Portsmouth Coach Eugene Collins Passes A Trojan Legend

[trojandave]

With Tuesday's 52-40 win over Rock Hill, Portsmouth Trojans Coach Eugene Collins passed legendary PHS coach Joe Suboticki (1988-1991) in career wins. Collins now has a 95-36 record overall (9-3 this season), while Suboticki had a record of 94-11. Both Collins and Suboticki led the Trojans to 2 Final 4 appearances. In 1988, the Trojans under Suboticki went 27-1 and won the very first D2 state championship. In 1990, Suboticki guided Portsmouth to a state runnerup finish in D2. Collins took the Trojans to Final 4 appearances in 2011 and 2012, with a state runnerup finish in D3 in 2012.

Coach Collins is now the 5th winningest coach in PHS history, behind Dick Hopkins (103-34), Tom Smith (108-35), Red Hopkins (168-58), and George Heller (224-135).

[roxanna fry]

Congratulations Coach Collins on the milestone!!

[roxanna fry]

And that doesn't even count his wins as an unofficial coach in the Bannon Park Classic!!

[pfloyd]

Congratulations Coach Collins !!!! such a great job you & your staff have done with the Portsmouth Trojan program … I might add that Coach Collins is a class individual as well - ALWAYS has time to chat , ALWAYS supporting basketball in Southern/Southeastern Ohio …

[LetsGoPSU]

Congradulations Geno!!

[Jeff Lisath]

Congrats Geno! I remember our conversation when you took over the program. "Return to Glory" Thanks for what you have done for the program. I wish you continued success.

[gotgame?]

Congrats from the Hopkins family!!!!

[IBTT]

Congrats coach Collins!! You are doing a great job with your program!!

[trojandave]

Last night's 75-47 win over Jackson gave Coach Eugene Collins his 100th win as the Trojan head coach.......his overall record is now 100-38, with 2 Final 4's, 2 SEOAL titles, 2 time SEOAL Coach of the Year, and the 2012 D3 Ohio Coach of the Year. The next coach on the wins ladder at PHS is #4 Dick Hopkins, who compiled an outstanding mark of 103-34 from 1976-1981. Hopkins was the coach of the 1978 Class AA state champions, the 1979 AP Poll Champions, and the 1980 Class AA state runnerup.

Coach Collins was awarded a plaque by the PHS athletic dept. after the game. Congratulations Eugene!!

[pfloyd]

Congratulations Coach Collins … trojandave it's THIS kind of "stuff" that makes me sad that Portsmouth will be no longer in the SEOAL … a good thing is that I DO follow every team in Southern Ohio - so I WILL be watching your Trojans as member of the OVC every year and will definitely be running into you and biggdowgg in my travels …

[biggdowgg]

Congratulations to coach Collins ,we are lucky to have him and his staff they do a great job!

[trojandave]

biggdowgg: You are so right about Eugene's staff...... I don't mention them enough.......Jim Arnzen, Shane Rhea, Matt Payton, Coach Smith, Len Collins, and Steve Cunningham.......not only do we have a fine head coach, but a staff that has many years of basketball experience. Our varsity is 14-5 (3 starters back next season), our JV is 14-5, and our freshmen are 10-1 (without Reese Johnson who is on the JV, and Cole Lowery who is on the varsity). Portsmouth basketball looks to be in good shape with Coach Collins, his staff, and some talented kids in the program.

[Hitchbone64]

Congrats to Coach Collins and the Trojan family. It was not long ago that many posters lead by trojandave and bigdogg were yearning that Trojan spirit and winning tradition. Coach Collins has lead a major revival and the program is top notch.

GO CAVS!

[trojandave]

With Saturday's 60-46 win over Coal Grove, Portsmouth coach Eugene Collins passed Dick Hopkins (1976-1981) into 4th place on the all-time Trojan coaching wins list with 104. Collins entered the season with a 86-33 record, and now has amassed an outstanding 104-39 mark in just his 6th year at PHS. Hopkins was 103-34 during his tenure, and he led the Trojans to the 1978 state championship, the 1979 AP Poll title, and a 1980 state runnerup finish. His father, Red, coached PHS to 5 state appearances, including the 1931 state title over Canton McKinley, and the 1934 state runnerup.