MASSILLON — This northeastern Ohio city is often thought of as the mecca of prep football in the Buckeye State.

The Massillon Washington High Tigers have won 22 state grid titles and nine mythical national crowns. Massillon boasts the third winningest program in the nation. Such legendary coaches as Paul Brown and Earl Bruce have guided the Tigers.

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Every newborn baby boy in the city is presented a miniature football at birth. The school has produced 23 NFL players, including Ohio State linebacker Chris Spielman.

A Martins Ferry High athletic great is also woven deep into the Massillon football fabric.

Nick Vrotsos scripted a brilliant athletic career with the Purple Riders. So much so, he is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame.

He is also a legendary figure in Massillon football circles. Vrotsos, after a couple of forays as a head coach, served the Tigers for 33 years as a football assistant. He worked under eight different head coaches at Massillon, grooming offensive linemen, winning six state crowns.

Now 91 years of age and years removed from active coaching, his passionate and meticulous Tiger grid work did not go unnoticed. The three-sport Purple Riders’ star, who played in the first OVAC All-Star grid game, was treated to a most special celebration earlier this month.

Vrotsos was presented with the inaugural One Tiger Heritage Award during a 90-minute Massillon Washington High ceremony. He was hired by Massillon in 1958 and coached until 1991.

“I was really overcome. It was a great feeling. I can’t describe it in words. Seeing all my relatives and former players really made it special for me,” Vrotsos said. “One of my former players came back all the way from Chicago. I was truly humbled.”

With his athletic and coaching resume, Vrotsos had many offers to leave Massillon but could never pull the trigger. The former University of Alabama three-sport standout developed a love affair for Tiger football.

“I turned down numerous jobs because I loved what I was doing. Massillon was the epitome of high school football,” Vrotsos said. “Coaching at Massillon is like every game is your first one with the feeling of anxiety as well as being on Cloud 9.

“I coached under eight very good coaches. But Earl Bruce was the best. He never lost. We are still great friends today,” he added. “We had great teams with great players. I enjoyed every year I coached at Massillon.”

Vrotsos’ coaching expertise was not confined to the gridiron.

The former U.S. Marine in World War II also served as Massillon’s head basketball coach for 10 seasons.

His hoopsters pocketed 138 wins while capturing two Big Eight Conference championships.

His Purple prep playing days featured all-star accolades in football, basketball and baseball. He was a key member of three Ferry basketball squads that reached the state tournament, including the state title team in 1941.

Vrotsos gained all-Ohio honors in football all four years, earning a football scholarship to Alabama.

“I owe a lot to my football coach (Frank Thomas) at Alabama. I said I would come if he allowed me to play all three sports.”

As fate would have it, the multi-talented Ferrian injured his knee as a Tide freshman, ending his grid career. Undaunted, he went on to become a three-time all-Southeastern Conference basketball honoree.

After picking up his Bama diploma he was quickly hired as Dillonvale High’s head football and basketball coach. He only coached the Night Riders for three seasons (1951-53) but was successful enough to later be inducted into the Dillonvale High School Sports Hall of Fame.

His stint at Dillonvale propelled him to landing the Dover High head basketball position and an assistant in football. He coached the Tornadoes for three years before embarking on his elongated Massillon run.

“We had a lot of great athletes at Dillonvale and Dover. We had a lot of success,” Vrotsos said. “I loved both schools but Massillon was too good an opportunity to pass up.”

The One Tiger Heritage Award ceremony was not the first time Vrotsos has been honored for his coaching dedication. The City of Massillon held “Nick Vrotsos Day” on Oct. 23 in 2009.

Vrotsos and his wife, Jerry, have been married for 63 years and still reside in Massillon.

Their son, Jeff, is an engineer in Wadsworth. Their daughter Janice died at age 31. She would have been 56.

OVAC ALL-STAR GAME

THE OVAC Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Game is looking for a new home this July in light of the $700,000 repair project at Wheeling Island Stadium. The Dave Bruney Football Complex in Martins Ferry makes the most sense.

First, it has enough seating to handle the crowd which is not the 7,000-8,000 in years past due to television coverage. Also it does provide shelter from rain on its home side.

The all-star game would also be the ideal way to break in the new turf currently being installed at the stadium.

The biggest factor that Martins Ferry is geographically equal to Wheeling Island. Some players and families have much travel in conjunction with the game, including those from the Parkersburg and Morgantown areas. Should the game be played at Harding Stadium or at Brooke High it would result in another 25-minute trip each way.

The Ferry schools’ adminsitration is already mapping plans to comfortably seat the Queen of Queens and McDonald’s All-Star Band.

Purple Rider Stadium housed the all-star game in the early 1970s without a hitch. The facility is now light years better than it was some 50 years ago.

BUBBA’S BITS

THE WEST Virginia Coaches Caravan is coming to The Friendly City this week. The Mountaineer delegation will be at River City Restaurant at 14th and Main streets in Wheeling Monday evening.

SPEAKING OF WVU, the Mountaineers’ men’s basketball program has added a class act and quality shooter to its team. Former Wheeling Central guard Boyd Bibey has opted to walk-on this coming this for Coach Bob Huggins. The 6-2 sharpshooter is coming off two fine seasons at Concordia University in Ann Arbor.

KUDOS ONCE again to Gary West and his family. The Wests donated $1 million to West Liberty University for a new soccer and track complex. Both fledgling sports need new facilities and both will attract countless student-athletes to the university. The latest West gift is just one of many made by the family to WLU. The Hilltoppers football stadium is named in their behalf.

CONGRATULATIONS GO out to Linsly girls’ tennis coach Dave Riethmiller. The veteran net coach turned a rebuilding season into the Cadets’ record-setting seventh straight OVAC championship. Riethmiller wins the right way — with great sportsmanship and class.

THE CLEVELAND Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers did quite well in the first round of the NFL Draft. The Browns added three quality performers while the Steelers got immediate linebacking help in Wisconsin’s T.J Watt.

FORMER WHEELING Park baseball standout Andrew Kowalo continues to enjoy a sparkling campaign at Liberty University. The talented infielder has started all 38 games for the Flames (23-15) and is hitting a solid .298. He has blasted four home runs while knocking in 27 runs and scoring a like amount.