the state finals). It’s probably the biggest play of my life.”
Jackson made a big play in the last meeting with Massillon, McKinley’s 38-8 win three weeks ago at Fawcett Stadium. He made a diving, one-handed grab of a Dan Grimsley pass for a 21-yard TD.
That victory made McKinley’s perfect regular season complete. But Jackson said that win no longer matters.
“You can say we dominated that game,” Jackson said. “But if we lose this game, our season’s over, and nobody will say anything about that first game. We have to be able to stay focused on this game.”
Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]

McKINLEY
vs. Massillon
Division I, Region 2 title game
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Rubber Bowl, Akron
TV Tape-delayed at 11 p.m.
Saturday on Time Warner Cable Channel 11, Massillon Cable Channel 22, Akron Time Warner Cable Channel 17 RADIO WHBC-AM 1480, WNPQ-FM 95.9, ESPN-AM 990

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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11/18/05

Bulldogs vs. Tigers, Round 2, upon us
Saturday, November 19, 2005 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By CHRIS BEAVEN[/FONT]

Their historic meeting three weeks ago did not live up to the hype. What looked to be an exciting clash of two evenly matched high school football teams quickly became one-sided.

Will tonight’s rematch meet expectations?

No one knows.

But expect two confident teams to take the field tonight at a packed Rubber Bowl in Akron when McKinley and Massillon meet again. The Division I regional final kicks off at 7.

McKinley and Massillon enter the game three wins away from winning a state championship. Each appears to have the necessary talent to win a title.

They both feature dangerous running backs, big-play passing attacks, strong defenses and solid special teams. They also both have a nice mix of athletes with big-time futures at the college level, in addition to guys who are outstanding high school players.

When they met the first time around, though, it was all McKinley. The Bulldogs won, 38-8, quickly removing any potential suspense from the first meeting in 41 years where both teams entered 9-0.

And yes, that win gives McKinley plenty of confidence. But not too much.
“Our kids will be ready to play,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said. “They’re mature enough to know that what happened before is over and done with. This is a whole new, different ballgame.”

Massillon, of course, hopes the game plays out entirely different. Don’t expect the Tigers to be one bit timid because of that loss.

“We’ve won enough games that the kids have confidence in their ability,” said Massillon head coach Tom Stacy.

The Tigers were far from their best last week. Turnovers and penalties plagued them, but they preserved and won, 27-20, over Findlay with a goal-line stand on the final play.

To ensure a “total focus” this week, Stacy closed practice this week and the players were off-limits to the media.

Stacy wanted a proper intensity this week, and he does not think the players will get too uptight.

The Bulldogs never appear to be even close to uptight. They have been an extremely loose team. “Sometimes too loose,” Cross has said on occasions.
Senior safety-receiver Mark Jackson, one of four McKinley captains, said the Bulldogs have their share of fun.

“It’s the most fun I’ve ever had, just on a daily basis,” Jackson said. “We have fun in practice. We have fun when we see each other in school. And we have fun when we’re watching films.”

But whenever Cross has challenged his Bulldogs, or an opponent has tested them, they have responded.

Last week, Elyria gave McKinley some problems early, but not nearly enough to prevent the Bulldogs from winning, 35-9.

“We’re a laid-back team, but we’re laid back and focused at the same time,” Jackson said. “We don’t want to be a team that’s too uptight that we won’t be ready to play. We’re laid back, but always ready and always focused.”

Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]


tonight
Kickoff at 7 p.m.
MCKINLEY VS.
MASSILLON
Division I, Region 2 title game
Rubber Bowl, Akron
TV Tape-delayed at 11 on Time Warner Cable Channel 11, Massillon Cable Channel 22, Akron Time Warner Cable Channel 17
RADIO WHBC-AM 1480,
WNPQ-FM 95.9, ESPN-AM 990
central catholic vs. youngstown mooney
Division IV, Region 13 title game Tiger Stadium, Twinsburg RADIO Tape-delayed at 9:30 on WNPQ-FM 95.9