After falling behind by 14 points quickly, Massillon outscored visiting Valdosta (GA), the winningest high school team of all-time, 28-3 the rest of the way en route to a 28-17 victory in the Northeast Ohio vs. America Showcase. Senior QB DaOne Owens ran for a jaw-dropping 241 yards and two long touchdowns (65 & 69 yards). Dorian Pringle chipped in 65 yards of his own and another two scores.

Wildcats Come Out Hot

On the game’s very first play, Shakevious Wright busted off a 70-yard run to set the Wildcats up deep in Tiger territory. Three plays later, Todd Robinson found Eli Lewis for a 16-yard score to make it 7-0 Valdosta less than two minutes into the game. 

After forcing a Massillon punt on the ensuing possession, the Wildcats wasted no time extending their lead. Facing a third and short, Robinson hooked up with Prince Jean for the long, 63-yard score, putting Valdosta up 14-0 midway through the first. After the teams traded punts back and forth, DaOne Owens would make his impact felt.

On the first play of the drive, Owens kept it himself and scampered 75 yards down the sideline to the five, though an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty would back them up to the Wildcat 20. The Tigers kept things going on the ground, and Pringle would plow in from a yard out to cut the deficit to 14-7.

Massillon would find themselves deep in Wildcat territory near the end of the first half but could not convert. At the half, Valdosta led Massillon 14-7.

Massillon Takes Control

As the sun went down and the lights shined bright, the Tigers would strike quickly to even things up. On the first play of the second half, Owens busted off another long run, this time 69 yards for the touchdown, making it 14-14 early in the third. 

After getting gouged for big plays in the first half, the Massillon defense came out of the half a different team, forcing back-to-back Valdosta three-and-outs. Setting up shop on their own 45, Pringle carried the ball four times, capping off the drive with a 21-yard score to make it 21-14 Tigers late in the third.

Refusing to go down without a fight, Valdosta took their next drive deep into Massillon territory and got three points on a 29-yard field goal to draw the Wildcats closer at 21-17. After both defenses forced punts, Owens would put one final exclamation point on his first night as a Tiger.

On the drive’s first play, Owens straight down the middle of the field for a 65-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 28-17. With time running out, the Wildcats’ offense would make one more push but were forced to punt, allowing Massillon’s offense to run out the remainder of the clock. In a matchup decades in the making, the Tigers came away with a 28-17 victory over the historic Valdosta Wildcats.

Keys to the Game

When the Tigers fell down two scores early, there was a noticeable shift in the environment at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Instead of allowing the Wildcats to roll, the Massillon defense started to key on Shakevious Wright. A hit on QB Todd Robinson appeared to injure his ankle, and though he was able to play the rest of the game, he did so with a noticeable limp.

Offensively, the Massillon offensive line dominated the trenches, a tall task considering Valdosta boasts two Colorado commits on their defensive front. The line opened up holes all night long, allowing the offense to rack up 348 yards on the ground.

Next Week

After starting the season with a big victory, the Tigers will play host to Canton GlenOak (1-0) at 7 pm. The Eagles are coming off a 41-12 win over Western Hills to kick off their season. 

Top Performers

Valdosta Wildcats

Todd Robinson: 12-24 211 yards 2 TD 1 INT

Shakevious Wright: 19 carries 111 yards

Eli Lewis: 5 catches 64 yards 1 TD

Prince Jean: 4 catches 83 yards 1 TD

Massillon Tigers

DaOne Owens: 5-10 59 yards   13 carries 241 yards 2 TD

Dorian Pringle: 13 carries 65 yards 2 TD

Kyler Wiggins: 4 catches 54 yards

Ja’Meir Gamble: 3 catches 29 yards

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

Valdosta 10:18- Todd Robinson to Eli Lewis, 16 yards (Garcia kick good)

Valdosta 5:43- Todd Robinson to Prince Jean, 63 yards (Garcia kick good)

2nd Quarter

Massillon 6:22- Dorian Pringle, 1-yard run (Keller kick good)

3rd Quarter

Massillon 11:43-DaOne Owens, 69-yard run (Keller kick good)

Massillon 2:42- Dorian Pringle, 21-yard run (Keller kick good)

4th Quarter

Valdosta 11:53- Franklin Garcia 29-yard field goal

Massillon 8:12- DaOne Owens, 65-yard run (Keller kick good)