Not only did the Wheeling Central boys basketball team add to its rich history with another state championship, it was able to do something this past weekend that it hadn’t done since the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA” topped the charts.

The Maroon Knights went wire to wire with their winning, finishing with the program’s first undefeated season since 1963. The players’ parents weren’t around to see that one. Heck, some of their grandparents probably weren’t, either.

That capped an extra-special season for Central, the team’s second consecutive state title and one that was in little doubt throughout the WVSSAC Class AA state tournament. The Maroon Knights’ margin of victory in three state tournament contests were 39, 33 and 16 points, respectively. While there might have been some interesting periods in those games — Central led Wyoming East by just one point at halftime of the title game ­– the Maroon Knights always found a way to pull away for the 14th state title in program history.

“I think people realize that it’s hard to go undefeated,” Central coach Mel Stephens said. “I mean, we played 23 games this year, we played some very good teams. To be able to get through there without a loss is incredible. I think it just comes down to this team, their competitiveness to want to win everything we do. It shows in games, but, if you’re at some of our practices, I mean, there’s some pretty competitive stuff that goes on just between these guys to try to win.”

That’s always the linchpin of great teams, a competitive spirit that pervades even on the practice court. That spirit drove the Maroon Knights all season, and drove them to the pinnacle of their sport in West Virginia.

It was a perfect way to end a perfect season.