40 Of The Best High School Football Teams On Record

High school football can often offer up all the thrills and spills of college or even the pro leagues. And down the years there have been some truly incredible high school teams. The participants may be barely out of short trousers, but here are some of the most legendary teams to ever grace the high school football field.

40. 1940 – Massillon Washington High School, Massillon, Ohio

There may not be much (or indeed any) footage of the 1940 Massillon team available, but sometimes the numbers are all you need. The team went 10-and-0 for the season, racking up an incredible 477 points along the way. But the team’s defense was legendary, giving up only six points in total across the entire season. It’s difficult to believe. Six! And no wonder all 22 starting players were picked all-state that season. Incredible stuff, and well deserving of a place on this list.

39. 1956 – Abilene High School, Abilene, Texas

Way back in 1956 a high school team from Abilene defeated all-comers in going 14-and-0. But the truth was that season came in the middle of an incredible 49-game streak of wins for the Texans. With numbers like that it’s no surprise that newspaper the Dallas Morning News dubbed Abilene the ‘Team of the Century’ in 1999. It’s difficult to argue.

38. 1958 – Jefferson High School, Portland, Oregon

Portland’s Jefferson High School went 12-0 in 1958 under coach Tom DeSylvia. The team secured the state title for the second season in a row in the process. But what stands this team out from the rest was the quality of its backfield. Quarterback Terry Baker went on to claim the Heisman Memorial Trophy – awarded annually to college football’s leading light – while tailback Mel Renfro later became an NFL Hall of Fame member. Renfro’s younger brother Raye was also a standout at either flanker or fullback. Was this the best backfield line-up ever to grace a high school football field? You decide.

37. 1967 – Coral Gables High School, Coral Gables, Florida

Florida has always been a hotbed of football talent. But the story of the 1967 Coral Gables team is about far more than just sport. The school integrated that year. Legendary coach Nick Kotys was one of those who stood at the school gates to get the students in. He subsequently named one of those students – Craig Curry – as his starting quarterback, and Curry delivered a state a national title. The Florida High School Athletic Association subsequently named that outfit the state’s ‘Team of the Century’ in 2007.