Rex Leach was a two-time All State selection for Vienna…maybe because he was born in the ‘Hoosier’ state in Waterloo, Indiana (DeKalb County). His career was the same time frame during the magical run by Milan that led to the movie ‘Hoosiers’.
According to the Ohio High School Athletic Association, boys basketball records:
Career points (2,581) from 1951 to 1955
Single season points (1,266) during the 1954-1955 season
Points in a game (72) on January 21, 1955 as the Flyers defeated Southington 158-46.
Field goals in a game (30) vs. Southington (1954-1955)
Field goals in a season (493) in 1954-1955 season
Free throws made in a season (280) in 1954-1955 season
During the 1954-55 season he averaged 43.3 point a game. He scored 53 or more points five times and scored at least 33 points in 13 of the Flyers’ 14 other games.
According to the Ohio High School Athletic Association, the team set several state boys basketball records:
- Points scored in a game (158) on January 21, 1995 – Vienna High School vs. Southington
- Points scored in a season (2,617) in 1955 – 29 games
Over two years the Flyers had a 46 game winning streak.
The Flyers also scored 110 points against Homer in Districts
The Vienna High School 1954-1955 boys varsity basketball team finished its regular season at 19-0 under coach Randall Wilson, scoring over 100 points seven times. The Flyers won the Trumbull Interscholastic Association (T.I.A.) Tournament for the second consecutive season, the Class B Sectional Tournament, the Class B District Tournament for the sixth straight District II League championship and the N.E.O. Regional Tournament.
1954-55 Vienna Boys Basketball Team
Vienna qualified for the state tournament with a 60-53 win over Strasburg in the Regional Championship at Kent State Field House on March 19, 1955. They won a total of nine tournament games. The Flyers lost to Lockland Wayne (Cincinnati) in the State semifinals 68-58 and ended the season with 28 wins and one loss.
Did you know….
Rex Leach wore the #7 on his uniform…you won’t see that today on any team.
What are the legal basketball numbers for NFHS?
Legal numbers are: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 00, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55. A team member list shall not have both numbers 0 and 00.
Leach was the head basketball coach at North Royalton High School, Richmond Heights High School, North Lima High School (now South Range). He also coached his sons at Mathews High School from 1974-1979 (formerly Vienna High School).
In 2008 Leach was voted into the Ohio HS Basketball Hall of Fame
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