The 1927 Portsmouth Trojans became the school's first team to reach the Final 4, and posted a mark of 14-4. PHS was a member of the original SEOAL, and went undefeated in league play as Jackson, Wellston, Logan, Gallipolis, Pomeroy, Nelsonville, and Athens all fell short on the scoreboard. The Trojans were swept two games by Ashland KY, while Lima Central accounted for the other regular season setback.
The 1929 Portsmouth Trojans made it to the Final 4 for the second time in school history since the OHSAA started a state wide tournament in 1923. It was Portsmouth's 4th state appearance overall. PHS posted a very good mark of 18-5, which at that time was topped in wins by the 1919 team which went 21-1. The Trojans swept Ironton, Chillicothe, New Boston, and Ashland KY, while Athens, Dayton Steele, Georgetown KY, Manchester, and Lima Central all fell to the Men Of Troy. The regular season losses were to Zanesville, Columbus South, Columbus East, and Huntington WV.
Here is the roster and scores for the 1931 Portsmouth Trojans district championship and state championship team:
Roster: George Noel (All-Ohio), Charles Kirsch, Carlos Parker, Cropper (Captain), Moore, Doll, Bricker, Chapman, Boren, Scott, Rardin, Grimm, Horr, Dale, Woods (some first names not available)
Coach: Red Hopkins
Regular Season:
The 1934 Portsmouth Trojans finished as Class AA state runnerup with a 20-5 record, only the 3rd PHS team to win at least 20 games in a season. The team had 4 seniors, those being Howard Wedebrook, George Carr, Earl Bender, and Chester Boren. In the regular season, PHS discontinued its series with New Boston, instead playing Portsmouth Central Catholic and won 14-7. The Trojans also defeated Middletown, Columbus Central, Columbus East, Norwood, and Ironton. They split a series with Huntington WV, while Springfield and Chillicothe topped PHS.
The 1939 Portsmouth Trojans made the first appearance for a Trojan basketball team in the state tournament since the 1934 team finished state runnerup to Dayton Roosevelt. PHS opened the season with wins over Columbus South, Marietta, and Norwood. Akron North handed the Trojans their first defeat of the season, and the Hamilton Big Blue followed that with a win over the Men Of Troy. Hamilton would beat PHS again later in the season. Springfield was beaten twice, as was Chillicothe and Ironton. Huntington swept two from Portsmouth, while Middletown would gain a split later in the season.
The 1941 Portsmouth Trojans had the distinction of being the 8th PHS basketball team to qualify for the state tournament, which at that time was formatted in a Sweet 16 bracket. In the regular season, the Trojans beat Marietta, to open the 1940-41 campaign, then followed with a 38-22 win over Akron North. Dayton Roosevelt, which defeated PHS in the 1934 state championship game, fell to the Men Of Troy by a 40-23 count (Del Rice 18 points). Sciotoville, Chillicothe, and Ironton all ended up on the short end of the scoreboard, all by lopsided margins.
The 1948 Portsmouth Trojans (17-6) won the district championship, which was only the second one of the decade of the 40's (1941 the other). PHS had a 3-4 record in the GOL, beating Hamilton, Springfield, and Lima once, while losing to Middletown twice. In the regular season, the Trojans won 2 games by 1 point, and 2 games by 2 points. Portsmouth swept Chillicothe, split with Ironton, and beat Columbus West, Greenfield, Washington CH, Huntington East WV, Monroe, Lima South.
The 1950 Portsmouth Trojans won the school's first of 6 district titles in the 1950's, and a player with one of the most colorful names in Trojan history would make a key play vs. Lancaster in the district semifinal. James "Sweetwater" Douglas made a steal and basket to clinch a 49-48 win over the Golden Gales. Portsmouth would beat Chillicothe 51-49 to win the district championship.
The 1951 Portsmouth Trojans went 18-4, and won a memorable showdown with the Chillicothe Cavaliers in the district championship. CHS had come into the game with a perfect 20-0 mark, and had their sights set on making the state tournament. But the Men of Troy had plans to end the Cavaliers hopes, and that they did with a late rally to sqeeze by the Ross Countians by a 53-51 score.
The 1952 Portsmouth Trojans posted a mark of 14-8 for the regular season, and with it was the 3rd consecutive district championship. The Trojans had a rough year in the tough Greater Ohio League, failing to win a game as they went 0-6. The GOL proved how tough it was because PHS went 14-2 in all the other games, and Middletown won the state championship, giving the GOL its 6th state title since 1944.