MASSILLON – The time is coming to officially honor the Washington High School boys basketball team’s first state crown.
The community can celebrate the Tigers’ 2026 Division II state championship with a parade followed by a downtown party.
The parade is scheduled to step-off at 5 p.m. April 12 at Eighth Street NE and Lincoln Way E, according to Mayor Jamie Slutz’s office. The proceeding will head west on Lincoln Way to Erie Street S; turning south until Tremont Avenue SE, then continue east to First Street SE and conclude by heading north to Duncan Plaza.
A public rally and celebration on the plaza is slated immediately after the parade.
“To be able to celebrate the Massillon Tiger basketball team championship is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for the entire community,” said Slutz.
The Tigers defeated Westerville North, the reigning state champions, in overtime March 22 with a 68-63 come-from-behind win to earn the high school’s first basketball championship in a state final. The game was held at the University of Dayton’s UD Arena.
After the win, hundreds of Tiger fans ventured to Duncan Plaza on the evening March 22 to greet the state champs as they returned with a first-place trophy.
The Tigers finished the 2026 season with a near-perfect mark of 27-1.
Reach Steven Grazier at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @sgrazierINDE
This article originally appeared on The Independent: Massillon ready to hold parade for state-champion basketball team
Reporting by Steven M. Grazier, Massillon Independent / The Independent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
