Team

Austintown Fitch

Record	Div.	Conf.
6/4	Div. I	All-American Conference Gold Tier

By TIM CLEVELAND

sports @vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

The defenses for both Austintown Fitch and Massillon played very well Friday night. Ironically, it was a defensive miscue by the Tigers that played a key role in the Falcons’ 7-6 victory.

With 1:47 to play and Fitch facing a fourth and 2 on its own 47, coach Phil Annarella kept his offense on the field. Massillon defensive lineman Edwin Glick jumped across the line early, giving Fitch the 5-yard penalty it needed for the first down. With the Tigers out of timeouts, the Falcons were able to run out the clock.

“We took a shot and just to see if we could get lucky,” Annarella said. “That was a huge play and something we do if we see teams being aggressive on defense. We thought they might be on that particular play.

“When they work, they’re great calls, when they don’t, you’re a dummy. That’s not what won the game for us. What won the game for us was defense. Our defense just played phenomenal. Our defensive coordinator Wally Hurdley just had a great game plan. The kids stepped up. They played hard. We did just enough on offense to pull the victory out.

Fitch’s (4-2) defense allowed 173 total yards, forced four turnovers and twice in the first half stopped the Tigers on fourth down inside the Falcons 20.

“We couldn’t get into a rhythm offensively,” Massillon coach Nate Moore said. “We’ve got to get back to work this week and get those things fixed.”

Massillon held Fitch to just 152 total yards and had an interception.

Fitch got its only score in the first quarter after recovering a fumble by Tigers quarterback Lee Hurst II on the first offensive play at the Massillon 23. Four plays after the turnover, Randy Smith scored from the 3 for a 7-0 lead with 7:37 remaining in the quarter.

Massillon (2-4) got its only score early in the third quarter. Austin Jasinski fielded a punt at his 40 and went 60 yards for the touchdown. Fitch defensive lineman Jalen Fletcher got a hand on Klay Moll’s PAT try, keeping Fitch up 7-6 with 8:38 to play in the third.

The teams traded punts until late in the third quarter. In an effort to spark his offense, Moore put Seth Blankenship into the game at quarterback. The senior drove his team from his own 7 to the Fitch 26 by completing three consecutive passes. On fourth-and-10, Blankenship fumbled, which was recovered by Fitch’s Jakari Lumsden.

Massillon switched things up again on offense, going with a jumbo backfield package. Dakota Dunwiddie, a 246-pound fullback, carried six times for 37 yards as the Tigers drove from their 17 to the Fitch 39. On fourth and 13, Hurst II’s pass was incomplete with 3:17 left.

“That’s three years in a row that’s been like a point or two in the final score,” Annarella said. “Fortunately, we’ve been on top all three. I wouldn’t want to be a Massillon fan. They played hard tonight.”

Annarella said if the Tigers hadn’t jumped on the crucial play, he definitely would have punted it back.

“We were going to take the penalty and then punt it; I’m not that daring,” he said. “We didn’t have a play called on that one.”