East Liverpool is hosting the 17
th annual Potter Holiday Classic from the Potter Fieldhouse on Tuesday, December 27. East Liverpool is in search of their fourth Holiday Classic title, but their first since 2000. This year’s field features two-time champ Ursuline and first time participants Vermilion and Northwest.
The Classic has produced four teams which went onto play in the state tournament later in the same season they competed in East Liverpool in late December:
- East Liverpool lost a 2-point championship game encounter with Columbus West (55-53) in 1998. Three months later, the Potters were playing in Columbus in the Final 4. East Liverpool lost to Shaker Heights, 71-63, in the Division I State Semifinal.
- The following year, Leroy Bates' Libbey team won the Classic and then played in the Division I State Final Four. The Cowboys lost to Bedford, 67-61.
- Columbus Linden McKinley defeated Pittsburgh Catholic Central in the consolation match up of the Holiday Classic. McKinley was eliminated from the 2005 state tournament in the semifinals by Triway, 71-70.
- Akron St.Vincent-St. Mary won the 2005 Potter Classic by defeating East Ridge. The Irish made their way to Columbus; however, were stopped by Dayton Dunbar in the Division II Final 4, 74-48.
Here’s a look back at the Classic’s history:
2010 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Akron Buchtel 90 East Liverpool 60
Consolation
Ursuline 78 Beaver Local 41
Opening Round
Akron Buchtel 66 Ursuline 60
East Liverpool 90 Beaver Local 67
2009 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Ursuline 62 East Liverpool 58
Consolation
Beaver Local 50 South Side Beaver 47
Opening Round
Ursuline 72 South Side Beaver 26
East Liverpool 52 Beaver Local 47
2008 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Ursuline 59 East Liverpool 56
Consolation
Linsly (WV) 91 Beaver Local 79
Opening Round
Ursuline 66 Linsly (WV) 45
East Liverpool 64 Beaver Local 45
2007 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Wellsville 39 East Liverpool 33
Consolation
Oak Glen (WV) 70 Beaver Local 42
Opening Round
Wellsville 53 Oak Glen (WV) 50
East Liverpool Beaver Local
2006 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Shaker Heights 68 Beechcroft 54
Consolation
Lakota West 51 East Liverpool 27
Opening Round
Shaker Heights 62 Lakota West 54
Beechcroft 63 East Liverpool 50
2005 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Akron St.-Vincent-St. Mary 61 East Ridge (FL) 53
Consolation
Millersburg (KY) 84 East Liverpool 56
Opening Round
East Ridge (FL) 66 East Liverpool 63
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary 94 Millersburg (KY) 81
2004 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Trotwood-Madison 72 East Liverpool 51
Consolation
Linden McKinley 75 Pittsburgh Catholic Central 59
Opening Round
Trotwood-Madison 66 Pittsburgh Catholic Central 52
East Liverpool 77 Linden McKinley 76
2003 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Shaker Heights 58 East Liverpool 52
Participants: East Liverpool, Massillon Perry, Shaker Heights, Warren Harding
2002 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Central-Hower 78 East Liverpool 60
Consolation
Grove City 56 Rayen 43
Opening Round
Central-Hower 71 Grove City 54
East Liverpool 67 Rayen 63
2001 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Toledo St. John’s 63 East Liverpool 60 (OT)
Consolation
St. Xavier 69 Olmstead Falls 50
Opening Round
Toledo St. John’s 69 St. Xavier 64
East Liverpool 80 Olmstead Falls 61
2000 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
East Liverpool 66 Cleveland Heights 60
Consolation
Akron Buchtel 73 Marion Franklin 57
Opening Round
Cleveland Heights 78 Akron Buchtel 71
East Liverpool 81 Marion Franklin 56
1999 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Toledo Libbey 69 East Liverpool 66
Consolation
Alliance 63 Groveport Madison 54
Opening Round
Toledo Libbey 71 Alliance 55
East Liverpool 69 Groveport Madison 45
1998 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Columbus West 55 East Liverpool 53
Consolation
Penn Hills 75 Cincinnati Woodward 53
Opening Round
Columbus West 78 Cincinnati Woodward 64
East Liverpool 94 Penn Hills 75
1997 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
Trotwood-Madison 58 East Liverpool 57
Consolation
Akron Firestone 80 Schenley 62
Opening Round
Trotwood-Madison 89 Akron Firestone 62
East Liverpool 65 Schenley 49
1996 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
East Liverpool 69 Collinwood 49
Consolation
Westinghouse 68 Rayen 65
Opening Round
Collinwood 64 Rayen 51
East Liverpool 85 Westinghouse 66
1995 Potter Holiday Classic
Championship
East Liverpool 81 New Castle 64
Consolation
Woodrow Wilson 71 Beaver Falls 33
Opening Round
New Castle 75 Woodrow Wilson 74
East Liverpool 76 Beaver Falls 50
Teams | W-L | Titles |
East Liverpool | 16-14 | 3 (2000, 1996, 1995) |
Ursuline | 5-1 | 2 (2009, 2008) |
Shaker Heights | 4-0 | 2 (2006, 2003) |
Trotwood-Madison | 4-0 | 2 (2004, 1997) |
Akron Buchtel | 3-1 | 1 (2010) |
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary | 2-0 | 1 (2005) |
Akron Central-Hower | 2-0 | 1 (2002) |
Columbus West | 2-0 | 1 (1998) |
Toledo Libbey | 2-0 | 1 (1999) |
Toledo St. John's | 2-0 | 1 (2001) |
Wellsville | 2-0 | 1 (2007) |
