By Richard Kellam

Crisfield High School has a proud basketball history, the Shore’s most storied hoops program with 8 State titles, 10 Bayside, 11 South Division crowns in the post war era. The program has struggled since 2019 when the Crabbers claimed East Regional honors. As the 2023-24 winter sports season nears, we will begin to look back at those championship seasons.

It all began in 1957, the Crabbers made it to the State Class C title contest the year before losing in overtime when starters Tot Woolston and Sonny Landon fouled out in regulation. They were back in 1957, the Crabbers running the table finishing 13-0 in regular season action with a 40.1 margin of victory. The closest margin was 11 points in the State championship game.

The MPSSAA had only 3 classes from 1950 to 1960, A, B, C. Coached by Nick Scallion CHS finished 18-0, State Class C champs, Scallion left in 1958 accepting a position at South Hagerstown High. Crisfield native Jack Morgan was at the helm for the Crabbers next State title.

In 1961 CHS was led by “Big Jim’ Sterling who at 6 feet 9 inches was the tallest player to ever wear a Crabbers uniform. Damon Thomas, who transferred from Delmar in 2000 would have held that honor but the 6-11 Thomas was declared ineligible. Sterling averaged 20.1 points per game and along with Butch Tawes and Grant Sterling guided the Crabbers to a 17-1 regular season mark.

CHS swept through the District 5 playoffs as CHS earned their sixth consecutive berth in the State semifinals at College Park. Sterling got into early foul troubles sitting out a considerable portion of first half action in both contests. Morgan employed the services of subs Jack Evans and Jim Tawes to fill in. Crisfield defeated Frederick Sasscer 49-47 in the semi, Hancock 63-59 in the final, Sterling pouring in 23 points.