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 From 1958 to 1965 Hopewell High School Coach
Bill McDonald had a career 46-25-1 record, but two of the wins were more
memorable than the others. After serving as an assistant coach to
legendary Braddock High School football coach Chuck Klausing before
coming to Hopewell, he got a chance to coach against his mentor in
1960. At the time Klausing’s Braddock team had Pennsylvania’s longest current
winning streak at 58 games, but lost to Bill’s Vikings. But the Hopewell victory over arch rival Aliquippa in
1964 was even more important. Facing Coach
Carl Aschman’s Aliquippa Indians at the Pit, they
beat the Quips, 16-6. Hopewell played Class A at the time and the
Indians went on to win the WPIAL Class AA championship that year
with their only loss being to Hopewell. During Bill’s tenure at
Hopewell, the Vikings beat nine of ten AA opponents. Klausing asked
Bill to be his offensive coordinator at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, and while Bill helmed the offense the Indians
registered a 24-3 regular season record. The 1968 team finished
unbeaten in nine games and finished the season with a
40 points per game average, the best in the school’s history.
Bill became head coach of Edinboro State the next year and his
team compiled a 54-34-7 record over the next ten years. The 1970
Fighting Scots became the greatest team in Edinboro history
finishing the season unbeaten and capturing the Lambert Bowl, the
Pennsylvania Conference championship, and a berth in the NAIA
national playoffs. The 1971 followed with another unbeaten season
(9-0) and a second straight Pennsylvania Conference Western Division
title. His teams won 21 straight games over three seasons. Bill
was voted Football Writers Association of New York Coach of the Year
in 1970 and was named the NAIA Area VIII and District 18 Coach of
the Year. |
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