News

After a half century in coaching, 29 of those years as the head coach at Perry high school, 71 year old Keith Wakefield has decided to retire.

Wakefield, a 1967 graduate of Orville high school, won 222 games and had a (.690) overall winning percentage with the Panthers in two different stints as their head coach from 1982-2003 and then again from 2013-2020.

Perry also claimed 15 Federal League titles under Wakefield, including one this past year, in what would be his final season. For his efforts, the highly respected coach, was named the 2020 Stark County WHBC Coach of the Year!

Running his staple “Wing-T” offense, Wakefield helped lead Perry to two state championship games in 2015 and 2016, finishing runner up both years losing to Cincinnati LaSalle.

Per the Canton Repository, Wakefield is hopeful that his replacement comes from within his 2020 coaching staff.

No word yet from the Perry school board as to when the search for Wakefield’s replacement will begin and what the target date is to hire the next head coach.