Canton McKinley High School


McKinley Senior High School is a public high school in Canton, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the Canton City School District and has two campuses: Downtown Campus, and the main campus which is known as McKinley Senior High School. Athletic teams compete as the Canton McKinley Bulldogs in the Ohio High School Athletic Association as a member of the Federal League.

History

The original McKinley building on Market Avenue North was opened on March 27, 1918. The students of Central High School and North High School were moved to the new building. The school was named for President William McKinley and his sister, Anna McKinley, who taught in the Canton Public Schools for 30 years. There is a debate of who the school was named after, but to people who live in Canton, most assume it's Anna McKinley, since she was, as mentioned before, a beloved teacher and administrator in Canton Public Schools. When it opened, it was the only high school in Canton. By 1943, it was one of four high schools, as enrollment in the city schools dictated Lehman High School, Lincoln High School, and Timken Vocational High School be opened. As the city of Canton's population declined, so did city school enrollment. In the spring of 1976, the Canton City Schools closed all four high schools in the city. Lehman and Lincoln reverted to junior high schools, and Timken Senior High School and McKinley Senior High School were their replacements. McKinley Senior opened in a new building on the site of Fawcett Stadium.
In February 2015, the Canton City School board approved closing Timken as a traditional four-year high school, thus making McKinley the city's only high school for the first time since Lehman became a high school in 1937. McKinley High School's enrollment peaked in the 1935 – 1936 school year with 4,000 students attending.

Athletics

McKinley competes in the Federal League, one of the oldest athletic conferences in Ohio.

OHSAA State Championships

Canton McKinley is 7th in the nation in football wins all-time, with 827 as of December 2017. McKinley is also second in Ohio in win total.
Prior to the start of the current playoff format in Ohio high school football, McKinley had won seven AP poll titles. Since the playoff format began, McKinley has won three State Titles, in 1981, 1997, and 1998. They have been State Runner-Up three times in 1977, 1985, and 2004.

McKinley-Massillon rivalry

The Canton McKinley vs. Massillon Washington rivalry is the 13th most played rivalry in the nation, with 129 meetings between the schools, including the 24-17 Massillon victory on October 27, 2018. The rivalry is also tied for the nation's 14th oldest, dating back to 1894 and was profiled in the November 14, 1994 issue of Sports Illustrated. The which features the nation's top high school football rivalries has highlighted the rivalry 11 times since 2006.

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

McKinley plays at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which seats over 22,500 fans. Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, part of Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, is also home to the NFL's annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Notable football alumni

Famous Bulldogs include Percy Snow, Kenny Peterson, Marion Motley, Wayne Fontes, Ray Ellis, Jamar Martin, the late Pro Bowl linebacker John Grimsley, Mike Doss, Reggie Corner and Josh McDaniels. Famous former coaches include Don Nehlen and Ben Schwartzwalder.

Basketball

McKinley has won three State Championships in 1983–84, 2004–05, and 2005–2006. They have been State Runners-Up eight times, and hold Ohio records for most appearances in the Championship game, Final Four appearances, and Sweet Sixteen appearances.

Notable basketball alumni

McKinley has had several players move on to the NBA, including Nick Weatherspoon, Phil Hubbard, Gary Grant, Eric Snow, Michael Hawkins, and Keith McLeod. With Nick Weatherspoon playing in the NBA from 1973 to 1980, Phil Hubbard from 1980 to 1989, Gary Grant from 1989 to 2001, Eric Snow from 1996 to 2008, Michael Hawkins from 1997 to 2001, and Keith McCleod from 2004 to present, McKinley has had a graduate in the NBA continuously since 1973, which is believed to be a record.

Timken High School

On February 25, 2015, Canton City Schools approved the "one community, one school" initiative by merging Timken High School into McKinley High School, giving Canton a single high school for the first time since 1937. Freshmen of the merged schools will attend the Freshmen Academy located at the current Timken High School, while grades 10–12 attend the senior high school located at the current McKinley building. The remaining high school will retain the McKinley name, mascot, and colors.

Notable alumni