Class of 2008
Dean McGee
Dean was a1945 graduate of Roaring Spring High School where he played football and basketball. He graduated in January of 1949 from Lock Haven State College where over his career he started as a quarterback, center, and linebacker on the football team.
After graduation Dean went into the U.S. Army and he played service baseball in Japan. His team won the All Japan Championship Honors in 1953.
After he got out of the service Dean coached football as an assistant at several schools before he came to Northern Bedford in 1958. Dean was the head coach at Northern Bedford for eight years
with a record of 50-23-4.
Dean became the head football coach at Bedford in 1966 and coached there for 24 years with a record of 157-66-9 and a career record of 207-89-13 for 32 years.
Dean had seven seasons with one loss 1958, 61, and 63 at Northern Bedford and 1968, 70, 73 and 78 at Bedford. With a lot of the starters back from the one loss season of 1978 would 1979 be the undefeated season?
After a first game victory several of the starters decided to go swimming on Labor Day and skip the Monday practice. Dean, who was a strict disciplinarian, told the squad at the beginning of practice on Tuesday that those who were not at practice on Monday would not play in the game on Friday against Somerset until Bedford was ahead in the game.
Somerset was ahead 7-6 at the half and driving when the Bisons held and drove for a touchdown. Bedford got the lead and the skippers were put in the game. Bedford won 18-7 and went undefeated. This was the first undefeated season for Bedford since 1945, 34 years prior.
The second undefeated season for McGee was in 1985. In the eighth game Bedford traveled to undefeated Forest Hills. Bedford trailed 6-0 at the half, but rallied to win 20-6. They then beat undefeated Bishop Guilfoyle in the Mountain Conference playoff game 30-0.
Altoona's Channel 10 honored the Bisons as the best team in the area regardless of their classification. At the football banquet Coach McGee was asked what he thought of the fact that District 5 did not have a playoff when all the other districts did. McGee's simple reply was that he did not worry about things that he had no control over. He knew how good his team was for they had beaten the District 6 A, AA, and AAA champs already.
The next year, 1986, the PIAA started the state playoffs. Four teams qualified for the playoffs. Bedford's 1985 team would have qualified if there would have been playoffs in 1985.
The undefeated team of 1989 was not as lucky, they did not qualify for the playoff although they were ranked second in the state in AA. Many veteran observers thought they were the best AA team in the state. The next year all district winners qualified for the state playoffs.
The 1989 team produced Coach McGee first all-state players and the first from Bedford since 1946. Mike Marshall was named first-team as a defensive end and Greg Washington was third team as a running back.
Coach McGee's team won the first four District 5 AA Championships in 1986, 87, 88, and 89. He also won 10 league championships.
In 1992 Dean was inducted into the Pa. Football Hall of Fame - an honor well deserved.
Dean was a PIAA official for basketball, baseball, and football for over 40 years and the District 5 Officials Representative for over 20 years.
Dean passed away in 2007. He is survived by his wife Carol (Mert) and four children Jeff, Steve, Kim, and Dina.
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Dean was a1945 graduate of Roaring Spring High School where he played football and basketball. He graduated in January of 1949 from Lock Haven State College where over his career he started as a quarterback, center, and linebacker on the football team.
After graduation Dean went into the U.S. Army and he played service baseball in Japan. His team won the All Japan Championship Honors in 1953.
After he got out of the service Dean coached football as an assistant at several schools before he came to Northern Bedford in 1958. Dean was the head coach at Northern Bedford for eight years
with a record of 50-23-4.
Dean became the head football coach at Bedford in 1966 and coached there for 24 years with a record of 157-66-9 and a career record of 207-89-13 for 32 years.
Dean had seven seasons with one loss 1958, 61, and 63 at Northern Bedford and 1968, 70, 73 and 78 at Bedford. With a lot of the starters back from the one loss season of 1978 would 1979 be the undefeated season?
After a first game victory several of the starters decided to go swimming on Labor Day and skip the Monday practice. Dean, who was a strict disciplinarian, told the squad at the beginning of practice on Tuesday that those who were not at practice on Monday would not play in the game on Friday against Somerset until Bedford was ahead in the game.
Somerset was ahead 7-6 at the half and driving when the Bisons held and drove for a touchdown. Bedford got the lead and the skippers were put in the game. Bedford won 18-7 and went undefeated. This was the first undefeated season for Bedford since 1945, 34 years prior.
The second undefeated season for McGee was in 1985. In the eighth game Bedford traveled to undefeated Forest Hills. Bedford trailed 6-0 at the half, but rallied to win 20-6. They then beat undefeated Bishop Guilfoyle in the Mountain Conference playoff game 30-0.
Altoona's Channel 10 honored the Bisons as the best team in the area regardless of their classification. At the football banquet Coach McGee was asked what he thought of the fact that District 5 did not have a playoff when all the other districts did. McGee's simple reply was that he did not worry about things that he had no control over. He knew how good his team was for they had beaten the District 6 A, AA, and AAA champs already.
The next year, 1986, the PIAA started the state playoffs. Four teams qualified for the playoffs. Bedford's 1985 team would have qualified if there would have been playoffs in 1985.
The undefeated team of 1989 was not as lucky, they did not qualify for the playoff although they were ranked second in the state in AA. Many veteran observers thought they were the best AA team in the state. The next year all district winners qualified for the state playoffs.
The 1989 team produced Coach McGee first all-state players and the first from Bedford since 1946. Mike Marshall was named first-team as a defensive end and Greg Washington was third team as a running back.
Coach McGee's team won the first four District 5 AA Championships in 1986, 87, 88, and 89. He also won 10 league championships.
In 1992 Dean was inducted into the Pa. Football Hall of Fame - an honor well deserved.
Dean was a PIAA official for basketball, baseball, and football for over 40 years and the District 5 Officials Representative for over 20 years.
Dean passed away in 2007. He is survived by his wife Carol (Mert) and four children Jeff, Steve, Kim, and Dina.
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Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania