North of the Grand Canyon and just below the Arizona-Utah line, Fredonia is a quaint town that serves as the gateway to the North Rim. Known for its historical ties and small-town charm, Fredonia was the backdrop for a significant high school basketball record for decades.
This changed in January when George McCormick’s longstanding record was finally surpassed.
In 1966, McCormick scored 75 points during a basketball game for Fredonia High School, a record that stood until Adrian Stubbs from Maryvale High School scored 100 points in just three quarters on January 13. Stubbs was taken out of the game before the fourth quarter could begin.
McCormick, however, is more than just a record. As a coach and fervent supporter of his hometown, McCormick’s life extends well beyond that single game. Reflecting on the broken record, McCormick, now 77, commented, “Well, I’m glad somebody broke it. Finally, monkey’s off my back, it’s on yours now.”
Stubbs’ 100-point game was celebrated widely, with classmates from Maryvale in Phoenix’s West Valley capturing the moment and national media like ESPN covering it. For McCormick, the game against Salome High School was less about records and more about seeing what he could achieve.
“We didn’t know we’d done anything special, you know. We didn’t know what the records were. We were just playing another game,” McCormick recalled. “So I really didn’t realize it until we got back to school Monday, and it was in the papers.”
Unlike some who might revel in past glories, McCormick remained humble throughout his life. He rarely discussed his achievement, preferring to focus on coaching and family life in Fredonia, where he raised his children.
A Tight Community
Fredonia, located off State Route 89A, boasts a population of about 1,000, significantly smaller than nearby Kanab, Utah. McCormick and his wife, Rhea, are deeply rooted in this tight-knit community, having raised their family here.
Yet Fredonia is shrinking, a concern for the McCormicks. With dwindling student numbers, only half of the school is in use, as more families opt for larger schools in Kanab.
“It’s actually kind of a grieving process to watch the school dwindle, because it’s all you ever known,” said Jennifer McCormick Ohman, George’s daughter. “There’s not a whole lot here to have a lot of pride in right now, just because there’s not enough students. I mean, you have to have numbers to have a team.”
Basketball is a family tradition for the McCormicks. “Basketball was just part of our world,” Ohman shared. “My dad played and held records. I had an uncle, his brother, that played professional basketball in Switzerland, and all of (George’s) kids played it. It was just kind of our world.”
Despite basketball being central to their lives, McCormick’s record was rarely mentioned. He transitioned to coaching after sustaining an ankle injury in college and found more fulfillment in guiding teams than reflecting on his past achievements.
Evan Barcanic
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Cronkite News
As a coach, McCormick led without bias, even when coaching his own children or the children of former teammates. Under his leadership, Fredonia’s boys’ team secured one state title, while the girls’ team claimed five.
Despite these successes, a decline in Fredonia’s local economy and population led McCormick to step down. Many in the community, including old friends and teammates like Bob Lathim and Richard Lewis, share concerns about the town’s future.
“And it’s kind of sad to see,” Lathim noted. “It used to be quite a booming school.”
While Fredonia may not be as vibrant as it once was, the McCormicks are content. They’ve lived in the same home for 48 years, surrounded by memories and family.
“I love Fredonia. It’s been just fine. I haven’t wanted to go someplace else,” Rhea McCormick said. “We all care about each other and the ones who don’t care don’t matter anyway. I just think it’s a good place to live.”
A Memorable Night
That sense of community was evident on the night McCormick set his record. “I was close to them already, because we grew up together,” McCormick said of his teammates. “Our dads grew up together. We run together. We were just like one person, we’re real close. It’s self-satisfying, if you can help each other out.”
Richard Lewis, left, Bob Lathim, middle, and George McCormick, talk at Fredonia High School on Jan. 28, 2026, in Fredonia, Ariz. (Photo by Evan Barcanic/Cronkite News) McCormick’s teammates supported his record-breaking night, teasing him as a “ball hog” but cheering him on nonetheless. Even 60 years later, that camaraderie remains.
While Fredonia has seen better days, McCormick remains optimistic about its future, believing in the town’s resilience and community spirit.
“We have a little bit of problems here too,” he said, ever hopeful. “But basically we’re a pretty sound town.”
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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