Willie Allen: He led Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville to a Maryland state title in basketball and three County championships in the late 1960s. He was named an All-Met by The Washington Post three times, was an all-Maryland selection and earned national high school All-America honors after averaging 25 points and 23 rebounds per game as a senior. He became the first African American scholarship basketball player at the University of Miami, where he averaged double-doubles in points and rebounds for all three of his years. He is still the university’s second all-time leading rebounder and was inducted into the college’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. Willie was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in 1971, but chose to play in the ABA for a season before going to Belgium to play professionally. Willie retired in 1977 and pursued a career in marketing and moved to his wife’s hometown of Milwaukee. In 1993, he dramatically switched careers and became a farmer and has received numerous grants and awards for his work in urban farming, sustainable foods and creating jobs in agriculture. He has written a book and appeared in a documentary about farming. Willie received an honorary Doctorate of Agriculture from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2012.
John Bunting: The former star at Springbrook High School in White Oak went on to star at North Carolina and then had a distinguished 11-year career in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. At North Carolina, the linebacker earned all-ACC honors and was team captain as the Tar Heels won their first ACC championship in 1971. John played in 132 games for the Eagles, was named the team’s defensive MVP in 1979 and was part of the 1981 Super Bowl team that lost to the Raiders. He spent his last two seasons with the USFL team in Philadelphia and was on the team that won the 1984 USFL championship. After retiring as a player, he immediately got into coaching with the Baltimore Stars in the USFL. He became a head coach in 1988 at Rowan University, compiling a 38-14-2 record. John went back to the NFL, coaching defensive ends and linebackers for the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Rams. He was the co-defensive coordinator for the 1999 Rams team that won the Super Bowl. In 2001, he became the head coach of his alma mater North Carolina, leading the Tar Heels to two bowl games in his six years as coach. After his coaching career ended, John spent many years as a broadcaster calling football games on TV and radio.
Warren Crutchfield: Born and raised in Rockville, the standout athlete went on to become just as important as a coach, teacher and mentor in a variety of sports. He was a track and field star at the now-closed Carver High School in Rockville, making it to the 1960 Olympic Trials. His accomplishments at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore led to him being named to the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Warren became a teacher and coach at Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring, where he would spend 33 years mentoring hundreds of students. He coached basketball, track and field and cross-country while also teaching physical education. He was the first African-American track and field coach in Montgomery County and coached girls varsity basketball for 18 years. Warren was inducted into the Sherwood High School Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2020, the school gym was named after him. He passed away in 2019.
Bill Dixon: In 62 years, the alumnus of Blair High School in Silver Spring officiated more than 6,000 games football and basketball games including some of the biggest games in Maryland high school history. At Blair, he played football, basketball and golf. After attending Montgomery College and spending four years in the Air Force, Bill began his career as an official in basketball and football. He officiated 19 Maryland state basketball championship games, the McDonalds Classic and five Maryland state football finals. He also spent 42 years as an official with Special Olympics. Bill officiated five ECAC football conference championships and the 2002 Division I-AA national championship. His “offseasons” included several years of officiating baseball and softball for Montgomery County Public Schools. He also worked as a replay official for ACC football games for 13 years.
Betty Holston Smith: One of the first Black students at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in 1956, Betty has gone one to carve a remarkable career as a distance runner, competing in 93 marathons and 33 ultra marathons. She estimates she has run more than 100,000 miles. At B-CC, she joined the basketball team and biology club. She began work at the U.S. Department of Labor, but after a few years, decided she wanted to teach. She earned a degree from D.C. Teacher’s College, and eventually, a masters degree and doctorate in teaching. She started an education consulting company that she ran for 25 years, helping hundreds of people. Betty has been a long-distance runner for more than 50 years and wrote a book on healthy eating. She coaches other runners at the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. She was recently honored by Montgomery County with an African American Living Legends Award and owns several track and field records for her age, including running 81 miles on her 81st birthday.
Holy Cross Girls Basketball Team 1977-82: There are teams that can be talked about as “the best of all-time,” but when it comes to Montgomery County high school sports, one dynasty stands alone at the top. The Academy of the Holy Cross girls basketball team won 115 straight games from 1977-82. No other Montgomery team in any high school sport has approached that record set by the Kensington school. Coached by Bill Sheehan and assistant Sonny Frankie, the team won five consecutive IAABO (International Association of Approved Basketball Officials) championships and five consecutive Catholic Girls Athletic Association titles. Among the players from those teams, Chrissy Reese and Karen Elsner were named Parade All-Americans and Janet Hanrahan earned McDonald’s All-American honors. Incredibly, 15 players who contributed to the winning streak earned college basketball scholarships.