Brief History of East Canton
​Cross Country

​    The program was started by Coach Lee Sternberg in the autumn of 1973. Coach Sternberg has been the only coach of the East Canton High Schools boys. The program has compiled an amazing record. The East Canton boys have won 19* league/conference titles; 2 overall Stark County titles; 22 District Championships; 6 Regional titles; 3 State Runner-up finishes and the State Championship in 1998.

    Individually, three runners have finished as State Runner-up. Mike Dorto was 2nd at the State Meet in both 1985 and 1987; Nicholas Dysle was State Runner-up in 2006 and Gabe Henning finished 2nd at the State in 2008. Dysle set the current school record of 15:52 in his 2006 race during the State Meet at Scioto Downs. There have been numerous other “All-Ohio” Cross Country athletes and many more State qualifiers for the Hornet Pac-Men. Many also have been named ”All League” and “All Stark County” for their efforts on the many courses throughout the State of Ohio.

    Through the years, the program has been associated with 4 conference. From 1976 to 1988 East Canton was part of the Senate League. From 1989 to 2004 the team competed in the Principals’s Athletic Conference (P.A.C. 7). In 2005 the “PAC-MEN” joined the Portage Trail Conference (P.T.C.) and was there until 2012. This year (2016) is the 4th year that East Canton will compete in the Inter-Valley Conference (I.V.C.).
​
* Won 1st Title in the I.V.C. and again in 2016

Varsity team records since  1973
 
Duals county invitational league sectional/ district/ state wins / district regional

• 1973  4-5.. ...12th..  ............  na.... ...4th... 1 individual ...... placed 16th
• 1974  9-7.. ...11th..  ............  na.... ...5th... ....................
• 1975  6-9.. ...8th...  ............  na.... ...4th... 2 individual qualifiers
• 1976  10-6. ...12th..  ............  na.... ...10th.. 1 individual individual - denny varian qualified for state---finished 22nd..
• 1977  13-1. ...5th... ......2......  ..2nd.. ...4th.. 7th team.... individual -  denny varian qualified for state---finished 25th..
• 1978  12-3. 4th(a-aa) ......1......  ..2nd.. ...3rd.. 6th team.... ..........
• 1979  12-2. 4th(a-aa) ......2....  ...3rd.. champion  5th team.... .........
• 1980  9-0.  2nd(a-aa) ......1....   na...... champion  4th team... individual -  buddy clayton qualified for state--finished 24th..
•  1981  7-0.  2nd(a-aa) ......2....  ..3rd.... champion  4th team... individual -  bob white qualified for state--finished 33rd..
•  1982  7-0.  champions  .....2....  ..3rd.... ..2nd.... 3rd team...  ..team...  team qualified for state-- finished 11th....
•  1983  5-3.  champions  .....2....  champion  champion  3rd team... individual-     joe mccauley qualified for state-- finished 32nd...
•  1984  5-0.  2nd(a-aa)  .....2....  champion  ..2nd...  2nd team... ...team... team qualified for state-- finished 6th.. 
• 1985  6-0.  champions  .....4....  na.......  ..3rd... 3rd team... ...team...   team qualified for state-- finished 3rd...
• 1986  5-2.  champions  .....4....  champion  ..3rd.... champions   ...team... team qualified for state-- finished 4th..
•  1987  4-0.  champions  .....5....  champion  champion  champion    ...team... team qualified for state---state runners-up
•  1988  4-0.  champions  .....5....  champion  champion  2nd team... ...team... team qualified for state---state runners-up
•  1989  5-0.  champions  .....4....  champion   champion champion... ...team... team qualified for state---finished 3rd.
•  1990  6-0   champions .....1....   champion   champion   6th..2 indivduals  scott wyler qualified for state-- finished 9th (all-ohio)  ben carroll qualified for state-- finished 22nd (all-ohio)
•  1991  6-0   champions(overall)..2..champion    champion  3rd... team qualified for state---finished 4th  
• 1992  6-0   2nd (ii & iii)  2      champion    champion  3rd...  team qualified for state---finished 9th  
• 1993  7-0  1st (ii & iii)   1      champion    champion  3rd...  team qualified for state---finished 8th  
• 1994  5-2  3rd (ii & iii)                0                         3rd               champions   7th ...   individual anthony lattavo qualified fo state--finished 7th (all-ohio)
•  1995   7-0   1st (iii & iii)               3                champions    champions  champions   team       team  qualified  for state---------finished  4th
•  1996   5-0   1st (overall).       3                champions...champions...champions  team  qualified for state------------finished 3rd
•  1997   5-0   2nd (ll& lll )                 1        champions   champions   runners-up..team qualified for state------------finished 7th
•  1998...4-0..1st (ll&lll)...............3.........champions..champions...champions team. qualified for state-----------champions
• 1999...4-0..3rd(ii&iii)..............0.........champions..champions...3rd...... team qualified for state--------------------finished 9th
•  2000...2-3..6th (ii&iii)........0............2nd.............champions...5th....individual  nick aukerman qualified for state----finished 23rd (all-ohio)
•  2001...4-2..7th(ii&iii)...............1.............3rd....................2nd.........10th...............
•  2002...none..5th(ii&iii).............1.............2nd...................2nd...........7th................
•  2003...6-0...3rd (ll&lll).............3...............champions...champions...4th   individual - rich bowers..qualified  for  state-----finished 31st
•  2004...5-1...7th (ii&iii)..............0...............champions...2nd..............9th..individual - nicholas dysle qualified for state-----finished 51st
•  2005...5-1...3rd.(ll&lll)..............1.................2nd........champions...2nd team - team qualified for state-------finished 10th
• 2006...5-1...1st(ii&iii)...............1.............2nd........champions....4th  team - team qualified for state-------state runners-up
•  2007...5-1...6th.(ii&iii)................0...............2nd...........2nd....................5th..individuals - james gibson qualified for state--------finished   4th - gabe henning qualified for state--------finished ...6th - chad long qualified for state---------finished... 30th
•  2008...5-1...3rd(ll&lll)..................1..............2nd...........2nd......................4th..team - team qualified for state----------------------------------finished 5th
• 2009...5-1...2nd(ll&lll)....................1.............2nd............1st................6th...individual - josh schleappi qualified for state------------------finished 19th
• 2010...2-4...3rd(ii&iii)......................1.............4th.............3rd...............10th...individual josh schleappi qualified for state---------------------finished 21st
• 2011...2-3...8th(ll&lll)..................0...............4th.................4th........................individual josh schleappi qualified for state-------------------finished 16th
• 2012...2-310th(ll&lll).................0...................4th...........7th...........individual............na
• 2103...na.11th(ii&iii)........... .0......................3rd............5th..........2 individuals.........na
• 2014...na.5th (ii&iii).............1................2nd.............2nd.............15th.....................na
•  2015...na...3rd(ii&iii)..............1...................1st........2nd...........9th..........................na - josh conrad qualified for state--------------------------------finished 20th
•  2016...na...3rd(ii&iii...............1..................1st.......2nd.............5th..........................na - demetrius snellenberger qualified for state___________finished 12th