A Legacy Unlike Any Other
A high school of fewer than 300 students produced the best high school football record in the nation for much of the 1980s.
A high school of fewer than 300 students produced NFL and PGA Tour players, a pioneer women’s pro basketball player, and the greatest West Virginia high school basketball scorer (single season) in the last 60-plus years.
A high school of fewer than 300 students passed along coaches who would win the college football national championship, major bowl games, and the NCAA basketball championship.
A high school of fewer than 300 students counts scores of alumni who turned out to be exceptional coaches — some of whom are among the winningest ever in Division II basketball and Georgia and Florida high schools. And doctors and lawyers and CEOs and engineers and executives who run multinational corporations.
Having spent six decades writing about and chronicling great teams and athletes at every level of sports, I thought it was time we construct an online monument to the legacy of Sistersville High School. (Before it’s too late, if it were.) I hope you like it.
As a starting point, I highlighted all the state championship teams and athletes who were exceptional. Obviously, such a list is subjective, but I started with athletes who were multi-time all-state players or special achievers and some of the best teams in school history.
Hopefully, no one feels overlooked or slighted. If so, it certainly wasn’t my intention. If you have any other suggestions or thoughts, please pass them along and thank you for stopping by.
Alan Robinson
alanrobinson480@gmail.com
Class of 1969
Heinlein & Hadleys
The records on this site include the lifelong work of Sistersville sports writer Roy C. Heinlein, who covered the Tigers for the Sistersville Daily Oil Review (becoming editor at 22) and later the Tyler Star-News, from the 1920s into the 1980s. No one followed the Tigers more closely. He took special pride when his son, Chuck Heinlein, played basketball (1967–69) and later became the school’s final principal.
Longtime residents Gene Hadley and his son Steve Hadley later wrote features for the Star News about Tigers athletics. Several of their articles are included on this site and their names appear on all work they contributed.
The Tri-State Invitational
Heinlein also founded the Tri-State Invitational, a leading independent basketball tournament that preceded the NCAA and NIT and drew major college stars from 1926–1960 to the Sistersville gym. From 1960–64 (including its predecessor, the Lions Invitational), it showcased Jerry West; Gus Johnson, the NBA’s first star power forward and an all-decade player; Villanova All-American Hubie White, who had just manhandled WVU in the NCAA tournament; and Howard Komives, the 1964 college scoring leader and a 10-year New York Knicks guard. In some years, NBA players played in the Tri-State after ending their pro seasons (including the Royals’ Wayne Embry in 1959).
Like the Hadleys and Mr. Heinlein, we believe Sistersville High’s athletic achievements deserve preservation and should not be lost to time.
Why Sistersville’s Legacy Matters
Best U.S. Record (1980–86)
Seven straight state title games; five championships; 85–5 record.
Coaches to College HC Jobs
1965–86: Dale Evans (Salem), Ray Barnhart (Salem), Lou Nocida (Glenville State).
Major College Success
Ben Schwartzwalder won the 1959 Syracuse national title (The Express). Bill Stewart led WVU to three straight 9-win seasons and a New Year’s Day bowl win.
Research & Contact
Updated game-by-game and season-by-season Tigers results were researched by me directly from newspaper records. Corrections or suggestions are welcome at alanrobinson480@gmail.com.
AP Feature: Writer Remembers Series’ Old Days (1979)
By Alan Robinson, Associated Press. Sistersville, W.Va. — As America watches the World Series on TV, Roy C. Heinlein recalls 1925: stars like Tunney, Dempsey, Ruth; newspapers as the sports lifeline; commercial radio just beginning. At 22, Heinlein was editor of the Daily Oil Review and covered the Pirates-Senators Series, phoning AP for updates shared with crowds gathered outside the office.
Babe Takes a Break… “Common as an Old Shoe”
Heinlein rode the train to Pittsburgh to see two Series games and WVU–Pitt football. At Forbes Field, his press box neighbor was Babe Ruth — helpful with a scorecard, unassuming, “common and ordinary.” Heinlein missed later Series in 1927, and chose not to attend in 1960 and 1971, preferring the convenience of TV. The 1925 Series remained his only in person.
On changing times: street score announcements would now draw “not a dozen people.” His wife’s father, Grandpa Krug, refused to watch games, preferring radio and papers to preserve his own images.
Preserving a Small-Town Giant
Sistersville’s athletic story spans a century of reporting, records, and remarkable achievement — thanks in great part to Roy C. Heinlein’s decades of coverage. May these Tigers’ feats — from football dynasties to basketball traditions and track records — remain accessible for future generations.
Basketball
Sistersville High School never won a West Virginia high school basketball championship, but regularly fielded strong teams with good coaches and excellent won-lost records.
Sistersville was one of the first high schools in West Virginia to build a quality gym with spectator seating (the junior high gym in 1926). One Charleston paper called it the finest in the state; a Wheeling paper referred to it as a “palace for basketball.” Sistersville continued to use that gym (with its unique theater-style seating downstairs) until the school closed in 1993.
The opening of the gym led to the creation of an annual independent basketball tournament that began in the 1920s and ran through the 1990s, featuring top college teams (including WVU’s 1959 NCAA runner-up team), multiple All-Americans (Jerry West played here!) and even some NBA players. It was one of the top such tournaments in the country.
From 1966–77, the Tigers had teams with records of 23-2, 22-3, 22-3, 20-5, 20-4, three state tournament appearances, five teams that were the top-ranked Class A team in the wire service polls, a consensus All-American (Mike Carson in 1968–69) and the single-season leading scorer in West Virginia during the past 60-plus years (Richard Summers, 38.2 in 1977–78).
Coaches such as Barnhart (Salem College, U. of Louisville), Cuppett (Ohio basketball hall of fame at Chillicothe High), Randy Shuman (Boca Ciega High, Fla.) and Mick Price (Ravenswood) went on to prominence at other schools. Price and Shuman rank among the top winners in their state’s history.
Best Record Basketball Teams
Further top seasons include 1968 (20–4, .833, Cuppett), 1982 (17–4, .810, Shuman), 1932 (15–4, .789, Metzger), 1957 (20–6, .769, Strager), 1944 (16–5, .762, Slate), and many more through 1990.
Basketball Honor Teams
Sectional Champs
1936, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1957–58, 1964, 1966, 1968–69, 1974, 1976–77, 1983–84, 1990
Regional Champs
1939, 1957, 1966, 1974, 1977
LKC Champs
1947, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1977
OVAC Champs
1982
SHS reached the state tournament 10 times — six appearances before playoffs (late 1920s) when any school could attend, and four after. State tournament seasons (open class): 1915, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924; (qualification): 1939, 1966, 1974, 1977.
Football
Sistersville High School football began in the early years of the 20th century, and was one of the first in West Virginia to field a team. The Tigers often played huge schools such as Parkersburg and Wheeling, and defeated them. Parkersburg High even picked Sistersville as the opponent for the very first game in Stadium Field, a 7–7 tie in 1924.
Some prominent early coaches included John Eberle, a noted former Ohio State player, and Ben Schwartzwalder, a former WVU player who would go on to coach Syracuse to the national college football championship in 1959 — and coach a running back named Jim Brown.
Under coach Gene Hester, the Tigers of 1939 were 9-0 — the top small school team in the state. Coach George Strager produced the school’s first on-field state title (Class B) during a 10-0-1 season in 1953, led by twin Big Ten recruit running backs Kenny Mikes (Purdue) and Bob Wable (Ohio State), known as the Touchdown Twins.
Former WVU quarterback Dale Evans coached the 1964 team that lost its final three regular season games before trouncing Fairview 27–0 in the state Class A title game.
Sistersville achieved the greatest one-season turnaround in West Virginia or Ohio Valley history in 1978, going 11-1 and reaching the state semifinals after winning only one game (with 14 healthy players) in 1977.
The 1980s were the glory days, with seven consecutive state Class A championship appearances, five more titles, the longest winning streak in Ohio Valley history, the best record in the United States from 1980–86, two Kennedy Award winners, a two-time West Virginia high school coach of the year, and much, much more.
And as you’re reliving past seasons, be sure to let out a “Ti-ti-ti-ti Tigers!” cheer!
Editor’s Note
A personal message from the creator of sistersvilletigers.com — a labor of love dedicated to preserving the athletic history of Sistersville High School.
How This Project Began
When Sistersville sports historian Roy C. Heinlein passed away, a copy of his all-time records book was given to me. I updated the records to that time (1985) and presented a copy to the school library.
Once the school closed in 1993, I again updated my personal records with football and basketball results to that time — thanks to The Intelligencer sports department for giving me access to their sports files one evening — but I had nowhere to display the final copy since the school was closed. This site is my opportunity to do that.
I’ve updated all of the football and basketball results and coaches’ records, along with feature stories, other stats data, and background details. I wrote all material, except the following articles that Steve Hadley and his late father Gene Hadley wrote and contributed: the alumni association history, the history of the Sistersville High band and the cheerleaders, the very nice feature story on Martha Evans, and the boys and girls track records.
Deep Research & New Discoveries
Cross-Referencing Game Results
I spent a great deal of time in early 2026 cross-referencing game results and all-state teams through various newspaper articles, ensuring the historical record is as accurate and complete as possible.
Previously Unrecorded Games
The research uncovered several games that had never been previously recorded — including a football win over Parkersburg — adding new chapters to the Tigers’ athletic legacy.
What’s Missing & A Note on Funding
Missing Records
What’s lacking are girls basketball and volleyball results — those records simply aren’t available at this time. If anyone wishes to contribute those, I would be glad to post them on the site.
Funded Independently. There is no money to be made from this project. It was funded entirely with my own personal funds, covering web hosting and hiring a designer (actually, more than one). The amount was not insignificant.
The URL sistersvilletigers.com was chosen because it would be the easiest for everyone to remember — not for any commercial reason.
I do include a link on this site to my writing on Substack, a platform many veteran journalists have joined — but all of those articles can be read for free.
Alan Robinson on Substack
Behind-the-scenes stories from a veteran sports journalist — covering athletes, coaches, entertainers, and the moments that shaped American sports culture. Free to read.
Substack
Stories You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
Alan writes about topics he finds fascinating — especially those with an Ohio Valley, Pittsburgh, or West Virginia connection. Here’s a taste of what’s already been published:
The Immaculate Reception
A deep dive into one of the most iconic plays in NFL history.
Kobe’s Last High School Game
Kobe Bryant’s final prep game — and he didn’t play very well.
The Coach Who Didn’t Show Up
A famous football coach who may have cost his team a national championship — because he didn’t appear for the game.
You Probably Don’t Know the ‘Other’ Coach Cignetti. You Should.
National champion football coach Curt Cignetti of Indiana was heavily influenced by his father, Frank Cignetti — former head coach at WVU. Alan’s story explores the powerful father-son connection behind one of college football’s most compelling coaching stories.
Ohio Valley’s Most Recruited Players — Who Turned Down UCLA
In their senior season of 1969, Mike Carson and Allan Hornyak of Bellaire, Ohio were among the most heavily recruited high school basketball players in the entire country. Remarkably, both turned down UCLA — one of the premier programs in the nation at the time.
More Stories Worth Reading
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan (1964)
How the Fab Four’s debut on the Ed Sullivan Show changed everything about American culture and music.
The Fourth Down Study That Changed the NFL
Revisiting a story Alan wrote 20 years ago about a Cal-Berkeley study on fourth down conversions that, according to The Athletic, still influences NFL coaches today.
What It’s Really Like to Cover an Olympics
Alan has attended 10 Olympic Games. He shares what it’s truly like behind the scenes — and how you can attend the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
WTRF Channel 7: A Broadcasting Pioneer
WTRF’s Historic Moment
WTRF even owned the national rights to the 1961 NCAA title game — a remarkable achievement for a regional station.
Did you know that WTRF, Channel 7 in Wheeling was one of the very first TV stations in the country to televise the NCAA basketball tournament — with its own production and its own announcers? CBS currently pays $1.05 billion per year for NCAA tournament broadcast rights. WTRF was there at the very beginning.
About Alan Robinson
Alan Robinson is a veteran sports journalist with decades of experience covering major events, athletes, and coaches. His Substack brings readers inside the stories — the moments, the personalities, and the history — that shaped American sports.
His focus: the Ohio Valley, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia region, with stories that resonate far beyond it.
The best part? It’s free. Substack requires writers to offer paid subscriptions — but you can read everything Alan writes for free. No paywall, no subscription required. Just great stories.
Substack
From the Editor
If you have any other suggestions or thoughts, please pass them along and thank you for stopping by.