Random moments of the year

 Random moments of the year

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

CANTON--As another high school basketball season has concluded, there was multiple firsts in what was a riveting season.

The OHSAA state basketball semifinals were held at different venues, with the iconic Canton Memorial Field House hosting four of them with two of them being sellouts in the 4,000-seat colossal coliseum. Also, there were seven state champions that were crowned. Stark County had a boys state champion for the first time in seven years not to mention two finalists from the county. 

For the girls, the county was represented by four district champions with two of the three appearing in regional finals and one capturing a district title for the first time in 31 years.

That said, let's traverse down the road as to what was a moment of a renaissance for Stark County basketball.

LEOPARDS LEAP TO GLORY, PANTHERS PROWL TO FINAL

For the Louisville Leopards boys basketball team, their road to Dayton commenced the previous season as they departed Alliance High School on the other end of a 61-58 upset loss to GlenOak in a thrilling Division I district championship. They were expected to return to the district title game, however with three new divisions being installed, the Leopards were now placed in Division III and installed as an immediate contender for a title.

They survived shades of adversity against Columbus Bishop Hartley in a regional final and then needed a strong defensive fourth quarter to subdue Garfield Heights and their Mr. Basketball winner, Marcus Johnson (the son of 1998 Mr. Basketball winner and Bulldogs head coach Sonny Johnson) to advance to the state title game against #1 Cincinnati Aiken, who many prognosticators said they had almost no weaknesses. However, the Leopards survived an avalanche in the form of a Falcons 15-0 run and recovered in time and captured the school's first state basketball title with a 63-61 win in a battle of the division's #1 and #2 ranked teams. 

For head coach Tom Siegfried, it was 18 years ago he assumed the post from Matt Miglich and has turned the Leopards into a feared contender and it all came to fruition in the form of a state title for a team that Siegfried titles as "The Program." The Leopards are the first state champion since Jackson captured the 2017 Division I title with an upset of undefeated Cincinnati Moeller and you can believe the Leopards will be leaping for years to come under Siegfried's vista.

For the Perry Panthers, a 9-13 end to a regular season might be a form of consternation. However, what ensued became a huge thrill ride under second-year general Matt Voll as the Panthers seized a district title by defeating Solon, stopping highly favored Warren G. Harding on a buzzer-beating three-pointer, eliminating Shaker Heights and topping a one-loss North Royalton team before their season concluded in the state final with a 78-32 loss to #1 ranked Westerville North, who won their first title in 31 years when Dave Hoover piloted them to the title before departing for the Canton McKinley position where he added consecutive titles to the Bulldogs program before retiring. Although the Panthers lost, the pride to Perry basketball has returned in an enormous way and it is only fitting that Voll was the man at the controls. The Panthers finished 14-14 but that is a respectable 14-14. The Perry community has a lot to be proud of in that achievement in it's own right.

Look for the Leopards and Panthers to ascend off their accomplishments and inspire young men who want to compete for them in the years to come. They both represented Stark County greatly and the nascent attendance for the state semifinals at the Field House were a testament of that.

SHARE THE ACCOLADES

Canton McKinley took a vast step in the right direction under second-year head coach and 2005 alumnus Sean Weatherspoon as they seized a district championship for the first time in five years and came within a game of the state semifinals before Cleveland St. Ignatius put a stop sign in front of the Bulldogs season with a 73-47 victory in a Division I regional final. It was also the Wildcats second victory over the Bulldogs in the same season, a 96-69 victory earlier that year.

It wasn't the ending the Bulldogs wanted but Weatherspoon lucidly has his hands on the program that he came to rescue after one season as Alliance head coach. With a 20-6 record and a strong nucleus returning along with depth at the lower levels, this is a legitimate team that has the makings of advancing a round further when the road starts again in eight months.

Weatherspoon, who was a part of the 2005 McKinley team that won the first of two straight titles knows. After his junior year, the Bulldogs were installed as the preseason #1 ranked team in Ohio and held that ranking all the way to a 26-1 record and the eventual title. This team isn't far away from where they want to be and that is horrifying news for the rest of the opposition.

For Central Catholic, the success of the Crusaders continues under head coach Matt Creamer as the Crusaders captured their sixth district title in 12 seasons with another battle-tested schedule. It is safe to say that Creamer found his calling after 15 seasons at Massillon and the evidence of his success is clearly palpable.

Not to be ostracized in all of this is the Massillon boys basketball team. Under the direction of seventh-year general and 1998 graduate Josh Hose, the Tigers have ascended up the ladder the last three seasons as they have matriculated from a sectional-district second round team, to district semifinalists, and recently to district finalists where their season finished 19-5 with a loss to eventual Akron regional runner-up Shaker Heights by a score of 72-67 in the Wooster district championship. 

I saw this Tigers team up front as a color commentator for ESPN 990 with the voice of the Tigers, Ray Jeske and this team was truly Hose's best squad as they were paced by the rapid scoring of senior sharpshooter Chris Knight, who is one of three seniors that will depart the program along with Terrelle Keyes and Jalen Slaughter. Their season turned around back in January as they overcame a six-point chasm with two minutes remaining in regulation to force overtime and clawed out a 71-68 victory over Dover, which is a very arduous gym to win in. It ignited a 13-game winning streak that included a 74-73 win over McKinley at the Field House. Massillon isn't far away from a district title and with ample depth coming up, the Tigers just finally may hoist a title next season for the first time since 2003 and for Hose, it would be a personal achievement for him as he lost a district title game as a player back in 1997. Danny Young, the 17th-year Red Raiders coach graciously paid Massillon a huge compliment when he mentioned that no team went out with class and dignity more than Hose's charges. Have faith Massillon, your title is coming soon.

Shifting to the girls side, it was Jackson, Central Catholic, Canton South and Massillon all winning district titles. Jackson and Canton South came within a game of the state tournament while the Crusaders and Tigers left their mark in the regionals.

However, you have to tip your hat to the Massillon program and it's head coach, Joe Pierce, a 1990 graduate of Massillon. When Pierce inherited the program, the program had fallen on hard times. But rising from those ashes came a winning formula and it all came together in the form of a district title for the first time since the 1994 season when they advanced to the regional finals. The girls also eliminated a 21-year losing streak to Canton McKinley with a running clock victory, a victory that showed the scratch and bite along with the feral roar was now felt within the Tigers regime. This will be a team to be reckoned with in the next several years to come and they will be a fun batch to watch.

A LITTLE TOO EARLY FOR FOOTBALL BUT......

Several months ago, there were some changes in the football hierarchy an they have all taken effect. Perry, Canton McKinley and Minerva all have new football coaches piloting their programs.

The Panthers recently hired Massillon graduate and former defensive coordinator Spencer Leno to be their head coach as he replaced Zach Slates (who replaced Tim Speakman at Minerva) as their new football coach. From all accounts, the reception to Leno has been well received by the Panthers community and you can still believe they will be as hard-nosed as they have always been. Leno, a former Tiger standout and a 2009 graduate was the architect of the 2023 Massillon defense that only yielded an average of seven points as they seized the Division II state title with a 16-0 record. Look for the Panthers to contend for a Federal League title come August.

And speaking of defense, the Bulldogs have turned to former Akron Hoban defensive coordinator Renzy Parnell to be their next head coach as he succeeds Antonio Hall, who stepped down for an administrative position after four years at his alma mater. Parnell knows much about winning championships as he was part of the Knights run that resulted in five state titles in six years, two of those title wins coming over very deep and strong Massillon teams in 2018 and 2020. Not counting Thom McDaniels return to McKinley in 2014, Parnell will be the program's ninth general since 1997 and hopefully he is there to stay and be received with open arms. One asset that will be integral to Parnell's longevity at McKinley will be if the Bulldogs can finally in the 10th week get out of the orange and black quicksand known as Massillon. Parnell will be the fourth straight first-year head coach to have the 10th week at home with Dan Reardon being the only one to win and that was nearly 10 years ago. Marcus Wattley and Hall dropped their respective home contests to the Tigers by scores of 24-14 and 35-13 respectively.

Aside from the Stark County scene and taking a trip down to Tuscarawas County, for the first time in 30 years, the Dover High School football program will have a new head coach. For three decades, Dan Ifft was the face of Dover Tornadoes football as his legion of Tornadoes were hard-working, hard-hat, lunch pail carrying players who embodied what Tornadoes football was about and were successful in the process.

With Ifft retiring, there were many applicants who applied for the coveted Tornadoes post. Dover City Schools turned the program over to defensive coordinator and assistant head coach Matt Rees, a 2004 graduate of Dover and a 2008 Mount Union graduate to be the program's head coach. Rees, 39, knows a thing about success, being part of a 10-0 Dover team and then seizing two national championships as a linebacker for the Purple Raiders. There won't be a drop off with the talent that is surrounding him especially from the middle school levels as well. He will be a keeper for sure, not to mention that not just him but his wife is also a Dover graduate and are the parents of three outstanding children who all reside in Dover and are a part of the Dover City Schools system. I personally am excited to once again witness the Crater Stadium atmosphere with Rees at the post as a Mount Union alum myself, pleased to extend my full support to him.

On April 26th, the Ohio North-South football game will once again descend on the confines of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon. The coaches and rosters will be released at a later time. If you have nothing to do, purchase a ticket and enjoy eight quarters and two games of outstanding football as seniors will represent their schools one last time before embarking on their collegiate careers.

THANKFUL FOR EDUCATORS

There is no way this can end without me acknowledging multiple educators that my paths crossed with multiple times. You never forget the people who paved the way for you not to mention others that my paths have crossed to learn life lessons from, especially this year.

That said, here are the people I personally want to thank for being a part of the person I am today. There are so many I can name. But here are some of them:

Butch Hose. For 40 years, Butch Hose was the face of Massillon administration. His tagline, "be the best student you can always be" still holds the test of time even 20 years after his retirement. I would always read about him in the newspaper regarding Massillon administration and he epitomized what it means to be a Tiger. Even though I was not a Massillon City Schools student, you can feel the impact he has on others in his regime. His son, Josh, the current Massillon boys basketball coach is the only Tigers coach in the program history to defeat two undefeated teams on consecutive nights late in the same season.

Theresa Barbato. It's only fitting I would reconnect with my first-grade teacher back in 2017 when I was at Tozzi's during the McKinley boys and girls basketball championship reunion as one of many guest speakers. One thing is for sure, she still is radiant today and making a difference in the lives of students, having done this both as a teacher and a counselor. Her radiance still shines vividly today as a graduate of the McKinley High School class of 1983.

Melissa Marconi. It was 29 years ago she was my seventh-grade teacher at Canton's Lehman Middle School. If you were to tell me my paths were to cross hers again after so long, I probably wouldn't have believed it. She still sparkles today as the superintendent of Tuslaw Local School in her ninth year at the post after being the principal of Tuslaw Local Schools. She has a smile that will still melt anyone's heart, even mine.

Renee Sattler. For 35 years, she was the face of Dover Avenue Elementary School, a post she held till her retirement four years ago. I go back to having been just seven months removed from graduating from Mount Union back in 2006 and I was covering a basketball game between Dover and Massillon at Massillon and much to my surprise, she knew who I was the first time she saw me in my New York Yankees three-piece suit at press row in Massillon (I'm actually an Atlanta Braves fan but let's call it as the Yankees are my second favorite team). Though she is retired, she still has an impact on the students who walked through the halls of Dover Avenue to this day. Not to be forgotten also is her husband, Rob, a former principal at Tuslaw, who, like Renee knew who I was as well the first time he saw me this past season. 

Courtney Rees. The biggest mistake I ever made? Not thinking she would know who I was in my Yankees three-piece suit at press row in the Massillon gym and I still laugh at that to this day. It was like getting robbed of a game-winning grand slam inside Yankee Stadium in the bottom of the ninth inning and two outs with the bases loaded, ha ha, ha. It was like getting robbed of two home runs in my last two at-bats. Only Courtney and her mother could do that to me, ha, ha. If there is anyone who can warm anyone's heart and leave an unforgettable mark on it, it's her. Truly blessed to have her as a lifelong friend always and a fellow Purple Raider. Dover is very proud to have her as an educator and an alumnus not to mention a loving personality and resident of the city she grew up in.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Irish scores knockout of undefeated Knights in Holy War

 Irish scores knockout of undefeated Knights in Holy War

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

AKRON--Growing up in traditional Catholic families, young men and women are taught to love those as they want to be loved.

There is no love lost between rivals St. Vincent-St. Mary and Hoban in their Holy War.

However, when rivals collide, all forms of respect are put aside and it is about one securing bragging rights over the other. Tonight in front of a vociferous crowd at the JAR arena on the University of Akron campus, in a battle of Summit County powers, it was the Fighting Irish constructing an early 15-0 run to erect an early 16-7 first quarter advantage and didn't allow the Knights to creep no closer than five points as they scored a 51-43 upset of an undefeated Hoban squad who had been winning close contests over the last several weeks. 

The close shaves, one of those included a two point win over Warrensville Heights finally proved to be more than what the undefeated Knights were able to handle as their 10-0 record was extinguished and their early deficit had a lot to do with that.

St. Vincent-St. Mary longtime general Dru Joyce, always a face of calmness and coolness and never the one to be a yeller or screamer acknowledged his team's fast start that parlayed into their triumph.

"We felt that there were some things that they couldn't do in defending John (Whorton) and we have anyone on the team that can shoot. We scored early and that loosened them up and once we did that, we were able to throw the ball into John," he said. "We went 10 deep on the bench and I felt very good about that."

Two early three pointers by DeCarlo Prince ignited the Irish attack that proved to be the catalyst of the contest after Hoban had their only lead of the contest at 7-3. The 41 points scored by the Knights was their lowest output of the season and their vaunted attack, centered around their giant centers in Sam Greer and Kamron Engley never really got going.

The Irish took their largest lead of the contest early in the third quarter at 30-17 with over five minutes remaining when Prince traveled 94 feet after a steal for a two-handed dunk that brought the Irish cheering section to their feet. It seemed that a rout was on the agenda for LeBron James's alma mater before a James McCarthy three-pointer sliced the Irish advantage to eight points with over three minutes remaining in the quarter.

Hoban made one last stand but were never able to get their deficit under five points and the end result was the termination of their undefeated campaign.

A key to the Irish holding on was handling the late pressure applied by the Knights. It also helped out that Joyce was able to see the calmness of his team on the bench, something he expects his charges to have at all times no matter the situation.

"The main thing is they are kids and if I am out of control, then I can't expect them to be in control so I am trying to be that person when it gets down to adversity and I can give them situations to help them out of it," Joyce said. "We rallied and we are getting better. We have been giving up leads early in the season but tonight when we needed a bucket or two, we got it and that was big."

Prince paced the Irish with 19 points while Whorton had a double-double with 17 points and 10 hard earned rebounds. McCarthy was Hoban's leading scorer with 16.

For the Irish, this is a big win for them as they turn their sights to an affair with Fairfield. Hoban will look to rebound after their first setback. When asked if winning close contests finally caught up to the Knights, with his team having a lot to do with that, Joyce concurred as such, especially with as adept as their defense was on the evening.

"We're an outstanding defensive team. We played great teams as I was telling our guys before the game is that no matter what they do, they are not going to do anything we haven't seen so we just had to go out and be the best version of ourselves, we did that and we are fine."

Statistics from St. Vincent-St. Mary's win over Hoban. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Growing up in Catholic families, young men and women are taught to love those as they want to be loved. Tonight, St. Vincent-St. Mary got a huge victory worthy of that love.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Massillon native Farrington thriving as Purple Raiders forward

 Massillon native Farrington thriving as Purple Raiders forward

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

ALLIANCE--Accountability is a trait that was ingrained into Elijah Farrington the day he walked onto the floor at Massillon Washington High School as a freshman.

As a freshman, he was inspired by the 2019-2020 Tigers team that compiled a 19-4 record but also defeated two top 5 and undefeated teams very late near the end of the regular season on back-to-back nights, downing Wooster, who was ranked in the top 5 in Division I and then Ridgewood, who was #4 in Division III.

It is a reason why he was able to thrive as a Tigers forward and not only is he one of seven Stark County basketball players on the University of Mount Union roster but after seeing vast time as a freshman, he is now one of three Stark products starting on a Purple Raiders team that is 8-4 on the season and undefeated at 5-0 in OAC competition after a bruising 82-77 victory over a gritty Marietta team, whose 4-8 (1-4 OAC) record belies them in terms of being a quality team, a team that has always pushed the Purple Raiders for years.

The 2023 Massillon graduate thrived under the tutelage of current sixth year floor boss Josh Hose, a 1998 graduate and former football and basketball standout, who was part of the Tigers 1997 Division I district final competing team, spearheaded by 6'9'', 235 lb. shot blocking mammoth, Marco Morgan.

Farrington averaged 19.5 points as a senior on a team that finished 14-10, their season concluding with a loss to eventual state champion Akron Hoban. His production was a reason why 14th year Purple Raiders general Mike Fuline, a state championship winning head coach of the Jackson High School boys basketball team in 2010 was able to lure Farrington to Mount Union, where he has flourished.

SHOOTING STAR. Former Massillon Tigers forward Elijah Farrington takes a jump shot during pregame activity before Mount Union's OAC contest against Marietta. The Purple Raiders remained undefeated in the conference with an 82-77 victory. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

"What brought me to Mount Union was that I knew that there was a lot of people that was coming here and I really liked the culture, the winning culture, it's just a great atmosphere with great academics here and it was really close to home," Farrington said.

It is no secret that Farrington has chosen accounting as his desired major. He has always believed in accountability and it is something that he imposed on his teammates as a high school senior and looks to have a future as an accountant once his playing days conclude.

Last season, Mount Union advanced to the OAC title game where their season concluded with an 88-86 loss to John Carroll, who will be departing for the NCAC conference after this season. Missing an at-large berth was something that gnawed at the Purple Raiders for a full year and with another strong team returning, their goal is to capture the regular season and conference titles at the same time while not leaving anything to chance.

Farrington showed some leadership traits in the closing seconds of the Purple Raiders contest against Marietta. After missing two free throws, the Pioneers had a chance to steal away an unlikely victory when Jayden Bradshaw drove hard for a point blank range layup, however Farrington was able to alter the shot attempt and his defense atoned for the two missed free throws near the end and a reason why they are still undefeated in the conference. Farrington finished with 11 points on the evening.

"My mentality there was next play. I told our guys we're going to pull through and do everything we could to secure the win," Farrington said of the decisive sequence that transpired into a victory.

During his four years at Massillon, Farrington developed into a standout athlete who not only succeeded on the floor but in the classroom as well. Playing under Hose ingrained the ferocity that made him the successful Tiger he was on the floor.

A mantra that longtime revered Massillon administrator Butch Hose (the father of Josh Hose) always told his students in his 40-year administrative journey was to always "be the best student you can always be." That was something Farrington took to heart whenever he was in the halls of Washington High School and on the basketball court whether it was in practice or a game. 

Farrington credited Hose for the tough and fierce practices as they helped prepare him for the collegiate level.

"Coach (Josh) Hose coached us really hard and he loves us all. He got us ready for that next level whether it is on the court or off the court, he really built me as a player and as a character, so a huge shout-out to him," he said.

Mount Union begins a pivotal three-game stretch that will start Saturday afternoon at home against a Heidelberg squad that is 4-1 in the conference with their only setback coming to Muskingum and have responded well in the form of a four-game conference winning streak. Challenges also ensue against Baldwin Wallace and Ohio Northern and it is a stretch that will be portentous as to how the Purple Raiders season will transpire as conference play gets deeper.

RAIDER ON DEFENSE. Elijah Farrington (left) defends against Marietta's Jack Main during the first half of Wednesday's OAC contest. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Attending Mount Union is not for the faint of heart. It takes strong academic rigors and the ability to manage time and classes at the same time and if one is not ready for the challenge, their time at the university will be woefully short. Farrington left some advice for anyone, especially in his hometown of Massillon that is looking at Mount Union as a school to attend in the near future.

"Get to know people, there are a lot of great people here that are willing to help you," he said.

Accountability is a trait that was ingrained into Elijah Farrington the day he walked the halls of Massillon Washington High School as a freshman. And he is still abiding by those standards as a starting forward for the Mount Union Purple Raiders basketball squad.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Former Jackson state title winning head coach becomes Mount Union's all-time wins leader

 Former Jackson state title winning head coach becomes Mount Union's all-time wins leader

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

ALLIANCE--14 years ago, Mike Fuline was at the height of his dominance.

In his fifth season atop the Jackson High School boys basketball program, the Polar Bears became unlikely Division I state champions and finished ranked 25th in the nation with a 25-2 record punctuated by a 57-35 pillaging of tradition-laden Cincinnati Moeller in the state final.

14 years later, Fuline experienced another coaching accomplishment, this time at the collegiate level.

Surviving multiple Marietta runs, the Purple Raiders were able to finally close the door on their OAC rival Pioneers and emerge victorious inside the Timken Physical Education Center with a gritty 82-77 victory against a rival they have had a major history with dating back to their 2013 OAC tournament final.

Early on it didn't look like Mount Union would have to sweat out a victory as they led by 10 at halftime and eventually pushed their lead to 13 before the Pioneers rallied to make it a contest. It was Jayden Bradshaw missing a point blank range layup in the closing seconds amid tough defense from sophomore Elijah Farrington that allowed the Purple Raiders to ascend to 5-0 in the conference and 8-4 overall.

The fact Mount survived a testy second half proved advantageous and may do just that down the line.

"This was an impossible game to officiate. There were fouls and it's a rivalry game. They are really good and sometimes emotions get a little rowdy but I am proud of our guys for hanging in there and getting key rebounds when we needed to," Fuline, who became the school's all-time leader in wins with 252 said.

Mount Union and Marietta have met four times in the OAC tournament finals, each school splitting two wins apiece and don't be alarmed if there is a fifth meeting come late February. Although the Pioneers are 1-4 in conference play, that is a deceiving 1-4 and their run may come soon.

COACH' S CONFERENCE. Mount Union head coach Mike Fuline chats with his staff during a media timeout in Wednesday's OAC conference contest with Marietta. Fuline became the school's leader in victories with 252 as the Purple Raiders downed the Pioneers 82-77. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

A Jack Main layup handed the Pioneers their first and only lead of the contest with 50 seconds remaining. However, Purple Raiders freshman Jarrett Taylor converted two free throws after a big offensive rebound following two missed free throws from Farrington.

Mount Union according to Fuline didn't shoot the ball well but were able to get down and dirty on the defensive end to emerge victorious.

"We really didn't shoot it well tonight so that is something we are continuing to work at but I am proud of our guys for continuing to keep fighting and finding a way to get it done," he said.

Mount Union had five players in double figures, led by the 17 points from Christian Parker, the school's all-time leading scorer and the only player to eclipse the 2,000 point plateau. Chance Casenheiser and Jarrett Taylor both had 14, Farrington chipped in with 11 and Marcus Steele had 10.

Frank Waganfeald paced the Pioneers with 18 while Main finished with 16 for the 4-7 Pioneers (1-4 OAC).

It all added up to a seraphic evening that ended with Fuline becoming Mount Union's all-time leader in victories. When asked what was it that brought him to Mount Union after a six-year run as Jackson's floor general, the family atmosphere he preached was the main catalyst.

"The people, the campus and the tradition of winning. If the football team can win, why can't we. That is what it was and now 14 years later, that's a long time. It was also great seeing our former players here too," he said.

14 years ago, Mike Fuline was at the height of his dominance as a state champion head coach at Jackson High School. 14 years later he is at the height of the Mount Union Purple Raiders basketball program as it's all time leader in wins.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Bulldogs bite early, survive in victory

 Bulldogs bite early, survive in victory

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

PERRY TWP.--Canton McKinley came out as ferocious as the iron fists of Mike Tyson with an early 15-0 run that had the looks of an early running clock victory.

Instead of folding up ala Michael Spinks from 1988, Perry channeled their Evander Holyfield in them and swung haymakers back into the contest.

Tyson obviously didn't beat Holyfield in reality (Tyson bit his way out of the rematch via disqualification) but McKinley was fortunate to make solid plays down the stretch of their Federal League affair and stretched their record to 5-1 (3-0 Federal League) with a much closer than anticipated 63-56 victory in a game that became somewhat testy in the second half with three technical fouls, one warning, and a clock malfunction at the end of the quarter.

BULLDOG FOR TWO. Canton McKinley guard Jayveion Carter lays in two of his eight points in the Bulldogs victory at Perry Friday night. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press).

McKinley now has captured three wins in a row after a two-point loss to Division II district title contender Warren Harding but the fact that they ended up setting for a seven-point victory was unnerving to Bulldogs floor boss Sean Weatherspoon, who necessarily didn't feel that his battalion of Bulldogs didn't deliver the knockout blow they nearly had in the opening seven minutes as they held Perry without a shot attempt in that run before junior center Nico Martelli applied a much needed tourniquet on the Panthers bleeding.

"It's very disappointing," Weatherspoon said of his team's plus seven differential in the victory. "I thought in the first quarter we played lights out and guys were playing in tune and then we went deeper into our bench, guys weren't ready to play. And that showed and it was a ripple effect with us playing bad the rest of the way."

McKinley had everything going their way with a carnivorous defense that hassled the host Panthers into a frightening 15 first half turnovers. Their ball pressure was reminiscent of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 McKinley teams combined that didn't leave anything to chance in letting opposing teams get their offenses set.

Perry eventually settled into the contest with a decent second quarter as they battled back into the contest and trailed by 12. But the first half turnovers were on the mind of Panthers head coach Matt Voll, a successful head coach at Carrollton for many years.

"We had 15 turnovers in the first half, WAY too many. And they (McKinley) caused a lot of those issues for us. Once we were able to envision and slow down, we were able to maintain and finish and score," he said. "If you're turning the ball over and missing shots, whoo, they're fast and they get it out and they run and they are an extremely talented group of kids."

The tenor of the contest swung in the second half when Martelli and Bulldogs forward Anthony Chavers were called for offsetting technical fouls midway through the third quarter and Reed Sims Sr. was called for an otherwise questionable technical foul, much to Weatherspoon's consternation.

With momentum on their side, senior guard Drake Jacobsen connected on a flawless three-pointer from the left corner that truncated the McKinley lead to four after a layup and a dunk from Panthers guard Darnell McLeod. That was as close as the Panthers would get as two steals and layups by Chavers and Carter sealed the finality of the contest.

Jaylen Jeter paced the Bulldogs with 15 points and Chavers contributed with 13. Jacobsen was the top scorer for Perry with 15 while McLeod and Luke Wolf both applied 14 apiece.

Perry now has endured two straight setbacks after a 4-0 start to the season. They do have going for them the fact that they 13 days off before they return to action again when they host Green. The two weeks off will be beneficial to the Panthers as they not only spend time with their families but also find a way to return back to the win column according to Voll's testimony.

"We don't come back till January 3rd at home. So we have to come back and get back to fundamentals and basics and yes, we just have to make sure we are more together, more connected and just ready to go and our guys, this group, I don't question their character and their will to and want to but we definitely had a rough week and tonight the last three quarters we got our team back," he said.

McKinley will have eight days off before returning home for two contests against Gilmour Academy, a team that is two years removed from a Division II Final Four appearance and then defending Division I champion Cleveland St. Ignatius. The Lancers are coached by Dan DeCrane in his seventh year as their general and are carrying a 4-1 record at press time while Ignatius is coached by Cam Joyce and the Wildcats are 5-1 and currently ranked #1 in Ohio.

Weatherspoon will investigate more about his charges within those two games. And the Perry result is an early factor.

"Tonight's game was a life lesson for us. Credit to Perry for continuing to fight. As we continue with our schedule, we got tough teams coming up, we cannot play like this against versatile teams if we are going to come out on the right end," he said.

Canton McKinley came out with the iron fists of Mike Tyson with an early 15-0 run, just enough to have their hand raised in victory.

Girls basketball: Canton McKinley 66, Perry 58

PERRY TWP.--After spotting Perry a generous 18-10 first quarter lead, the visiting Bulldogs outscored the Panthers 56-41 over the final 24 minutes and evened their record to 5-5 with an eight-point victory in the Perry gym.

Mya Taylor eclipsed the 1,000 point plateau in the second quarter and finished with a game-high 34 points. Perry on the other hand was led by Lila Kleve's 19 points.

McKinley head coach Ryan Gracia, a part of two state championships as an assistant coach on the boys basketball team under Dave Hoover was pleased with his team's defense after yielding Perry an early advantage.

"I let them know that we weren't playing to our ability and I needed some more effort out of them and needed them to wake up and take one possession at a time. They imposed their will, picked up our defense and started playing defense because defense is our best offense," he said.

1,000 SCORER. Mya Taylor smiles as she is recognized for scoring 1,000 points in her career at McKinley Friday night during the second quarter of the Bulldogs contest against Perry. McKinley improved to 5-5 with the victory. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Jackson freezes Lake 61-41 in home opener

 Jackson freezes Lake 61-41 in home opener

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

JACKSON TWP.--Trust has always been a tenet of Tim Debevec from his early days as a Jackson basketball assistant under Mike Fuline.

14 years later, his unitary and trusted approach still holds strong merit.

The host Polar Bears opened up their home campaign in front of a healthy crowd and left their votaries happy as they methodically broke down visiting Lake in the form of three quarters in which their score total improved from the second and third quarters as they downed the Blue Streaks 61-41 in their Federal League home opener. Jackson scored 11, 17, and 18 in the first three quarters to set up the eventual finality.

There is something about Lake that just brings out the best in Debevec against his Walsh University classmate Tom McBride, who is in his 26th year atop the Blue Streaks regime. And once again it was on display as the Polar Bears ascended to 3-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Federal League.

"We were pretty consistent all night. We should have been up 36-12 at halftime but Lake's well coached and it's a Federal League game. We just found a way to win and I was happy with our defense. We have to get better each night," Debevec said. "It's a long season and we have a long way to go."

Jackson showed their repertoire that made them district champions last year at the opening tip. Defensive pressure early on spurred the hosts to an early 11-4 lead, a lead that eventually ballooned over the course of the contest. Eventually, a decisive 6-0 run before halftime extended their lead to 26-10 and Lake was unable to mount a serious threat save for several times they attempted to rally but were unable to get their deficit under single digits.

The closest Lake got to was 11 points but key three-point baskets in the third quarter by Mitch Finefrock and Andrew Hinderegger once again extended the Polar Bears lead back up to 17 where they eventually coasted from there before Debevec pulled his charges with 2:31 remaining.

"We created turnovers and found the right guys, sat down and played some defense and we went on a nice little run. It's a game of spurts and you need to have those once in a while, be it a 12-2 run or whatever it is and maintain it."

Jackson had three starters in double figures with senior Kyle Monterrubio leading the team with 15 points. Mitch Finefrock assisted with 11 and Cole Baker finished with 10. Lake's leading scorer was junior Zach Novak, who had 11 to lead the Blue Streaks.

Their performance was a far cry from their 55-45 win over Dalton last Saturday. If Lake is going to be a contender in the race for the Federal League, they cannot afford any more mishaps evidenced by their 0-2 record in the league (1-4 overall). Lake cannot afford to slip to 0-3 in league play and McBride will do everything he can to prevent that from occurring.

But it has to start during practice week and translate that into game mode.

"My biggest disappointment is that we're not transferring what we're doing in practice into game situation and a little bit in the third quarter early I think when we were nip and tuck with them, you started to see a semblance that we had a plan in place, I don't know if we get too excited early or if we have enough total basketball knowledge out there but our lack of execution on the game plan from the start hurt in the first half and caused that 6-0 run in the second quarter," McBride said.

POLAR CONFERENCE. Jackson head coach Tim Debevec looks on while longtime assistant coach Jon Perdue chats with Cole Baker during the fourth quarter of Tuesday's contest at Jackson High School. Jackson defeated Lake 61-41.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

COMMENTARY: Slates and Hall deserved better at their respective alma maters

 COMMENTARY: Hall and Slates deserved better at their alma maters

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

CANTON--When you hear of Canton McKinley football, you hear of Thom McDaniels being the face of the program. When you hear of Perry football, you hear of Keith Wakefield being the face of the program.

When you hear of Canton McKinley, you hear about the 16 years of stability that McDaniels had from the administration of the high school down to the entire Canton City Schools regime. When you hear of Perry, you think about the two long stints that Wakefield had and the support from the administration of the high school all the way down to the Perry Local Schools regime.

Antonio Hall and Zach Slates are gentlemen who are three years apart in age. Both men grew up attending Canton City Schools and Perry Local Schools respectively from elementary up to high school. Both were coached by McDaniels and Wakefield respectively. Both went on to play at NCAA Division I institutions at Kentucky and Pittsburgh respectively. Both men came back home to lead their alma maters as head coaches in 2021, with Hall taking over as Bulldogs head coach and Slates in charge of the Panthers.

Three years later, both men are no longer head coaches of their alma maters. And that is disappointing. And a problem.

Today we live in a society where social media has become the supreme ruler. Fans have an evil autonomy now to criticize whoever is in charge of their programs. Those are the same individuals who think they know everything ala Albert Einstein. Those same individuals are the ones who were cheering for Hall and Slates when they were on the field at Fawcett Stadium and Wakefield Stadium (then Perry Stadium) and now are expressing joy in their respective departures.

Unfortunately, loyalty was lost and this week, Hall and Slates were the victims. And because of it, McKinley is once again playing musical chairs in yet their ninth search for a head coach since the 1997 season (not counting McDaniels lone return in 2014). Perry doesn't have it as bad as they are conducting just their second head coach search since Keith Boedicker was the Panthers general from 2010-2013 (John "Spider" Miller and Slates were both selected by Wakefield to succeed him).

The McKinley program is in much more stuck in reverse than the Perry program. Since the 2006 season, the Bulldogs have not played in a state semifinal. Since 2009, they have not even competed for a regional title. Their seasons have stalled between the first round up to the regional semifinals. Perry on the other hand has competed in two straight Division II state finals in 2015 and 2016, losses to Cincinnati LaSalle, the latter when they carried a 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter before succumbing 14-7, a far better display than the previous year, a 42-0 loss.

I want to take the time to venture down memory lane. I was a high school sophomore when I became the sports editor of our school newspaper and an eventual team manager and field reporter (thanks to former McKinley boss Kerry Hodakievic and Miller along the way, including Donald Short, an Orrville native and longtime Bulldog football and basketball assistant coach). Hall was one of the most respected athletes in the school who embodied what it meant to be a student-community-athlete at McKinley. No one ever had a bad word to say around him and it was great being around men like Hall and others who I still maintain lifelong friendships with to this day.

There were things said about Hall over the last two seasons that personally speaking were not appreciated, especially after McKinley's 35-0 loss to Massillon. His players were called "thugs" on chat rooms, many said most of them would be in jail, others said to lock them up and some shots were taken at Hall with one labeling him as a "gang leader". I wanted to rip the perpetrator who said that but a person of my stature in the profession of my chosen life had to pull back. Most of those individuals will not have been willing to come to Hall and say those things to him directly including his players and assistant coaches. Forbid if someone said that about any of our family members.

That now brings me to Slates. Slates grew up with aspirations of playing for the Panthers. He recognized his dream and then was bestowed as head coach. However, Slates didn't get the fair support he needed that Wakefield had and with fans also calling for Slates removal, they got their wish. The same Slates who was a part of the Panthers 2000 Division I state semifinal competing squad as a player (Hall won two state titles at McKinley in 1997 and 1998).

It saddens this writer there are fans who think they know everything. Those same fans are again the ones who cheered for Hall and Slates in their prep days. And now they have turned their backs on them. Hall is now moving on to an administrative role and who knows where Slates may coach at.

I have taken my fair share of criticism over the years. There have been things said about me. Heck, a perpetrator promised to (get this) shoot me dead over my disdain for Michael Vick years ago in a chat room. I know people are going to go after me and I embrace it. Two decades ago I didn't as much but over time learned that not everyone is going to stand for you. Hall and Slates sadly found that out this week. Think about how their respective families feel. Think about how their sons, daughters, and wives feel. Think about how the rest of their family members feel.

Whoever becomes the head coach at McKinley and Perry will not only need to have durable skin but also the support of the Canton City and Perry Local administration. Their wives, sons and daughters must be embraced by the community. They will have to be aware of the dangers that will await them quicker than Wile E. Coyote's failed attempts to catch the Roadrunner.

The Einsteins from McKinley and Perry called for a new head coach. They got their wish. They knew everything. At this point, to me they are no longer fans. Their lack of loyalty was cemented this week. They are nothing but Einsteins. They had the brains to force out two coaches who are quality men. Smart of them. Again they knew everything and were not wrong. And I say that with a sarcastic approach, something this writer has never done. Now the question becomes whether both programs will be able to get off the canvas and come out swinging with victories. A losing season for both programs in 2025 will be disastrous and for McKinley, a 10th straight loss to Massillon is unfathomable but at this point with the Tigers being so much better than the Bulldogs, it wouldn't be that farfetched, especially with the Tigers having won five out of six in Canton (4-0 in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium).

To Coach Hall and Coach Slates, thank you for the four years you gave to your alma maters as head coaches. Thank you for the successes you had on the field as student-community-athletes at McKinley and Perry. It's just sad that social media has become a platform to denigrate men who invested their time to their alma maters and nothing in the end to show for it.

Yes. This was a sad ending for two quality men. Hopefully the fans of McKinley and Perry support the next head coach with far more appreciation than they did for two men who attended elementary, middle and high schools in their respective hometowns, the same men who they cheered for on the football field when they were teenagers but didn't have that same support for them as adult head coaches.

Only time will tell if McKinley and Perry will get back up. But this much can be said. Slates and Hall deserved better at their respective alma maters.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.