Chester Headed to State-record 28th "Final Four"

Dave Burman
Shout out to the Chester Clippers Boys Basketball team as they advance to the PIAA high school hoops "Final Four" for a state-record 28th time!! 

Chester pounded West Chester Bayard Rustin Saturday afternoon, 66-36.

The Clippers (25-5) will meet LaSalle College (Phila. Public League 22-6) in the state semifinals Tuesday night. The Explorers eliminated the defending PIAA Quad "A" champion Lower Merion Aces Saturday afternoon, 71-48.

Below is the history of how Chester has fared in the PIAA Final Four over the years:

Chester (27 trips)

1954 (beat Chambersburg 67-57)
1955 (beat Reading 73-41)
1957 (beat Reading 52-46)
1959 (beat Tamaqua 73-43)
1966 (beat Reading 53-43)
1967 (beat Allentown Deiruff 65-51)
1972 (beat Easton 68-51)
1973 (lost to Reading and Stu Jackson 59-53)
1983 (beat Reading 63-53)
1985 (lost to Carlisle and Billy Owens 72-49)
1987 (lost to Carlisle and Billy Owens 66-62)
1988 (lost to Carlisle and Billy Owens 61-53)
1989 (beat Penn Wood and Rap Curry 89-88)
1991 (lost to Glen Mills 64-62)
1993 (lost to Hazleton 48-47)
1994 (beat Glen Mills 87-73)
1996 (lost to Kobe Bryant and Lower Merion 77-69 OT)
2000 (beat Coatesville and John Allen 63-45)
2001 (lost to Coatesville and John Allen 80-65)
2003 (beat Coatesville 61-55)
2005 (beat Wissahickon 84-71)
2006 (lost to Lower Merion 70-65)
2007 (beat Simon Gratz 68-60)
2008 (beat Pennsbury 75-64)
2011 (beat Plymouth-Whitemarsh 73-50)
2012 (beat Central Dauphin 67-48)
2013 (beat St. Joe's Prep 62-53)