Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Austintown Fitch’s Devin Sherwood eludes a Massillon Tigers defender on a 20-yard touchdown run.

AUSTINTOWN — To be one of the best teams, you have to beat the best teams.

Sometimes, despite everything, it just isn’t your night.

A victory over the mighty Massillon Tigers (4-2) was within grasp, but Austintown Fitch miscues at the wrong times left the Falcons (3-2) walking off the turf with a sour taste in their mouth.

The Tigers took a bite out of the Falcons on Friday night, earning a hard-fought 31-21 victory at Falcon Stadium.

Muffed punts, multiple blocked field goals, a fumble negated by a penalty, the first offensive interception of the campaign.

If it could go wrong, it sure did for Austintown.

“This is one we let get away from us,” Fitch coach TJ Parker said. “At times we made plays, other times, the timely mistakes, special teams was very bad tonight, very bad.

“I’m not going to say that’s the only thing that cost us, we left some points on the board in the first half, some opportunities we had to score, we didn’t. In the second half Massillon made adjustments, we really didn’t. We put our defense in a lot of hard spots tonight, I was disappointed.”

The Falcons took a 14-0 edge thanks to a Cam Smith 2-yard scamper and a Devin Sherwood 20-yard touchdown burst. But, the Tigers found themselves clawing away.

Sherwood had Tyler Evans wide open with over two minutes left to go before halftime, after the senior burst downfield and fumbled only feet from the end zone and out of the back of the end zone, which led to the Massillon touchback and a lost score for Fitch.

An ensuing Tigers touchdown to take the lead before intermission seemed to be Friday night’s contest in a nutshell.

“That’s discipline and being locked in every play, and expecting that,” Parker said. “You let down for a second in these big games versus these good teams and that’s what happens. They come out of nowhere, they keep playing every play, and put pressure on you to be disciplined in every aspect of the game.

“When you’re not, you’re exposed, whether it be a hand off on snap, on a kick, on a block, on a gap fit, whatever it is, that’s what good teams do, and we didn’t answer the bell tonight.”

Evans found redemption on an outstanding 26-yard touchdown reception in double coverage toward the corner of the end zone giving the Falcons a 21-17 lead, a score that would hold until the fourth quarter.

With the errors in special teams that included snaps over the punter Dom Krohn’s head, poor punts, Parker and his team made the decision to go for it at midfield on a 4th and 12 with the four-point lead midway through the fourth.

Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Austintown Fitch’s Kylen Foster celebrates following a tackle for a loss in the first half of the Falcons’ contest with Massillon.

When there’s uncertainty surrounding your special teams unit, it forces you to make some tough calls, one that resulted in a Massillon sack and the Tigers scoring moments later for the lead.

Prior to Friday night’s contest, the Falcons only punted the ball an astonishing four times through four games.

“Obviously we were struggling, and right there, you didn’t really feel good about our punt situation for obvious reasons,” Parker said about the 4th and 12 call. “Just felt like where we were in the field, barring a sack, they did get a sack there, turning over the ball over to them on our side of the field was okay at that time, and we were okay with that.”

With 8:23 remaining, only down three, a Sherwood pass was tipped and intercepted, the first of the campaign for the senior quarterback, leading to one final Tigers touchdown only plays later.

The Falcons did drive down the field toward the end of regulation, but one final field goal attempt by Josiah Berni was blocked, leading to nothing but smiles from the visitor bench at Falcon Stadium.

Sherwood was 21-44 passing for 398 yards, and a touchdown, along with gaining 77 yards rushing and a trip to paydirt on the ground. Evans led the receiving attack with seven catches for 180 yards and a score, senior Donnie Ellis posting 98 yards on six receptions.

Junior defensive back Authur Croom and Evans both recorded interceptions.

Fitch travels to Canfield (5-1) next Friday – the message going into this week’s practice is brief for the Falcons.

“The little things, the little things, special teams, clearing up the little things.” Parker said.