Canton McKinley High School boys basketball is on the cusp of another impressive entry to its lengthy résumé.
McKinley enters this week with 1,999 all-time victories. The Federal League champion Bulldogs host Hoover on Tuesday, Feb. 10 with a chance to become the first basketball program in Ohio to reach 2,000 wins.
McKinley is 16-3 this season (11-0 in the Federal League) and owns an overall record of 1,999-687-2 in 126 seasons of boys basketball. No other Ohio program has reached 1,800 wins according to OHSAA unofficial records.
With the Bulldogs nearing this accomplishment, here is a look at 10 of the most significant victories in McKinley basketball history.
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Win No. 1: Off and running
The Jan. 12, 1901 edition of the Repository ran a headline “WAS EASY” about Canton High School beating Akron High School 29-5 in what was the program’s first win. Only last names were available in the article, with Canton being led by Strang’s 13 points and team captain Rackle’s 11. The article said, “At no time did the Akron boys show any signs of being able to get into the game.” The original McKinley High School opened in 1918.
Win No. 646: First win at the Field House
Canton’s four high schools had a sparkling new building to play in for the 1950-51 season, and McKinley debuted in Memorial Field House with 56-32 win against Cleveland Lincoln on Dec. 8, 1950 in front of 1,795 fans. The win was part of a doubleheader, with Canton Lincoln losing to Sebring in the other game. All-Ohio forward Wendell Earley led McKinley with 18 points as head coach Don Everett played 15 Bulldogs in the rout. The Field House, which officially was dedicated on Nov. 24, 1950, still is home for McKinley basketball. The Bulldogs own a 742-170 record there all-time. That 1950-51 McKinley team went 16-8, losing in a state semifinal to Hamilton 48-40.
Win No. 975: Nick Weatherspoon vs. Luke Witte
In one of the most famous games in Stark County basketball history, the Nick Weatherspoon-led Bulldogs took down Luke Witte and undefeated Marlington 87-57 in the 1969 district championship at Memorial Civic Center. Witte, who went on to play at Ohio State and in the NBA, scored 38 points. Weatherspoon, who went on to play at Illinois and in the NBA, scored 37. That McKinley team, coached by Bob Rupert, advanced to the Class AA state final, losing to a powerhouse Columbus East team featuring Ed Ratleff and Dwight “Bo” Lamar 71-56.
Win No. 1,000: A cool grand for the Pups
The sixth game of the 1970-71 season produced the 1,000th win in program history. The Bulldogs, coached by Rupert in his 10th season, beat Alliance 52-49 to improve to 3-3 on the season. That victory led to McKinley winning 11 of 13 games to finish the regular season. Led by All-Ohioan Dave Turner, McKinley eventually lost in a Class AAA regional semifinal 81-60 to Boardman to finish 17-6.
Win No. 1,185: Five-overtime marathon with Canton South
This is another game that lives in Stark County hoops lore. It took five overtimes for McKinley to get by Canton South 72-69 in the 1980 district championship, played in front of 4,411 fans at the Civic Center. The famed backcourt of future Ohio State Buckeyes Troy Taylor and Ronnie Stokes led the way for head coach Ken Newlon’s Bulldogs. Taylor scored 29 points, including a game-saving 17-foot jumper with three seconds left in the third OT. Stokes added 15 points and nine rebounds. South’s Mike Kennedy went for 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Curt Shaffer added 15. That McKinley team lost in the next round to Zanesville 66-65 to finish the season 21-4.
Win No. 1,276: The 1984 state championship
Finally, the Bulldogs could call themselves state champions. After losing in its first seven state final appearances dating back to 1928, McKinley beat Dayton Dunbar 79-75 in overtime to take home Ohio’s ultimate prep hoops prize in 1984. “The General,” Gary Grant, scored 25 points for head coach Mike Riley’s Bulldogs, who went 27-1. Grant played at Michigan and in the NBA after McKinley. That 1983-84 season included McKinley beating Akron Central-Hower and 6-foot-11 Grady Mateen twice by three points — once in a regional final and the other time in a regular-season game at The JAR with 7,004 fans watching.
Win No. 1,686: State championship No. 2
After losing in the state semifinals the season before, the 2004-05 Bulldogs returned a ton of talent and were intent on finishing the job. With a remarkable junior class and current Bulldogs head coach Sean Weatherspoon as the lone senior starter, McKinley rolled through the competition to beat Cincinnati St. Xavier and Johnny Wolf 51-42 in the state final. Future Michigan State Spartan Raymar Morgan scored 18 points to lead the 26-1 Bulldogs, who had just the one championship in their previous 26 state tournament appearances.
Win No. 1,711: Back-to-back Bulldogs
With arguably the greatest team in Stark County high school basketball history, McKinley capped a remarkable two-year run and demolished Trotwood-Madison 63-33 in the 2006 state final. The Bulldogs led that game 50-16 after three quarters and were paced by Morgan’s 25 points and 11 rebounds. They were the first Ohio team to win consecutive big-school state titles in 32 years and the first public school to accomplish that feat in 37 years. McKinley went 25-2, capping a two-year run under head coach Dave Hoover that saw it go 51-3, with the three losses to Lancaster, Oak Hill Academy (Va.) and Cincinnati North College Hill by a combined six points. Of the 51 wins, 48 were by double figures.
Win No. 1,792: All-Canton district final
This McKinley vs. Timken district final in 2012 harkened back to the legendary all-city nights at the Field House. In the two Canton schools’ first meeting in nine years, McKinley beat Timken 50-40 at the Civic Center in front of 3,584 fans. Future Texas Tech Red Raider Devaugntah Williams scored 24 points to lead head coach Keith Noftz’s Bulldogs, whose tournament run ended two games later to eventual state champion Pickerington Central in a regional final. The Bulldogs (18-8) had won 14 straight games. Four years later, Timken ceased to exist after being absorbed by McKinley.
Win No. 1,841: McKinley beats Jackson in heavyweight showdown
The first McKinley team after merging with Timken (coached by former Timken coach Rick Hairston) went through its ups and downs. But it found its footing in time to go 21-5 and win a district championship. The No. 2 seed Bulldogs won 51-47 in the 2016 district final against No. 1 seed Jackson in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,300 at the Civic Center. It was a Jackson team led by Kyle Young that would go on to win the state championship the next year. McKinley’s LePear Toles totaled 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in a remarkably physical game between the two rivals. It was the 50th of McKinley’s 52 district titles all-time. The Bulldogs eventually lost in a regional final to Lima Senior.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Countdown to 2,000. Canton McKinley boys basketball nears milestone win
Reporting by Josh Weir, Canton Repository / The Repository
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