The glory days of Charleston High School football, which featured three consecutive Class AAA championships from 1968-1970, will be celebrated Friday during a covid-delayed 50th reunion of the program’s three-peat in Class AAA.
More than 40 former players and assistant coach Keith Pritt are expected to be on hand for the event, which runs from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at DT Prime Steakhouse on Capitol Street.
“Those three years formed a bond that really has not been broken,” said Rex Repass, a member of Charleston’s title-winning teams in 1969 and 1970 who played at Marshall from 1972-1975.
CHS claimed Class AAA football titles in 1968, 1969 and 1970 and during that time, the Mountain Lions compiled a record of 31-0-2.
Charleston first defeated St. Albans in the 1968 title game, before knocking off Buckhannon in the final next season and Victory to secure three-peat in 1970.
Charleston’s three consecutive championships in Class AAA were a state record until Martinsburg won four straight from 2010-2013.
“We had quite a run there in late 60s and early 70s,” Repass said. “Getting the old guys back together with some guests and enjoying and reminiscing about accomplishments from a half century ago will be a lot of fun.”
In 1970, CHS had six first-team all-state selections: Quarterback Rickie Hurt, who was also the Kennedy Award winner and a Parade All-American that season; running back Mike Tyson; cornerback Chuck Green; strong safety Grayson Proffit; defensive end Steve Morton; and defensive tackle Gary Miller.
Hunt went on to play at Cincinnati, as did offensive lineman Rick Katzeff, a first-team all-state pick as a senior on the 1969 title-winning team.
Tyson would go on to play at Iowa State.
Morton had a decorated career at Marshall and was captain of the Herd’s 1975 team, while Repass also played at Marshall.
Clifford Harris, a first-team all-state selection in 1968 after helping lead CHS to the first of its three straight championships, played in college at West Virginia.
The CHS title teams were led by head coach Frank Vincent, once a draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers after playing college football at Glenville State. A member of the Glenville State Hall of Fame, Vincent passed away in November 2010.
“Through our hard work and accomplishments, we’ve maintained a strong bond with many teammates,” Repass said. “A lot of it is a credit to our coaching staff. We were very disciplined. We had one team and all worked very hard together and that’s carried us through our lives the last 50 years.”
Charleston High and Stonewall Jackson consolidated to form Capital following the 1988-1989 school year.