Williamstown High School took to the football field for the first time in 1919. During that inaugural football season, Coach Clyde Desah led the leather-helmeted lads to an undefeated 4 – 0 season. All 4 victories were shutouts.

          Art Buckhannon coached the Williamstown team from 1922 – 1928. The team was nicknamed the Buccaneers during this time period after their coach. The 1926 team was 6 – 1 with all 6 wins being shutouts.

          Williamstown would play either 8 or 9 games scheduled during the 1930’s.  Many of the games were against much bigger schools including Parkersburg, Marietta and Moundsville. They also played against a number of schools that no longer exist including Pennsboro, Cairo, Pine Grove and Normantown. Wins during the 1930’s included 2 defensive thrillers with 2 – 0 scores over Wirt (1932) and Normantown (1937).

           The football program was suspended from 1943 to 1952 due to a lack of money and manpower. The Yellowjackets resumed play with a 1-game season in 1952 when they defeated a Marietta reserve team.

           1957 marked the first year of the modern day 10-game regular season schedule.

           A heated rivalry with St. Mary's boiled over during the 1958 game with several fights breaking out on the field and in the stands. The Williamstown – St. Mary series was suspended until 1963 due to the fighting.

           1961 marked Williamstown’s first appearance in the WV State Championship game. Coach Jim Carpenter's team was 9 – 0 – 1 during the regular season, including a win over Marietta. Ron (Rea) Conaway, Pat Woody (who would later play for Marshall) and Doug Stanley (who would later play for WVU) led this talented Yellowjacket team. Williamstown lost 19 – 13 to Winfield in a very competitive, hard-fought championship.

          The 1962 team was 10 – 0, but was 3rd in the state rankings.  They failed to make the State Championship game. Williamstown filed a grievance because one of the two teams in the State Championship game was allowed to play an 11th game during the regular season which allowed them to be ranked higher.

Williamstown finished 8-2 in 1970 and were led by Roger Hamperian. Roger was all-state and honorable mention All American. He went on to play for the University of Kentucky.

          Coach Jim Stalnaker's 1971 team also achieved a perfect 10 – 0 season. Led by Rick Petty, Williamstown’s only Kennedy Award winner, the team outscored opponents by an average of 26 points per game. Again, WHS ended up 3rd in the State Class AA rankings and did not get a chance to play in the State Championship game. This talented team’s failure to make the Championship was a major factor in the expansion to a 4-team playoff structure in 1972. Many still argue that the 1971 team was the best in Williamstown’s history.

           Dennis Blatt became coach in 1979. Led by Jeff Deem, who would later play for WVU, the team was 8 – 2 and became the 2nd WHS team to play in post-season. They were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by Buffalo Wayne by a score of 21 – 14.

           The 1989 team compiled a 10 – 0 regular season record and earned a playoff berth, however, Coach Doak Markley's team lost their first round playoff game to East Bank.

           Bernie Buttrey took charge of the maroon and gold in 1999 and began making significant changes to the program. A first class weight training program was implemented and a winning attitude was once again instilled in the players. The 2000 team was 8 – 2 and returned to the playoffs.

           On September 14, 2001 (3 days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks), Buttrey’s boys beat Paden City 42 - 6. This game is significant because it marked the beginning of a streak of 57 consecutive regular season wins (which is the current state record). During this streak the Yellowjackets would complete 5 perfect 10 – 0 regular season records. The 2001 team had a 9 – 1 regular season record and won 2 playoff games before losing a hard fought contest to Bridgeport in the State Class-AA semi-finals (In 2002 Williamstown would be reclassified as a Class Single-A team and Bridgeport a AAA team.).

            The 2002 team had a 10 – 0 regular season record and won 2 playoff games before losing to Moorefield in the semi-final round.

            The 2003 team coached by Dave Chapman and led by Shane Smith and Alan Tracewell made a strong case for consideration as the best Williamstown team of all-time. The perfect 10 – 0 regular season record included wins over perennial powerhouses Wheeling Central, Linsly and Magnolia. The 2003 “Jackets” easily won their first 3 playoff games. The State Championship game against Moorefield was played on what had to be some of the worst conditions imaginable. Heavy rains occurring prior to Championship weekend along with the earlier played AA and AAA Championship games basically left the field with no grass and a muddy quagmire! The game went down to the wire with Williamstown trailing by 8 late in the 4th quarter. The maroon and gold scored a touchdown with 20 seconds remaining on the clock but failed at the 2-point conversion and lost 20 – 18.

            The 2004 team had a 10 – 0 regular season record and won 2 playoff games before losing to Weirton Madonna in the semi-final round.

Terry Smith coached the 2005 and 2006 teams to perfect 10 – 0 regular season records, 3 playoff wins and berths in the Single-A State Championship game. Travis Buttrey, Ross Elder and Benji Powers anchored these successful teams that will long be remembered for their hard hitting style of play.  Each of these teams would lose hard fought contests to Wheeling Central in the Single-A State Championship game.

           The WV State Record regular season win streak ended at 57 games during the 2007 season when Belpre upset Williamstown in the 3rd game of the season. The 2007 Terry Smith coached team compiled an 8 – 2 regular season record and then easily won in each of the first three rounds of the playoffs (including a 23 – 0 spanking of St. Marys in the semi-finals) before falling to Wheeling Central in the State Championship game.

FINALLY!!.............................. The 2008 season is the most memorable in Williamstown history. It started like any other season with hard fought wins over Tyler Consolidated and always a tough Magnolia, who would be the state runner-up in "AA". The only loss for Williamstown came at the eventual "AA" State Champion Grafton during the 6th game of the season. WHS finished the tough regular season 9-1 and secured home field for the playoffs. This would prove to be valuable the third week of the playoffs.

WHS defeated Parkersburg Catholic in the first round, then, disposed of the determined Man team in the second round. However the semi-game against our old nemesis Wheeling Central Catholic would be the most memorable and hardest hitting game ever played at Jacket Stadium. The winner would advance to Wheeling Island for the state Single "A" finals. One of the largest and loudest crowds ever recorded in Williamstown was treated to a classic slug fest between two Single "A" heavyweights. This crowd would prove to be the 12th man on this day. After four extreme, hard fought quarters with both teams leaving it all on the field, the "Jackets" (FINALLY) had the monkey off their back and prevailed 14-13 over the stunned Central Catholic team. As one Central player said, "it was the most intense football game I have ever played in".

Williamstown had been to the championship five times and had been denied five times; this year would be different. On a cold snowy December night in Wheeling Williamstown would make history against Weirton Madonna. All the conditioning and hard work in August would pay off. The "Jackets" were primed and ready to show the undefeated Blue Don's who was the best team in single "A". Williamstown picked up right where they had left off in the last game against Central. The Yellowjacket defense was hard hitting and the offense was moving the ball at will. The game was close at the half, but the Jackets would not be denied. Williamstown came out in the second half and left no doubt, they were the team of destiny. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Williamstown faithful, who have followed the team for years, were able to celebrate the victory and the first football State Championship, 23-7.

The team was welcomed home on the cold Saturday night with a parade to their home football field. Once there, they were welcomed by jubilant fans and a bonfire in the middle of the field. Coach Smith and team spoke and thanked the crowd for the support that has always been given, and reminded everyone that "not only was this a win for the current team, and fans, but the former players that made us who we are today"............................"WE ARE WILLIAMSTOWN"