Photo: Syracuse Herald-American

Solvay High's 1948-49 basketball team was the defending Section III champions. The caption to this newspaper photo said Solvay would go for its 27th straight win in a Monday night game at the State Fair Coliseum against North Syracuse. The 1947-48 Bearcats were undefeated in 23 games.

Team members (left to right): Gene Rabaglia, Bimby Smolinski, Joe Romano, Mike Jerome, Angelo Fernandez, Joe Squillacioti, Joe Cristoforetti, Hank Serafini. More times than not during the 1940s and '50s, Solvay's varsity basketball teams carried just eight players.

Bob Demperio (standing, right) replaced two coaching legends, Al Talmadge and Lester Stone, and handled both the varsity and junior varsity teams, starting with the 1952-53 season. The varsity squad lost only to Baldwinsville – three times. The third defeat was in the league playoff final, 40-41, in overtime.

Standing: Rich Chopay, manager; Pete Lefevre, Alan Bartlett, Anthony Dabrowski, Jack Merrill, Coach Demperio.

Seated: Frank Romano, George Wright, Tom Beagle, Andrew Patapow and Henry Vona. Beagle was a January graduate, thus did not play the second half of the season.