The Exeter Township School District inducted athletes from its 1971-72 Men’s Basketball Team into their 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame tonight in a ceremony held in the Exeter Township Senior High’s cafeteria, followed by a presentation of the athletes between the junior varsity and varsity basketball games against Governor Mifflin in the Exeter Township Senior High’s gymnasium. The surviving athletes who were inducted are: Jim Barrer, Charlie Booker, Joe Fidler, Dave Giles, Andy Kahn, Randy Kleinsmith and Mark Wessner and Pete Yousaitis. Duane Bowser, Dave Winterhalter and Jeff Woodward were inducted posthumously. The team was coached by Rod Hand, with assistant coaches Terry McElhattan and Don Hadley. The staff also included coaches Randy Van Fleet and Don Bickel from Exeter Township Junior High school. 

That season, the Eagles won their first 24 games, including a 68-39 Berks Conference championship victory over Cedar Crest. It was the first boys’ basketball title for Exeter, which reached the District 3 Class B semifinals and the PIAA Class B quarterfinals to finish the season 25-2. The team survived a scare early in the season in a non-league game at Owen J. Roberts, but Barrer’s basket from just beyond half court as the buzzer sounded gave the Eagles a 68-67 victory.

The team averaged 68.4 points a game and allowed 48.9 over the 24-game win streak.

The team started four seniors -- Barrer, Winterhalter, Woodward, and Yousaitis, an all-Berks and all-state selection – along with sophomore Booker, who would lead the Eagles to their only other championship appearance and Berks title as a senior in 1973-74. 

Yousaitis became the school’s first 1,000 scorer (1,287) and Booker the second (1,476). Booker ranks third on the all-time scoring list, Yousaitis fourth.

The Exeter Township School District has inducted athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame since 1990, honoring athletes and teams who achieve significant and memorable athletic accomplishments during their time at Exeter Township Senior High school, collegiately, and/or professionally. The 1971-72 Men’s Basketball Team is the second Hall of Fame induction of the 2022-23 year, with Michal Menet, a 2016 graduate; Michael Troutman, a 2002 graduate; and Kyle Yocum, a 2013 graduate, receiving the honor earlier in the school year.