COLUMBUS — Massillon will travel to Columbus to play St. Francis DeSales in an OHSAA Division II high school football regional semifinal tonight.
The No. 3 seed Tigers 8-3 after rolling past Hoover 62-7 in their playoff opener last week. No. 2 DeSales improved to 9-2 with a 33-29 win over Ashland in its opener.
Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Follow along below for live updates throughout the evening.
Watch Ohio High School Sports Live on the NFHS Network all season
Massillon leads Columbus DeSales 27-7 at halftime
DeSales takes advantage of the biggest Massillon mistake of the first half. A backward pass near midfield bounces off the ground and is returned 48 yards for a touhdown by the Stallions’ John Hockaday with four seconds left.
Savior Owens and Anthony McMullen Jr. each ran for two touchdowns in the first half. Owens has 159 yards rushing on the night.
Massillon’s Anthony McMullen Jr. scores second touchdown
Man, that looked like an angry run by Massillon’s Anthony McMullen Jr. His 13-yard touchdown run gives the Tigers a 27-0 lead.
McMullen and Savior Owens have two touchdown runs tonight.
Zay-shawn Murray gives Massillon ball back
Zay-shawn Murray intercepts DeSales quarterback RJ Day. The Tigers have the ball inside Stallions territory again.
Savior Owens scores second touchdown for Massillon
This game is over unless DeSales suddenly finds a way to stop this Massillon running game.
Savior Owens scores his second touchdown on a 21-yard run. The Tigers lead 20-0.
Massillon’s Isaac Maxheimer recovers Columbus DeSales fumble
Massillon’s Samuel Doussous forces a DeSales fumble. Teammate Isaac Maxheimer makes the recovery.
First down Tigers inside Stallions territory.
Massillon’s Savior Owens eclipes 100 yards rushing … in the first quarter
Is this good?
Massillon’s Savior Owens ran for 105 yards on just seven carries in the first quarter alone.
Anthony McMullen Jr. touchdown run increases Massillon lead
The Tigers drive 93 yards in 14 plays and grab a 13-0 lead on Anthony McMullen Jr.’s 2-yard touchdown run. The extra point is missed.
Massillon leads Columbus DeSales 7-0 after one quarter
Massillon will open the second quarter with a 7-0 lead and the ball at the DeSales 42-yard line.
A Stallions punt pinned the Tigers inside their own 10, but Savior Owens’ 23-yard run on the first play of the drive gave them some breathing room.
Savior Owens touchdown run opens scoring for Massillon
Massillon runs a draw to Savior Owens and the junior does the rest. His 22-yard touchdown run puts the Tigers on top 7-0.
Columbus DeSales fake punt try fails
DeSales runs a fake on fourth down from midfield and has a man open. Massillon’s Braylon Gamble breaks up the pass.
First down Tigers at midfield.
Two false start penalties slow first massillon drive
The Tigers pick up one first down on their opening drive, but can’t generate much more thanks to two false start penalties.
Massillon will get the football first
DeSales won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Massillon will get the ball first.
Record-setting playoff win for Columbus DeSales’ RJ Day, Ryan Day’s son
Massillon’s defense will face a quarterback who is on a roll.
DeSales’ RJ Day, the son of Ohio State football coach Ryan Day, threw for an unofficial team-record 482 yards in the win over Ashland. He has thrown for 4,000 yards in his career.
Day has Power Five offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Purdue and Syracuse. He also has offers from a number of Mid-American Conference schools, including Akron and Kent State.
Who will the Massillon-Columbus DeSales winner play next?
The Massillon-Columbus DeSales winner will play the winner of the other Region 7 semifinal between No. 1 seed Sunbury Big Walnut and No. 4 Canal Winchester. The game will be played next Friday at a site to be determined.
- Fri., Aug. 22, Glenville | Loss 33-27, 1OT | Recap | Story
- Fri., Aug. 29, GlenOak | WIN 44-10 | Recap
- Fri., Sept. 5, Rabun Gap (Nacoochee, Ga.) | Loss 50-35 | Recap
- Fri., Sept. 12, L.J Bennett (Buffalo) | WIN 35-0 |Recap
- Fri., Sept. 19, St. Edward | WIN 21-14 | Recap | Story
- Fri., Sept. 26, Football North (Mississauga, Ontario) | Loss 34-2 | Recap | Story
- Fri., Oct. 3, Cardinal Ritter College Prep (St. Louis) | WIN 28-14 | Recap
- Fri., Oct. 10, Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio) | WIN 45-20 | Recap
- Fri., Oct. 17, Warren Harding | WIN 42-10 | Story
- Sat., Oct. 25, at Canton McKinley | WIN 21-14 | Recap | Story | Column
- DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
- Fri., Oct. 31, First-round bye
- Fri., Nov. 7, Hoover | WIN 62-7 | Recap
- Fri., Aug. 22, Olentangy Badin | WIN 14-13
- Fri. Aug. 29, Northland | WIN 34-0
- Fri., Sept. 5, at Africentric Early College | WIN 35-18
- Fri., Sept. 12, Badin | Loss 38-21
- Fri., Sept. 19, at George Rogers Clark (Kentucky) | WIN 35-21
- Fri., Sept. 26, Bishop Watterson | Loss 42-7
- Fri., Oct. 3, at Cabell Midland (West Virginia) | WIN 40-7
- Fri., Oct. 10, at St. Charles | WIN 42-14
- Fri., Oct. 17, at Harrison | WIN 23-21
- Fri., Oct. 24, at Bishop Hartley | WIN 23-21
- DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
- Fri., Oct. 31, First-round bye
- Fri., Nov. 7, Ashland | WIN 33-29
Reach Mike at mike.popovich@cantonrep.com
On X: @mpopovichREP | On Instagram: mike_popovich | On Snapchat: popovich_mike | On TikTok: mikepopovich
The Canton Repository sports department can be contacted via email at sports@cantonrep.com.
