Remembering the Youngstown City Series

Q

Qcity

Well-known member
North
East
South
Rayen
Chaney
Wilson


There was some pretty good basketball played back in the day in this conference. Rayen had some stellar years with some big time players; South was always a force; North had their share of talent as well.
 
Struthersfan

Struthersfan

Well-known member
Qcity said:
North
East
South
Rayen
Chaney
Wilson


There was some pretty good basketball played back in the day in this conference. Rayen had some stellar years with some big time players; South was always a force; North had their share of talent as well.
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The City Series used to be real good.
Not to show my age, but I remember tournament tripleheaders at the old South High Fieldhouse. Great games, fantastic school support back in the day. (Unlike today)
Those Rayen teams in the mid-80's were awesome.
 
P

pete penny

Member
Joe James and all of the other greats from Rayen. What a fun place to see a game in those days. I also remember Wilson having some good players.
 
G

goshengophers

Member
The 1978-79 Rayen team featured Joe James (signed with Michigan before transferring to Eastern Michigan) and Greg Jones (who played 4 years at West Virginia and is still No. 6 all-time in scoring, No. 8 all-time in assists and No. 2 all-time in steals).
 
coldshoulder

coldshoulder

Active member
I'm sure YTOWN could provide lots of great insight, and some great names from the past.

I recall Youngstown North in the early 70's was a basketball powerhouse, with guys that mostly went on to have success in college and the pro's, but in football:
Richard Bevly: Ohio University QB
Tom Hight: YSU football
Sherman Smith: Miami, Ohio QB + Seahawks NFL (RB)
Mike Cobb: Michigan State + Bears NFL (TE)

Certainly lots of great players from all the city schools listed.
 
wghfan

wghfan

Well-known member
I loved watching those Rayen teams of the late 70's with Joe James, and Greg Jones. I also believe Terry Taylor was on those teams. He ended being a all pro DB for the Seattle Seahawks.
 
G

goshengophers

Member
Stepien and Traficant were bound and determined to put that team in the Fieldhouse so they could sell beer. Traficant strongarmed the city into agreeing to the beer sales like he did Niles on the utilities when the Scrappers came into existence. Neither he nor Stepien could understand why the suburbanites wouldn't come downtown to a building that was surrounded by multiple crack houses.
 
Q

Qcity

Well-known member
wghfan said:
I loved watching those Rayen teams of the late 70's with Joe James, and Greg Jones. I also believe Terry Taylor was on those teams. He ended being a all pro DB for the Seattle Seahawks.
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Dave Mason was in the middle, he could jump out of the gym along with Jones and James ........heckuva team.

North had Eric Posey and Haines I believe. South had the Parker brothers among many good players. East had McCrae and Dyson etc...
 
nupanther

nupanther

Well-known member
Those East teams also had Kenny Smith, who was a 1st round draft pick in MLB and played a little while for the Atlanta Braves
 
K

Kjonez

New member
I remember those days. Eric Posey was by any measure a pure shooter by todays' stats averaged a triple-double in scoring, rebounding and if they took assists. I think from his sophomore year to senior he led the city in scoring and was first or tied in rebounds. Back then North would play other teams that had 2-3 bigs, Mason, Jaffee, and Anderson, then later James at Rayen, Howell, Shorter, at South with Ellington, Dyson and Jones at East. They would battle every week in the field house. 6'6' and they had to play him at a forward/center but he was clearly a 3 or wing guard, he had to avg 3-4 blocks a game. I saw him deal with double teams for 3 years and still went for 27 on South and 29 on Rayen. When he came home against YSU he shot the lights out for 20+ and had double-digit boards as a small forward/guard. He played in Spain somewhere I think. The city series had great talent and coaches back then. Anthony Haynes and the guard play in the city was brutal, they brought it every night. Greg Jones, Joe James, and Rayen always had the depth to get further in the state playoffs. One year I think North won the city playing about 8 on their squad all year. Rayen, North, South, and East were powerhouses! Frank Cegledy was a legend at Rayen, a few years before a guy at North George Ritz, East and South as well.
 
B

BigLex

Member
Kjonez said:
I remember those days. Eric Posey was by any measure a pure shooter by todays' stats averaged a triple-double in scoring, rebounding and if they took assists. I think from his sophomore year to senior he led the city in scoring and was first or tied in rebounds. Back then North would play other teams that had 2-3 bigs, Mason, Jaffee, and Anderson, then later James at Rayen, Howell, Shorter, at South with Ellington, Dyson and Jones at East. They would battle every week in the field house. 6'6' and they had to play him at a forward/center but he was clearly a 3 or wing guard, he had to avg 3-4 blocks a game. I saw him deal with double teams for 3 years and still went for 27 on South and 29 on Rayen. When he came home against YSU he shot the lights out for 20+ and had double-digit boards as a small forward/guard. He played in Spain somewhere I think. The city series had great talent and coaches back then. Anthony Haynes and the guard play in the city was brutal, they brought it every night. Greg Jones, Joe James, and Rayen always had the depth to get further in the state playoffs. One year I think North won the city playing about 8 on their squad all year. Rayen, North, South, and East were powerhouses! Frank Cegledy was a legend at Rayen, a few years before a guy at North George Ritz, East and South as well.
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111411

111411

Moderator
BigLex said:
I remember Sebring playing North in the Struthers tourney one year too. Late 70s
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That was 1980. Sebring was a sophomore heavy team. If I remember correctly, it was a close game. Sebring beat Rayen two or three times in the late 80's. I know that 89 was one game, played at Sebring, highlighted by two dunks by All-Ohioian Troy Donaldson.
 
Struthersfan

Struthersfan

Well-known member
Like wow, man.
You really bring back my childhood. Saw quite a few tournament games there. They used to get some real decent crowds at South.

Nice job of finding this photo!
 
F

Fayette79

Active member
I was really young but I seem to remember a Youngstown team winning a state title in St. John Arena and the coach and team came out in tuxedos for a team picture at halftime of the next game...anyone else remember this? I thought it was a Youngstown team...
 
K

krs1

Well-known member
Fayette79 said:
I was really young but I seem to remember a Youngstown team winning a state title in St. John Arena and the coach and team came out in tuxedos for a team picture at halftime of the next game...anyone else remember this? I thought it was a Youngstown team...
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I believe that was the 1985 Youngstown Rayen team. I wasn’t there but heard stories about that
 
nupanther

nupanther

Well-known member
Kjonez
I was at that game where Posey went off against YSU. I remember he had a lot of fans/family in the stands. Pretty sure that was Northern Michigan back when they were in the same D2 league
 
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