Here is the Portsmouth Trojans year by year record from 1920-1929 with highlights:
1920: 14-8
1921: 6-8
1922: 7-7........One of only two .500 seasons in PHS history (1967....11-11)
1923: 10-4......First season for OHSAA state tournament
1924: 11-1......Second and only 1 of 4 seasons for the Trojans losing only 1 game for a season (1919, 1979, 1988)
1925: 11-2......Coach Gail Vanoorsdall leads Trojans to first state tourney appearance; lost in Elite 8 to eventual state champion Springfield
1926: 13-4......Red Hopkins first season as coach; PHS advances to Elite 8 again (state tournament) but loses to eventual state champion Zanesville
1927: 14-4......Trojans lose in state semifinals to state champion Dover; first official trip to Final 4 for PHS
1928: 14-3
1929: 18-5......Trojans lose again in state semifinals to eventual state runnerup Dover
In 3 straight years, 1925, 1926, and 1927, Portsmouth lost in the tournament to the eventual state champion.