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2009
The Bearcats won a school-record 28 consecutive games to start the season, and set the school mark for victories in the season with 32. The Bearcats' returned to the state final for the first time since 1949. The only two losses for the Bearcats (32-2) came in the district and state championship games. In the District 3 championship game, CD East snapped William Penn's winning streak, upsetting the top-seeded 'Cats, 63-54. The Bearcats rebounded with a series of thrilling victories in the state tournament, including a triple-overtime 87-83 win against Central Bucks South and a come-from-behind victory against Plymouth Whitemarsh in the state semifinals. The defining moment of the season, however, came when William Penn rallied from a 17-point deficit against Reading with 3:30 remaining in regulation to net a 66-65 victory in the district quarterfinals. That win qualified William Penn for the state tournament, setting up the school's first run to the championship game in 60 years.
Notable players: Senior Malik Generett led the team in rebounding and ranked second all-time in career scoring at the school with 1,227 points. He earned a football scholarship to the University of Connecticut.
2004
Call it a hunch. Coach Isiah Anderson had a good team, not a great one until he altered his starting lineup in the state tournament. Turning to sophomore point guard Ricardo Banks, the Bearcats upset Chester - a state finalist the year before - in the first round of the state tournament. The Bearcats topped league-rival Red Lion in the state quarterfinals in front of a capacity crowd at Dallastown High School. But the season ended with a 54-50 loss to Parkland in the Class AAAA state semifinals. The Bearcats closed the season with a 25-9 record.
Notable players: Senior point guard Tyrone Gallon and forward Orlando Rose paced the team to a pair of league titles. Junior Shamar Williams and junior reserve Seth Leonard would remain a force in 2005. Senior reserve Will Beatty earned a football scholarship to UConn and is expected to be selected in the NFL Draft in the spring of 2009.
1999
The Bearcats set a school record, winning 27 straight games before losing in the District 3 semifinals. The Bearcats almost overcame a 17-point deficit against Harrisburg when Jason Roscoe hit five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, but William Penn lost 65-57. William Penn eventually bowed out in the second round of the state tournament with a 28-3 record.
Notable players: The team featured two eventual 1,000-point scorers in Brandon DeShields and Catrell McCanic. The YDR awarded senior Damar Lopez and standout defender Jason Roscoe with first-team, all-league honors.
1995
Two bad occurrences overshadowed one of coach Keenan Preston's finest coaching efforts in his final full season as head coach. The team forfeited four victories after an ineligible player participated in games. Seeded 13th in the district tournament, the Bearcats (20-8) advanced to win the school's first district championship in 15 years. The Bearcats advanced to the state quarterfinals but lost by eight points to Hazleton - in a game that never ended. Trouble began when a Bearcats player committed a foul with three seconds to play. Players from both teams began pushing and shoving, and William Penn's Marcus DeShields ran off the bench and punched a Hazleton player. Reading police initially filed criminal charges against DeShields.
Notable players: Senior point guard Darrin Boanes (13 ppg), and swingman Marcus DeShields could dominate. Sophomore Sam Sutton earned a varsity letter, and would go on to become the first William Penn basketball player to earn a Division I basketball scholarship since Dave Brown in 1973. Sutton finished his college career at Towson and now coaches York's New Hope Academy boys' basketball team.
1992
Perhaps it was a case of the right team playing at the wrong time. William Penn never beat Steel-High, losing in the district final and state semifinals to the eventual state champion. William Penn went 27-5 and reached the state tournament for the first time in almost a decade. In its second matchup with the Rollers, William Penn lost by four points. How good was Steel-High? The Rollers set a school record by winning 31 games, and the lineup included two juniors with 1,000 career points - including UNLV recruit Seth Myers.
Notable players: Junior Omar Brown would play in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons. Junior Emne'ko Sweeney would become one of the best running backs in Kutztown University history. William Penn's all-time leading scorer, Scott Doll helped the offense, and Anthony Wright came off the bench to lead the team in rebounding.
1989
A small team, William Penn won its second straight league title without a starter taller than 6-foot-1. Unlike four of the previous five Bearcats teams to reach the district playoffs - this William Penn bunch won a postseason game. But William Penn could not get by Craig Brown and the Steel-High Rollers in the second round of the district playoffs. Brown would go on to lead Florida to a Final Four in 1994. William Penn finished the season 23-4.
Notable players: Three-sport standout Tisen Thomas earned a football scholarship to Penn State. Troy Sowers played long before he realized coaching his alma matter would be his dream job.
1986
Life never seemed the same after the Central Penn League collapsed and the Bearcats joined the York County league in 1983. William Penn never found a consistent Class AAAA rival in the new league, and struggled to win first-round games in the district tournament despite posting 20-win seasons. After several first-round disappointments, William Penn advanced to the district quarterfinals, losing 60-47 to Reading to end a solid 22-3 campaign.
Notable player: Senior Ty Doleman became a Division II All-Star in college and eventually played for the Harlem Globetrotters.
1980
The signs all pointed to a state title. One of the most exciting players to ever wear a York uniform, 5-foot-9 Steve Orr once dunked on 7-footer Sam Bowie. Orr graduated with the school's all-time scoring mark, and he helped lead the team to its first district championship since 1971, beating Central Dauphin East 77-75. After letting a 10-point lead slip away, William Penn needed Jay Beard to hit a baseline jumper with three seconds left in regulation to regain the lead. The Bearcats sealed the win when the Panthers were whistled for a technical foul for calling a timeout when it didn't have one to take. The Bearcats reached the state semifinals after topping Pennsbury 84-82 in double overtime. State championship dreams ended with an 82-73 loss to Allentown's William Allen in a state semifinal that left York fans shaking their heads. Officials whistled William Penn for 26 fouls and Allen for nine. Three Bearcats fouled out and Orr played the final 7:47 with four personal fouls. Reading police arrived with two canine patrols to stop a postgame melee that filled the gymnasium floor. William Penn finished the year 24-5.
Notable players: Guard Steve Orr was carried around the court after helping the Bearcats to their double-overtime victory against Pennsbury in the state quarterfinals. Forward Chris Doleman almost averaged a triple-double (double-figures in three categories) in his second-best sport, and later enjoyed a standout football career at Pitt and the NFL.
1971
The Bearcats had no weaknesses. Coach Jim Reynolds needed to rebuild the program after Don Cockley retired. The '71 squad became the first Bearcats' team to reach the district tournament since 1962. And William Penn won its first district title since 1960, relying on five senior starters. A crowd of more than 7,000 watched William Penn defeat Reading 62-51 at the Farm Show Arena for the district title. But District 1 champion Norristown defeated William Penn, 64-55, in front of 9,000 fans at the Palestra in the Bearcats' first game in the state tournament. Norristown relied on Jacksonville-bound Henry Williams and his 30 points. Norristown ultimately reached the state championship game, and Williams ultimately played in the ABA. The loss snapped William Penn's 20-game winning streak. The Bearcats finished the season 22-2.
Notable players: Senior center Keenan Preston earned basketball scholarship offers from Pitt, Temple and Villanova, but he chose to play at Penn State. He returned to coach the Bearcats from 1984-95. Point guard Walt Muldrow became the latest in a long line of talented York guards - and some would argue the best all-around player William Penn ever produced. Senior Gregg Jones led the team in scoring (18.6 ppg) and played for legendary basketball coach John Chaney at Cheyney. Brothers Ed and Jay Spellman rounded out the starting five. Sophomore reserve Dave Brown eventually earned a basketball scholarship to Clemson.
1962
Before he coached Princeton, Pete Carill led Reading to a league title in 1961. The Red Knights road to the title that year included a one-point victory against the Bearcats. William Penn didn't waste time with Reading in 1962. William Penn scored a 44-34 victory against the Red Knights and reclaimed the Central Penn League crown for the fourth time in five seasons. The Bearcats, however, ran into another familiar name for hoops fans in the district championship game. In command of a tight game, William Penn needed to kill off the final minute to win the title. But Carlisle rallied for four points in the final 45 seconds to top the Bearcats, 48-45. The Thundering Herd's Dave Lebo hit a jumper to tie the score at 45. Decades later, Lebo coached Carlisle to four consecutive state championships - the first coach in state history to accomplish the feat.
Notable players: Senior Bill Sexton earned a basketball scholarship to Detroit and played briefly for the Harlem Globetrotters. Bob Lovett and Vince Carr stood out.
1960
The Bearcats captured their third straight league title with the help of a 66-65 double-overtime victory against Reading. William Penn's only loss in the regular season came against Altoona, and the Bearcats won the district title by beating Chambersburg with ease. But the season ended with a loss in the state tournament. Radnor won, 59-57, with William Penn's potential tying bucket bouncing off the boards at the buzzer. William Penn finished the year 24-2.
Notable players: Senior Bill Fry led the Central Penn League in scoring. He is considered one of the best players in the school's history. Sophomore Bill Sexton began his three-year stint as a starting center. He ultimately scored 1,035 points.
1959
Somehow, William Penn rebounded from losing its entire starting lineup to reach the district finals. After a 3-4 start, the Bearcats closed out the season by winning 17 of their final 19 games. Charlie Sexton hit a 35-foot shot at the buzzer to beat Steelton and allow William Penn to win the Central Penn League's second-half title. The Bearcats followed up that miracle finish with a 63-54 victory against first-half champion Harrisburg William Penn to win the league title and earn a berth in the district tournament. Carlisle ended the Bearcats' run, however, outscoring William Penn, 57-46, in the district title game. The Bearcats finished the year a surprising 20-6.
Notable players: Senior Charlie Sexton entered the Air Force, and ultimately played for the service team. He returned to work as an assistant boys' basketball coach at William Penn and the head girls' basketball coach for several years. Junior Bill Fry showed signs of being a star in the making, scoring 17 points in the season finale.
1958
Considered the best team in school history, the Bearcats recorded the first undefeated regular season in school history. William Penn set the school's single-game scoring record, dropping 105 points on Warwick in the district semifinals. Governor George Leader, a William Penn graduate, sent a telegram to school officials offering congratulations after a first-round state tournament victory against Bethlehem. The Bearcats' only loss of the season came in the state semifinals, a 71-54 loss to eventual state champion Haverford. Future Princeton star Al Kaermmerlen scored 23 points for Haverford. A crowd of 7,309 fans at the Palestra watched the game. William Penn stayed in the same hotel as the Boston Celtics - in town to play Philly. The Gazette & Daily reported several York residents saw Bill Russell and Bill Sharman in the hotel lobby. The Bearcats finished the season 23-1.
Notable players: Senior Ron Warner later earned All-American honors at Gettysburg College. Gene Becker, Lonnie Bones, Bobby Holmes and Teddy Holmes rounded out the starting five.
1954
The Bearcats became the first team to sweep both the first- and second-half championships in the Central Penn League. They averaged 73 points per game and recorded a league scoring record 995 points. The 20-4 run ended when Chambersburg defeated William Penn 59-58 in the district final. Chambersburg's Jim Chase hit a 12-foot jumper in the corner at the buzzer.
Notable players: Senior Jimmy Breyer led the team in scoring. Art Carr was one of the team leaders, and Rodger Goodling would go on to coach Harrisburg's William Penn High team and win more than 200 games as Shippensburg University's basketball coach.
1950
A young William Penn team won the Central Penn League's second-half league title to force a one-game playoff with first-half champion Lebanon. The Bearcats topped Lebanon 53-45 in overtime after sophomore Hal Brown forced an extra session by sinking a last-second shot. William Penn rolled in the district championship game, beating Chambersburg 64-39. But the Bearcats lost to District 1 champion Haverford 41-40 in the state tournament. The game ended when Brown put up a last-second shot. It hit the rim - and bounced off.
Notable players: Sophomores Hal Brown and Jesse Martin may have been the best players on the squad. During his senior season Brown became the second 1,000-point scorer in York County history - and the first to reach the milestone since Haps Benfer in 1911.
1949
The Bearcats advanced to the state championship game for the first time in the program's history, losing to Aliquippa 63-51 at Philadelphia's Convention Hall. York fans began smuggling pigeons with orange and blue ribbons tied to their feet into neutral-site playoff games and releasing them during the postseason run. Downtown stores closed on game nights when buses of fans departed for playoff games at Philly's Palestra.
Notable players: Senior Lou Brown and Dave Ritter played at Virginia State. Leading rebounder William "Scoop" Johnson played at Virginia Union.
1948
William Penn ended decades of frustration, winning its first Central Penn League title. William Penn also won its first district title in 23 seasons, beating Chambersburg, 50-41. The Bearcats went 18-2 and lost to Norristown, 40-36, in a state semifinal. The Bearcats would dominate central Pennsylvania basketball for the next two seasons, but the school would never win consecutive district titles after its 1948-50 run.
Notable players: Senior Junie Hamme led the team in scoring. Junior point guard Lou Brown became one of the first in a long line of quality guards to come out of York.
1937
William Penn forced a one-game playoff to decided the Central Penn League title by beating Steelton, 16-15, in the regular season finale. Steelton won the playoff 30-22, in front of 1,500 fans in Reading. Adults paid 50 cents for tickets; students paid 25 cents.
Notable players: Captain Tom Keesey broke his right wrist in January, but returned to play as a reserve in the final game. Forward Charlie Falker acted as captain during Keesey's absence.
1925
William Penn lost its only home game of the season to Eastern High of Washington, D.C., in the regular season finale. William Penn won its first district title before an actual tournament existed. A committee voted to place William Penn in the district title game against Lancaster, a move that William Penn initially shot down. York and Lancaster had been in the midst of a disagreement, and the two rival schools had cut off all athletic associations for three seasons. William Penn eventually agreed to the game, and won the title by topping Lancaster, 25-24. The Orange and Blue, however, lost an odd double-championship game to Williamsport later in the month that ended William Penn's season. Since Williamsport was the District 4 champion, and since William Penn and Williamsport ended the season tied for first in the Central Penn League with 8-2 marks - the playoff game served as a state playoff game and league title tiebreaker. William Penn lost, 32-27, in front of 2,000 fans, many of whom took a special train assigned to transport fans from York to Lebanon to watch the game.
Notable player: Jake Sowers and Buck Klinedinst led the team in scoring - the only two players on the team to crack 100 points that season. Senior captain Don Cockley returned as William Penn head coach in 1945. Cockley would compile a 309-124 overall record. One of his teams reached the state final, three more teams advanced to the state semifinals and five teams won district titles during his tenure.
1910
The school's athletic committee presented players on the 18-3 team with medals and watch fobs inscribed "State High School Champions" 10 years before Pennsylvania formally adopted a state tournament. The Orange and Blue - still 22 years away from adopting Bearcats as a mascot - lost just three games, including two losses to college prep schools and a forfeit to Reading. The team scored 70 or more points in five games. It averaged 51.8 points per game. One weakness came against teams who ran a stall or slow-down offense, which resulted in William Penn's two on-court losses. The Orange and Blue walked off the court Feb. 18 during a 14-14 game when Reading attempted to stall.
Notable players: Junior forward Harry "Haps" Benfer became the first 1,000-point scorer in York-Adams history the following year. No area player would duplicate that feat until Hal Brown in 1952. Benfer starred in basketball, baseball and football at Albright College. Senior Charles Wolf stood out as an inside force, and York College's gymnasium basketball court now bears his name.
