Jun 13, 2015 5 min read

When it comes to sports in this area, there have been a number of families who have dominated the scene at Washington High School. Among the family names are Vactor, Barnes, Miller and Bryant.

Arguably none has had a bigger impact than the Wise family tree.

It all began in the 1950s with Edgar Wise. The following is a look at the success the Wises had from decade to decade.

Edgar Wise was in the Class of 1957.

“As a sophomore, he played with Beanie Gordon,” said Edgar’s son, Mark.

Gordon was considered by many to be the best basketball player to ever play at Wash High.

“As a fullback in football, Emil Dupke coached (Edgar),” Mark Wise said. “He was a pretty good player on defense earning the nickname, ‘The Hitter.’ For us, that’s where it all started.”

Johnnie Wise was Edgar’s brother and he played football and ran track at Wash High.

After graduation, he went on to the Air Force Academy.

In 1963, Wash High football coach Dave Johnston had the luxury of having players from two talented families: the Vactors and the Wises. Piggy, as he was fondly called, was the cousin of Tom Wise, Mark’s uncle.

They played on the undefeated 1963 team that did not make the WPIAL playoffs because of the Gardner Point System. Tom was the first Wash High player to be selected to the Pennsylvania Team in the Big 33 Game.

Piggy went on to Nebraska but transferred to University of California at Santa Barbara. Tom played at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Johnston said Tom was one of the best running backs he coached, quite a statement considering the great players at Wash High.

Tom Wise, who was Mark’s brother, was a multisport athlete at Wash High. He received a football scholarship to Penn State, where he lettered for four seasons and was a starter for 2½ years.

As a member of the Wash High track team, Tom held the record in the 100-yard dash with a time of 9.8 seconds and the 200-yard dash in 21.9. He played basketball and was named all conference in 1977. He was the second-leading scorer on the team.

Tom and Mark were the first brothers at Wash High to win the William E. Amos award for outstanding senior athletes.

Tom went on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles for one year before taking a job with IBM.

In 1979, four Wise women – Rhonda, Karen, Paula and Tanya – formed the silver medalist team in the 1,600 relay at the PIAA Championships.

Juanita Wise set the record in the 400 meters and 800 meters at WHS before she followed the path of her father, John, by joining the Air Force.

Mark Wise has a résumé that should land him in Washington-Greene County Sports Hall of Fame.

A member of the Class of 1984, he earned 10 letters, four in track, three in basketball and three in football, where he was quarterback.

Mark went on to Virginia Tech, then transferred to Penn State. He played on the 1986 Nittany Lions team that upset the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl to win the national championship.

Kimmy Wise was a four-time medalist at the PIAA Track Championships in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. She played in the first women’s Roundball Classic. Her sister, Tracy, played on the first Wash High team to win the WPIAL championship in basketball. In 1992, they beat Triple-A powerhouse North Catholic.

Mark Wise Jr. was a standout baseball player in 2009, making the All-WPIAL team. He led the WPIAL in stolen bases. He played basketball on Ron Faust’s last team before his first retirement. Faust has come back for a second stint.

Mark Wise Jr. played college football at Robert Morris under Joe Walton, the former Steelers assistant coach who was once head coach of the New York Jets.

Observer-Reporter Player of the Year.

In track, he was a two-time WPIAL champion and three-time state medalist in the high jump. He played on the football team that lost to Aliquippa in the WPIAL finals at Heinz Field. Josh Wise is now at Pitt-Johnstown.

Alyssa Wise won the 100 and 200 meter dashes in the PIAA Track Championships in 2013 and was favored to repeat that feat in 2014, but a pulled hamstring ended her season. Wise got a scholarship to Pitt and competes on the track team.

Bill DiFabio writes a column for the Observer-Reporter on local sports history.