■ NILES 1966 What should have been. .... 50 years ago, the #5 team in the USA ! ■
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Hard to believe but as every high school season rolls around I remember my high school years even going on 51 years now.
Amazing too how a town of about 22,000 back then had a high school football stadium that could seat 15,000 and be sold out every game.
When my dad took me to my first game in 1959 I didn't know then that I would never see the RED DRAGONS ever lose a home game through my Senior season in the fall of 1967 on a thrilling last minute TD vs Warren G. Harding our perennial last game every season.
Niles lost their first home game in the 1960s in 1968 vs Warren Western Reserve my first year in college at YSU.
I'm sure today most kids do not have the association with high school sports like we did....too bad for them.
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Strange small world, tonight I was coming home from the hospital via a local ambulance two young guys on the crew both football fans started talking about football including high school football got around to Niles McKinley RED DRAGON football including the 1964 NILES - MASSILLON Game of the Century and this one NILES - MASSILLON 1966.
He googled them up, I told him I was there on the sidelines in NILES in 1966.....amazing moment.
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The view of that game from the Massillon point of view.
https://massillontigers.com/1966/10/08/1966-massillon-12-niles-mckinley-20
Tigers' 32 - Game Streak Ends.
By CHUCK HESS, Jr.
As the sense of feeling returns when the dentist’s shot of Novocain wears off, so the numbness in Tigertown has subsided today. Players and fans are back to reality.
The 32-game unbeaten streak is gone. Any chance for a third straight gridiron title has been considerably dimmed. So have chances for a fourth straight All-American High School league title.
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Program Cover
TIGER GRIDDERS have started their preparation for this Saturday’s invasion by Altoona, Pa., knowing that despite a last quarter breakdown which cost them a 20-12 loss at Niles Saturday night, they played some excellent defensive football. The Bengals also know the REAL Tiger fans are still solidly behind them as they “Carry on for Massillon.”
There is still a lot of football left in 1966. The Washington high eleven still must uphold the honor of Ohio football against Altoona, still has a chance to play spoiler for such
still-undefeated teams as Upper Arlington and Steubenville.As Coach Bob Seaman put it, “We lost the game but we didn’t deserve to get beat. Massillon is still the No. 1 team as far as I’m concerned. I wouldn’t want to be the next team to play Massillon.”
The game boiled down to a case of some breaks, some poor officiating mechanics and some short-comings on the part of the Tigers. With the season half over, it has become painfully apparent that the Bengal offense is not getting the job done, thereby putting added pressure on the defense. The Tiger defensive secondary is also having its troubles – with pass coverage.
The Niles McKinley Red Dragons took a page out of the Tigers’ comeback Saturday night before a capacity crowd of 12,500 at Riverside stadium. The Dragons must be given-credit for being a great team to execute the type of comeback they did.
* * *THERE IS some question as to whether they actually won the game. Junior end John Ziegler made a desperation diving catch of senior quarterback Bob Leonard’s 34-yard down-the-middle pass at the goal line with 38 seconds left.
No official was near the play at the time. From the pressbox, it looked like the catch had been made, but several Tiger players charged field judge John Holzback, hotly debating his ruling of a touchdown.
Niles had taken over the ball on its 31 with 1:36 left. Two passes to Ziegler and an option pitch, which had given the Tigers trouble throughout the night, set up the winning play.
About 5 minutes earlier it had appeared the Obiemen were about to break a 7-year unbeaten home streak for Niles with a 12-0 victory.
Senior linebacker Will Foster and junior halfback Trevor Young had brought Niles senior halfback Martin Henry down on the Massillon one on fourth down after a 53-yard Dragon drive.
But disaster struck with first down on the 12. Tiger Foster fumbled and Niles defensive end Pat Ryan recovered. Leonard passed to senior end Dick Clapp at the goal post with 4:50 remaining. Senior end Lance Cullembine couldn’t catch Leonard’s pass on the conversion attempt.
* * *NILES EXECUTED a perfect onside kick as Leonard booted instead of Clapp. Junior halfback Larry Trimbitas grabbed the ball out of the air on the Massillon 42.
Four plays later – after good runs off the option pitch and a handoff by Henry and senior halfback Bruce Simeone, senior fullback Gary Bletsch took another option pitch on first and 9 and went in around the left side with 3:48 showing on the clock. Ron Hallock, a senior reserve fullback, failed to convert on another pitch.
The Tigers could get no further than their 39 on the next series. Harley Dickinson punted out and then came the fateful Niles TD drive followed by Leonard’s keeper conversion.
Massillon got another chance on the kickoff but got no further than its 40 as the clock ran out while Bengal players tried frantically to call timeout with 7 seconds left and fans beginning to stream on to the field. The gridiron was the scene of a wild Niles victory celebration at the conclusion of the contest.
It is unfortunate that the Tigers couldn’t have capitalized on all of their 3-fumble recoveries in the first period. Sherrett picked one up on the Niles 20. Junior linebacker Ron Ertle got another on the 19 after which Foster capped a 9-play drive, going in over center on fourth and one but the Bengals were in motion and ran out of downs. Senior quarterback Craig Maurer set up the hoped for TD with a 10-yard pass to Sherrett on the right sideline.
* * *SENIOR co-captain and “monster” back Ron Muhlbach got another Niles fumble on the 8. On the second play following, Foster went through the middle from the one after taking the ball to the one on a pitch right on first down. There was 1:27 left in the quarter as Maurer was unable to hit tight end Tom Liggett in the left corner of the end zone on the conversion attempt.
The Tigers didn’t get any further than their 31 until the third period when they punted from the Niles 35 on fourth down. Senior guard Greg Russell downed the ball on the Niles 2. Three plays later a Niles punt rolled dead on the Dragons’ 38.
Foster broke through the right side on first down, taking several would-be tacklers with him as he finally got in for the touchdown. Big Will, rapidly becoming one of Massillon’s all-time great backs, missed through the center on the conversion but his running
high-lighted the Tiger attack. The clock showed 2:47 left in the period as Massillon led
12-0.The Tiger defense came to the fore several times in the second period, led by senior linebacker Hoyt Sketon. Senior end Jim Sterling picked up a Niles fumble on the Bengal 7 after senior end John Isoldi of Niles had partially blocked a Tiger punt. But Massillon fumbled right back with Ryan giving Niles control.
Senior end Mike Kraft covered a Niles fumble on the Massillon 19 during the second stanza. Foster intercepted a pass in the end zone and might have been off to the races except he slipped in cutting.
* * *BOB SHAW ..... Niles coach, summed up his feelings with, “It was a great victory. I’m real proud of the boys. Bob Seaman deserves a lot of credit for bringing a team here that was supposed to get trounced but which played like the Tigers did. It’s a shame what they’re doing to him in Massillon.”
Massillon’s record is 3-1-1, Niles 5-0 and leads the All-American league with Massillon third. ....... CONTINUED WITH MORE STATS ON THE GAME......
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I happened to see this in Wikipedia
The Niles McKinley Red Dragon football team was started in 1898. They held a 48-game regular season winning streak from 1959 to 1964 and were Ohio State Champions in 1961 and 1963. The coach during this period, Tony Mason, went on to accept head coaching positions at University of Arizona and University of Cincinnati, and was elected to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2002. They also went undefeated in 1966, and were not only ranked number one team in Ohio, but number five in the United States.
GO BUCKEYES, BROWNS, INDIANS, CAVS, YSU, NAVY and yes I like ND! -
~ October 12, 2023 - I have not even looked at this article and this thread in OVER three years -but- I remember it very well. Every paragraph, every single thought.
And I'm 73 now -but- I remember that 1966 season and year oh so very well. When you go through an experience like that you never forget it, it just doesn't leave you.
Some of the coaches and players from that season are no longer with us. But downstairs in a couple of boxes in particular for the 1961 and 1963 years when I did scrapbooks when I was 11 and 13 of every single home game i saw. Every single program i kept. Every single article from The Niles Times and Youngstown Vindicator that I cut out and saved ...... everything. In 1961 and 1963 ( Bo Rein's Senior season ) and The Niles McKinley Red Dragons first and second State of Ohio High School Champions !
Maybe that's why ive been such an avid football fan in HS, college and professional levels. Even my Niles Red Dragons are in the playoffs now unlike some lean recent years. And my alma mater Youngstown State University has had some good and great seasons among a few down ones .... but i still listen or watch to every game on WKBN.
But my Junior high school football season in 1966 I have a pretty much complete collection of everything -plus- some incredible memories of that year.
︎ Oh yes ! Saturday October 8, 1966. about ︎ 57 years and 4 days ago. (+/-). ...... 
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I happened to see this in Wikipedia
The Niles McKinley Red Dragon football team was started in 1898. They held a 48-game regular season winning streak from 1959 to 1964 and were Ohio State Champions in 1961 and 1963. The coach during this period, Tony Mason, went on to accept head coaching positions at University of Arizona and University of Cincinnati, and was elected to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2002. They also went undefeated in 1966, and were not only ranked number one team in Ohio, but number five in the United States.
I happened to see this in Wikipedia:
The Niles McKinley Red Dragon football team was started in 1898. They held a 48-game regular season winning streak from 1959 to 1964 and were Ohio State Champions in 1961 and 1963. The coach during this period, Tony Mason, went on to accept head coaching positions at University of Arizona and University of Cincinnati, and was elected to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2002. They also went undefeated in 1966, and were not only ranked number one team in Ohio, but number five in the United States.
~ Just an update from Monday, January 01 / 2024 - but - being a legal holiday and the library is CLOSED well you know. mjp.
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I found this in some old stuff....anyone have a guess on the year?
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Hmmmm, NILES -at- ALLIANCE, had to be before I was at the High School in 1965.
From the artwork I'd say in the 1950s and NO FACEMASKS. I had my first single bar helmet in ELEMENTARY School about 5th grade. I was born in 1950.
First helmet and pads .... 1958 or 1959. My guess on the program .... about 1957 or 1958. Eh ? How close ?
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From The ALLIIANCE REVIEW ........
....... According to Ohio High School Athletic Association records, the conference has four of the top six winningest programs in the state. Massillon (885-291-36), Canton McKinley (837-355-42) and Steubenville (815-319-34) are the top three, with Warren Harding sixth (700-440-49). Niles McKinley (580-439-56) and Alliance (551-479-17) also are in the top 50.
“Those were six some of the top football programs in Ohio,” Parry said. “I lived near our stadium [Bo Rein Stadium] and I remember [hearing about and watching] some great games between Niles and those teams.” .......
1966 was my Junior year at Niles McKinley ..... our BEST TEAM, ever ! I lived football, NHS, OHIO STATE, The BROWNS ! Later YSU.
Before Niles McKinley joined the AAC, it compiled a 48-game unbeaten streak (1959-64), with one blemish being a 12-12 tie against Alliance in 1959, the year after the Aviators were voted the big-school state poll title. ■ The Red Dragons also went 10-0 in 1966, winning the conference championship under then-head coach Bob Shaw and finishing second in the statewide poll. ■ We got robbed !
After the AAC disbanded (following the 1979 season), Alliance joined the Federal League in 1983 and stayed 20 years. Niles McKinley, meanwhile, hooked up with the Steel Valley Conference (1982-85), then left to join the All-American Athletic Conference (1986-1990).
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~ AND ~ something that I found when going through some old paperwork. ● WEDNESDAY JULY 24, 2024. ●
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*Alliance, *Canton McKinley, *Massillon Washington, [ Niles McKinley ] *Steubenville, and *Warren Harding
And NILES BEAT *ALL 5 of them IN 1966. my Junior year at NILES McKinley High School. 10-0-0 with -6- shutouts
We played -5- other teams to fill the schedule generally from Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati, etc.
I will keep looking for the 1966 football schedule. We had an awesome Defense with TWO 1st team DEs, Pat Ryan & John Isoldi.
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