BRIAN DAVIS

In most opinions the most outstanding athlete ever to attend Washington High School, Brian Davis was first-team running back on the Parade Magazine All-American prep football team in his senior year, 1985. A native of the Washington-Greene County area, Davis was All-State in football, basketball and track while at Wash High, were he earned 10 letters.

A member of the Little Prexies State Champion basketball team in 1984, Davis won the state long jump title in both 1983 and 1984, and holds the school’s long jump record. He was the WPIAL champion in the 100 meter dash and anchored Washington’s WPIAL champion 400 meter relay team in 1984 and 1985.

At five feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 195 pounds, Davis, in his prep career, gained 4,480 yards on 461 carries, for an amazing career average of 9.7 yards per carry. In his senior year he carried the ball 166 times, gained 1600 yards and scored 67 touchdowns.

As a junior he totaled 1,709 yards with 29 touchdowns, and in his sophomore season he rushed 1,159 yards and had 15 touchdowns. In the 1984 season Davis was a National High School Football All-American, selected by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. He made first team offense on the USA Today High School All-USA Football team when Parade Magazine named him Player of the Year and the nation’s top running back in the country in 1984. Three times he was named to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Fabulous 22 high school football selections and in 1984 and 1985 was that paper’s selection as High School Male Athlete of the Year. The Washington Observer-Reporter made Davis it’s Player of the Year on three different occasions. On the basketball court, Davis played center for the Little Prexies.

His short stature was aided by the fact he had a 36 inch vertical leap, could dunk a basketball with both hands and block the shots of many much-taller opponents. In their State Championship season, the team was 3-3 when Coach Ron Faust inserted Davis into the starting lineup. The team went on to win 27 straight.

Davis averaged only seven points a game, but averaged 10 rebounds and was a continuing menace on defense.