McClain earned a share of 1958 title
By
Bob Patton-
In the fall of 1958, in the early part of the football season, McClain, Washington and Franklin Heights seemed to be in the scramble for the league title, with the other three schools fighting for the remaining steps on the ladder.
The McClain vs. Washington game, at Greenfield, was expected to be a key contest, as both squads tried to position themselves to capture the league championship. The Blue Lions proved to be a little too tough for the Tigers this time, as the visitors scored a hard-fought, 14–6 victory over McClain. This was the first loss of the season for the Tigers.
At the end of October, Washington led the SCOL football race with three wins and no losses. McClain had three wins and the one loss to Washington. Franklin Heights was 2–1, Circleville was 2–2, while Hillsboro was 1–2 and Wilmington 0–5.
But Franklin Heights became the “spoilers” of the SCOL by turning back Washington by a score of 30–20. This upset was greeted by frenzied acclaim in Greenfield. It left the Tigers in the running for first place in the league battle and assured them of at least a share of the league title. McClain overpowered Hillsboro in the final league skirmish 28-6, leaving McClain, Franklin Heights and Washington in a three-way tie for the league championship, all with identical 4-1 SCOL records. Circleville ended up with a 2–2 league mark, while Hillsboro’s final (league) record was 1–4 and Wilmington’s was 0–5.
The All-SCOL football team was named soon after the final league games. It included:
Offense Defense
E Grooms MHS E Toops FHHS
E Wilson WSHS E Greenlee CHS
T King HHS T King HHS
T Crabtree WSHS T Lemmons MHS
G Elsea CHS MG DeBord WHS
G George MHS LB Maxie MHS
C Bias WHS LB Biggers FHHS
QB Mallory HHS LB Grim MHS
FB Yenger FHHS LB Elsea CHS
HB Vanscoy WHS S Grooms MHS
HB Shackleford WSHS S Hire WSHS
Wilmington claims hoops crown
• The 1958-59 SCOL basketball league featured a wide open battle with everybody in the loop having a chance at the title. Hillsboro downed McClain and Franklin Heights, but lost to Washington and Wilmington. McClain beat Circleville in double-overtime. There was no such thing as a “sure win.”
But, as the end of the season approached, Wilmington wrapped up a share of the league championship, when the Hurricane edged out Washington, 55–53 for its seventh win in eight league games. The Hurricane had only games with Circleville and Franklin Heights remaining, and a win in either contest would assure them of the league title. Wilmington did capture the 1958-59 SCOL basketball championship. The final league standings were:
School W L
Wilmington 9 1
Washington 7 3
Hillsboro 6 4
Circleville 5 5
McClain 3 7
Franklin Heights 1 9
The Sectional Class AA Tournament was held in Paint Valley’s new gymnasium at Bainbridge in February of 1959, with Hillsboro, McClain, Piketon, Waverly and Chillicothe participating. Drawings were held Sunday, Feb. 22.
The Hillsboro Indians drew Piketon. The Red Streaks had a 2–7 record against AA competition for the season, and a 4–14 record overall. McClain drew top-seeded Chillicothe.
The Indians, behind 20 points from Milton Bosworth, defeated Piketon by a score of 59–51. Later, Chillicothe handled McClain decisively.
Hillsboro came back on Thursday night to meet Waverly. But the team which took Piketon to the cleaners, failed to show up against Waverly. The Indians got only nine field goals in the first three quarters. They did bounce back to some extent, in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late. The final score was Waverly 63, Hillsboro 52. Another SCOL season was in the books.
We can find no record of an All-SCOL basketball team being selected in 1958-59. And Coach Paul Maple, who did a great deal of research on the SCOL failed to find one, as well.
The league board did announce, however, that Pleasant View High School, a new school of the Columbus area, would become a member of the SCOL in 1959-60.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press. Send comments to the Press at: hcpress@cinci.rr.com.[[In-content Ad]]
The McClain vs. Washington game, at Greenfield, was expected to be a key contest, as both squads tried to position themselves to capture the league championship. The Blue Lions proved to be a little too tough for the Tigers this time, as the visitors scored a hard-fought, 14–6 victory over McClain. This was the first loss of the season for the Tigers.
At the end of October, Washington led the SCOL football race with three wins and no losses. McClain had three wins and the one loss to Washington. Franklin Heights was 2–1, Circleville was 2–2, while Hillsboro was 1–2 and Wilmington 0–5.
But Franklin Heights became the “spoilers” of the SCOL by turning back Washington by a score of 30–20. This upset was greeted by frenzied acclaim in Greenfield. It left the Tigers in the running for first place in the league battle and assured them of at least a share of the league title. McClain overpowered Hillsboro in the final league skirmish 28-6, leaving McClain, Franklin Heights and Washington in a three-way tie for the league championship, all with identical 4-1 SCOL records. Circleville ended up with a 2–2 league mark, while Hillsboro’s final (league) record was 1–4 and Wilmington’s was 0–5.
The All-SCOL football team was named soon after the final league games. It included:
Offense Defense
E Grooms MHS E Toops FHHS
E Wilson WSHS E Greenlee CHS
T King HHS T King HHS
T Crabtree WSHS T Lemmons MHS
G Elsea CHS MG DeBord WHS
G George MHS LB Maxie MHS
C Bias WHS LB Biggers FHHS
QB Mallory HHS LB Grim MHS
FB Yenger FHHS LB Elsea CHS
HB Vanscoy WHS S Grooms MHS
HB Shackleford WSHS S Hire WSHS
Wilmington claims hoops crown
• The 1958-59 SCOL basketball league featured a wide open battle with everybody in the loop having a chance at the title. Hillsboro downed McClain and Franklin Heights, but lost to Washington and Wilmington. McClain beat Circleville in double-overtime. There was no such thing as a “sure win.”
But, as the end of the season approached, Wilmington wrapped up a share of the league championship, when the Hurricane edged out Washington, 55–53 for its seventh win in eight league games. The Hurricane had only games with Circleville and Franklin Heights remaining, and a win in either contest would assure them of the league title. Wilmington did capture the 1958-59 SCOL basketball championship. The final league standings were:
School W L
Wilmington 9 1
Washington 7 3
Hillsboro 6 4
Circleville 5 5
McClain 3 7
Franklin Heights 1 9
The Sectional Class AA Tournament was held in Paint Valley’s new gymnasium at Bainbridge in February of 1959, with Hillsboro, McClain, Piketon, Waverly and Chillicothe participating. Drawings were held Sunday, Feb. 22.
The Hillsboro Indians drew Piketon. The Red Streaks had a 2–7 record against AA competition for the season, and a 4–14 record overall. McClain drew top-seeded Chillicothe.
The Indians, behind 20 points from Milton Bosworth, defeated Piketon by a score of 59–51. Later, Chillicothe handled McClain decisively.
Hillsboro came back on Thursday night to meet Waverly. But the team which took Piketon to the cleaners, failed to show up against Waverly. The Indians got only nine field goals in the first three quarters. They did bounce back to some extent, in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late. The final score was Waverly 63, Hillsboro 52. Another SCOL season was in the books.
We can find no record of an All-SCOL basketball team being selected in 1958-59. And Coach Paul Maple, who did a great deal of research on the SCOL failed to find one, as well.
The league board did announce, however, that Pleasant View High School, a new school of the Columbus area, would become a member of the SCOL in 1959-60.
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press. Send comments to the Press at: hcpress@cinci.rr.com.[[In-content Ad]]