BARBERTON, Ohio–  It’s a game decades in the making for the Barberton Magics as the town will host the Massillon Tigers for the first time since the 1950s.

That matchup in the 50s didn’t go so well, as Barberton was crushed at home, but many are hoping history repeats itself from a different date when the Magics upset the Tigers.

“Every game that you play against Massillon is almost goosebumps because you’re just playing in front of a bigger crowd then you’ve ever played before,” says Jeff Sharkey, Barberton Assistant Football Coach. 

The stadium is named after Barberton Assistant Coach Jeff Sharkey’s father.  The last coach to beat the Massillon Tigers.  Jeff Sharkey played on that Magic team in 1981.

“It was probably the greatest sports memory of my life. We ended up winning 26-24, and it was a memory that I’ll never forget,” says Sharkey. 

Mike Eberhart was just a kid and in the stands during that game.

“I remember being a kid wanting to beat Massilon so bad. It was a pretty sizable celebration. Everybody was very happy about that, and the way we beat them was phenomenal,” says Mike Eberhart of the Barberton Local Tees.

And, as a booster and sales manager at Barberton Local Tees, he’s hoping to paint the town and stadium purple.

“Having a team like that coming into our stadium is always going to be a challenge for our fans to make sure we step up to the plate and show our brand,” says Eberhart.

And, many local restaurants like M and M’s Taphouse, are ready for an orange and black invasion that comes with a well-traveled Tiger fan base.

“We’re already prepped up, I think we’re ready; hopefully, you never can tell because sometimes you’ll have five people, and sometimes you’ll get 200 people real quick,” says Bradley Moll of M and M’s Taphouse.

They’ve even created a Magic’s wing sauce, getting in the spirit of an extraordinary game, in a town that bleeds purple. 

Football here in Barberton is a huge deal.