Massillon seeks first title on field

The Tigers won 22 mythical titles before the playoffs began.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Massillon Washington football players who looked out of their school's windows earlier this week could see fans camping in tents outside Paul Brown Tiger Stadium next door.
The most ardent Tigers supporters wanted to guarantee themselves seats for Saturday night's matchup against Cincinnati St. Xavier for the Division I championship, with a win giving Massillon its first state title since the playoff format began in 1972.
The school synonymous with Ohio's rich prep football tradition counts 22 state crowns awarded by magazines and wire service polls -- the ultimate paper champion whose fans long for the chance to watch their team's players celebrate a title on the field.
First-year head coach
First-year Tigers coach Tom Stacy, a former Massillon assistant, vows his players won't be distracted by the burden of delivering the coveted championship prize for residents of the blue-collar town that worships football.
"I don't think it adds pressure. It adds to the luster of a win if you can get it," he said.
Massillon (13-1) previously reached the big-school title game in 1980 and 1982, and was blown out by Cincinnati Moeller both times. St. Xavier (14-0) also is seeking its first state title, having lost the Division I championship game in 1992, 1998 and 2001.
Bombers coach Steve Specht, who brings in a team that was ranked No. 1 in every Associated Press poll during the regular season, said any advantages St. Xavier has could be negated by the fact the game is being played so close to Massillon. But he doesn't want anyone within his program making excuses, even though St. Xavier has to drive about four hours to Fawcett Stadium in Canton, while the Tigers' buses don't even have to get on the freeway.
"I think at this point in the season you'd play it in a parking lot behind a grocery store just to be able to be a part of it," Specht said.
He's looking forward to the charged atmosphere.
"If there's a program in the nation with a better football tradition than Massillon I'd like to see it," Specht said.
Played in big games
Stacy noted two reasons why his players shouldn't be fazed by the state championship game: they face pressure playing longtime rival Canton McKinley each season and they're used to getting advice on the game from just about everyone in the city of Massillon.
"When you get that throng of the Tiger nation behind you it makes a big difference," said Stacy, an assistant on Galion's Division II state championship team in 1985.
"I know I've gotten several phone calls from guys on the 22 state championships that would love to see us win it," Stacy said.
Other title matchups
The Massillon-St. Xavier matchup is the last of six championship games to be played in Canton and Massillon this weekend. Today's games are Steubenville-Columbus DeSales (Division III), Hamler Patrick Henry-Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (V) and Canfield-Toledo Central Catholic (II). The first two games Saturday are Mooney-Coldwater (IV) and Steubenville Catholic Central-Delphos St. John's (VI).