MHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Denise Taylor (second from left) and family at the February 2 induction ceremony. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
The family of “Coach” Fred Edgington receives his Hall of Fame plaque during the February 2 ceremony at Manchester High School. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
In the summer of 2023, planning began for the process of starting a Manchester Greyhound Athletic Hall of Fame. That planning culminated on Friday, Febraury 2 as the school held its inaugural Hall of Fame inductions, meaning all four county high schools now have Athletic Halls of Fame. In ceremonies held between the JV and varsity boys games with visiting East Clinton, the first three inductees were honored: the 1928 boys basketball team, Denise Taylor and “Coach” Gred Edgington.
1928 Basketball Team
The 1928 men’s basketball team was the State Runner-Up, falling to Marshall of Highland County, by a score of 20-17 in the final. They beat New Concord in the semi-final game by a score of 39-14. The team won the County Championship that same year and finished the season with a record of 25-6.
Team members included: Erv Carrigan, Edward McNeil, Arthur Yates, John Kemmeter, Robert Brown, Charles Tucker, Olan Tucker, and Andy Wilson. The head coach was Gilbert Buriff.
Denise Taylor
Denise Taylor graduated from Manchester in 1991 after an amazing athletic career. She scored 1,266 points in basketball. Her senior year she scored 501 points and pulled down 370 rebounds, averaging 22.8 points per game and 16.8 rebounds per game. She still holds the record for shot put and discus here at Manchester. Her shot put distance is 36 feet, 1 inch and her discus record is 119 feet, 9 inches.
Denise was part of the team that won the league softball championship in 1988. and Hhr basketball team won a sectional championship in 1991.
Denise’s All League Individual Honors include:
• Volleyball 1990-91
• Basketball 1989-90, 1990-91
• Shot Put 1987-88, 1989-90, 1990-91
• Discus 1987-88, 1989-90, 1990-91
• Softball 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91
In 1990, Denise placed sixth at the State Track Meet in Discus with a throw of 119 feet. Denise went to college Wheeling Jesuit to play basketball, where she scored 1,173 points.
“Coach” Fred Edgington
“Coach” Fred Edginton started teaching in 1958 and began his coaching career in 1960. In 1960 he coached track, cross country, junior high basketball, reserve basketball and was the varsity assistant coach. Also in 1960, Coach borrowed a grader from the County garage and, along with others, cut in a running track.
In 1965, he became the varsity basketball coach, replacing Bob Curtis. He also coached the junior high team.After posting a winning season in 1967, Coach was fired as the basketball coach in 1968. In 1972, he coached junior high and high school track, cross country, and baseball. Then in 1974-75 he added girls varsity basketball to his coaching resume.
In 1974, Coach Edgington began his football coaching career. Along with Terry Ayres, Chuck Boyd and Rusty Poole, he transformed the baseball field into a football field. Legend has it that they took sod from the boat dock area and rolled it out on the baseball field, got lights donated, with several tales told about their installation. He coached football until 1977.
In 1975, he coached the freshman boys basketball team. In 1976, he was back as the varsity boys basketball coach and would coach there until 1980. In 1976, he also coached the tennis team andcoached baseball from 1975-1984.
Coach was instrumental in Little League Baseball and the development of the baseball field behind the old school. In 1974 Coach Edgington started the Pee Wee basketball league in Manchester. At the same time he formed the Manchester Athletic Boosters.
Each year in March, Coach held a youth basketball tournament that mirrored March Madness. There are a lot of memories that have come from those tournaments, such as this writer putting up 29 in one of those tournaments the old Manchester gym.
Coach and his wife Carol, were true Greyhounds. Even after their days of educating the students at Manchester, they both were supportive of everything at Manchester.
