High school football national championships
U.S. high school sports award From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A national championship in high school football is an honor awarded annually by various organizations to their selection of the best high school football team in the United States.
The title is a "mythical national championship", as travel demands and the number of high schools spread across the country prevent the championship from being settled competitively on the gridiron. Instead, the national championships are based on rankings from prep football media analysts, such as USA Today,[1] or algorithmic rankings.
There have also been some efforts over the years at organizing a single-game playoff for the national championship.[citation needed]
Background
Summarize
Perspective
The oldest of the rating systems, the National Sports News Service, was begun by Arthur H. "Art" Johlfs—who originally started naming champions informally in 1927 as a 21 year old high school coach and official,[2] but did so more formally starting in 1959[3] after enlarging his network of supporting hobbyists[2] to receive reports from six separate areas of the country.[4] One of those hobbyists was Barrett Conley "Barry" Sollenberger, representing the NSNS' Southwest Sports News Service regional office.[5] Sollenberger was the facilitator of a similar poll for Joe Namath's National Prep Sports magazine in 1976 and 1977, before that publication was discontinued[6] (its Hertz Trophy was awarded each year to Moeller of Cincinnati,[7] which also happened to be both of the top picks of the NSNS). Johlfs respected the way that Sollenberger actively ran his southwest office—enough so that he turned the NSNS rankings over to him, starting in 1979. The NSNS poll then remained under Sollenberger's management through 1999 (along the way he also retroactively picked back as far as 1910,[2] although at least one source has the NSNS even making a 1904 selection as well[8]: xv ). It was then merged away into R. Douglas "Doug" Huff's year-old, competing FAB 50 poll starting in 2000[2]—which in turn continued on through 2014 with Mark J. Tennis apparently retaining the rights to it.[9] An early compilation listing of NSNS champions[10] does not necessarily match a more recent listing.[11]: 44–45 It is not immediately clear if these discrepancies are due to poor record-keeping, or if Sollenberger or Huff adjusted the list of champions over the years as new information came to light—or if they simply just disagreed with Johlfs' picks. Johlfs, for his part, described how he arrived at choosing a champion: he accepted input from Minnesota college and professional coaches, reviewed game statistics, films,[12] and press clippings,[13] and considered the school's enrollment size.[14] Johlfs said that his picks initially tended to be midwestern schools but shifted southward, because southern schools tended to play more games and were also allowed to compete in postseason playoffs.[3] He was also known to keep a champion as the top-ranked team indefinitely in subsequent seasons' rankings as long as another team had not beaten them yet;[3] this ended up allowing multiple teams to repeat as champions, drawing some criticism to Johlfs.[13] Sollenberger, on the other hand, primarily determined champions by attending prominent games in person, while also consulting college football coaching staffs. He further acknowledged factoring in teams' past histories and their success in the larger population centers of the day when considering teams for his poll—usually including three teams from California and two teams each from Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas in his rankings.[15] Notably, Florida had a relatively sizable number of repeat champions in Johlfs' rating system but saw a significant drop in its number of champions under Sollenberger. As for Huff, he too had his own unique way of determining champions: "I try to put credibility in the listings by making them consistent with local and state rankings. I try to look for dominant teams in an area who have a good track record."[16]
Informal intersectional games deemed as "national championship games" by the two participating schools were also, on occasion, sometimes played. Sometimes a dominant team in one state would defeat a dominant team in a neighboring state after the regular season and then would self-claim the national championship. However, sometimes such a game could not be scheduled, like in 1936 after Washington of Massillon, Ohio, refused to withhold its black players in a proposed game with segregated Central of Knoxville, Tennessee. Central subsequently proclaimed itself national champion that year.[17] On December 31, 1938, duPont Manual of Louisville, Kentucky, and New Britain of Connecticut played in an actual national championship game at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a formal, third-party sponsor, the Louisiana Sports Association–and, by extension, the Sugar Bowl Committee, which held a series of sporting events leading up to the Sugar Bowl game itself. Manual won, 28–20.[18] The following year, on December 30, the game featured Pine Bluff of Arkansas, which defeated Baton Rouge by a score of 26–0.[18] This series of games proved difficult to organize, due to some states' prohibition of postseason play; Pine Bluff, for example, had to receive a special waiver from its state's high school sports association to participate in the game[19] (even some schools that were eligible for postseason games like Massillon Washington were unable to play in the contest, since their association only allowed postseason games through the month of November[20]). Also in 1939, the National Sports Council, chaired by columnist Grantland Rice, staged a national championship game Christmas night in the Miami Orange Bowl, won by Garfield of New Jersey, 16-13, over Miami of Florida; unlike the LSA Game, it featured two undefeated and untied teams from different sections of the country.[21] After World War II the National Federation of State High School Associations also began discouraging intersectional postseason games.[15]
Team and coaching superlatives
Concord, California De La Salle won 12 total national championships from 1994 to 2015, including 6 in a row from 1998 to 2003.
The first 10 of De La Salle's titles were coached by Bob Ladouceur, including all of those acquired during the 6-year streak. Todd Dodge (Southlake, Texas Carroll from 2004 to 2006 and Austin, Texas Westlake in 2020) is the only head coach to lead 2 different schools to national championships. Tony Sanchez (Las Vegas, Nevada Bishop Gorman in 2014) and Kenny Sanchez (Bishop Gorman in 2015 and 2016) are the only brothers[22] to lead a school to a national championship.
At 63 years, McKinley (Canton, Ohio) holds the record for longest span between first title (1934) and most recent (1997). Bruce Rollinson of Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California) holds the largest span for a coach with 27 years between first title (1994) and last (2021) with 4 additional outright or shared titles during that span (1996, 2017, 2018, 2020).
Selectors
Summarize
Perspective
Current selectors
| Selector | Type | Since |
|---|---|---|
| USA Today | Expert | 1982 |
| MaxPreps/CBS Sports | Expert[23] | 2005 |
| hsratings.com (MaxPreps Computer) | Algorithm[24] | 2003 |
| High School Football America/NFL Play Football | Algorithm/[25] Expert[26] | 2012 |
| Massey Ratings/On3 | Algorithm[27] | 2010 |
| BlueStar Media | Expert[28] | 2012 |
| SBLive/Sports Illustrated | Expert | 2020 |
Historical selectors
| Selector | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| National championship game (NCG)* | 1897, 1902–1904, 1906, 1908, 1910–1916, 1919–1920, 1922–1927, 1929, 1932–1933, 1937 |
| Simon Lyons (SL) | 1900, 1902–1903, 1906, 1908–1909, 1916, 1924, 1937, 1975–1976, 1978 |
| Tim Hudak (TH) | 1902–1904, 1906, 1908–1909, 1916, 1919, 1937 |
| National Sports News Service (NSNS)** | 1904, 1910–1916, 1918–1943, 1946–1999, 2014 |
| Boston Evening Transcript (BET) | 1912 |
| High School Sports History (HSSH) | 1917, 1944–1945, 1956–1958 |
| National High School Football Coaches (NHSFC) | 1932 |
| Louisiana Sports Association National High School Championship (LSANHSC) | 1938–1939 |
| National Sports Council Health Bowl (NSCHB) | 1939 |
| Imperial Sports Syndicate (ISS) | 1962 |
| Art Judge's SWEET 33 (AJS33) | 1976 |
| National Prep Sports Network (NPSN) Southwest Sports News Service (SSNS) | 1976–1977 1978 |
| USA Today Super 25 (USATS25) | 1982–present[29] |
| World Features Syndicate National Prep Poll (WFSNPP) PrepNation National Prep Poll (PNNPP) | 1987–2014 2015–2019 |
| USA High School Football (USAHSF) USA High School Football Private Schools (USAHSFPrS)† USA High School Football Public Schools (USAHSFPuS)† | 1995–2012 2013 2013[30] |
| Dick Butkus Football Network (DBFN) | 1998–2001[31] |
| Tony Bianco National High School Football Poll (TBNHSFP) | 1998–2006[32] |
| American Football Monthly (AFM) American Football Monthly Private Schools (AFMPrS)‡ American Football Monthly Public Schools (AFMPuS)‡ | 1999–2004 2005 2005 |
| Fox FAB 50 (FF50)** StudentSports FAB 50 (SSF50) ESPN HIGH Elite 25 (ESPNHE25) |
1999–2000 2001–2005 |
| hsratings.com (HSR)
CalPreps (CP) |
2025–present[35]
2003–2024 |
| MaxPreps Xcellent 25 (MPX25) MaxPreps Small Schools (MPSS) MaxPreps Medium Schools (MPMS) | 2005–present[36] 2010–2016, 2018–present 2012–2013 |
| BlueStar Media Go-To 25 (BSMGT25) BlueStar Media Elite 25 (BSME25) | 2012–2013 2014–present |
| Rivals FAB 50 (RF50)
Rivals High 100 (RH100) |
2006
2008–2012[37] |
| Massey Ratings (MR) | 2010–present |
| Sports Illustrated (SI)
SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 (SBLP25) |
2011–2012[38] 2020–present |
| Prep Force (PF) | 2012–2019 |
| High School Football America Top 25 (HSFAT25) High School Football America National Top 50 (HSFANT50) High School Football America Medium Schools Top 25 (HSFAMST25) High School Football America Small Schools Top 25 (HSFASST25) High School Football America National Top 100 (HSFANT300) High School Football America National Top 300 (HSFANT300) |
2012–2014 2015–2016 2015, 2018–2019 2015, 2018–2019
|
Bold type indicates current selectors
Notes: *—it is not immediately clear if these games were only scheduled between the two competing teams and base their authority on general acclamation, or if any or all of these games had an independent third party formally sponsor it to increase legitimacy; **—National Sports News Service rankings were merged into the Fox FAB 50 rankings, beginning in 2000; †—USA High School Football rankings were split into public and private school divisions, beginning in 2013; ‡—American Football Monthly rankings were split into public and private school divisions, beginning in 2005
National champions by year
Summarize
Perspective
Composite
| Year | Champion(s) | Record(s) | Coach(es) | Selector(s) | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | Madison (WI) | 8–0 | NCG[8] | ||
| 1898 | (no champion) | ||||
| 1899 | (no champion) | ||||
| 1900 | Moline (IL) | SL[8]: 369 | |||
| 1901 | (no champion) | ||||
| 1902 | Chicago (IL) Hyde Park | 5–0 | Walter Eckersall | NCG,[39] SL, TH[8]: 369 | Eckersall served as player-coach |
| 1903 | Chicago (IL) North Division | 7–0–1 | Charlie Daly | NCG,[39] SL, TH[8]: 369 | Now called Lincoln Park High |
| Al Johnson | |||||
| 1904 | Detroit (MI) Central | NCG, NSNS, TH[8]: 369 | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* | ||
| 1905 | (no champion) | ||||
| 1906 | Seattle (WA) Broadway | NCG, SL, TH[8]: 369 | |||
| 1907 | (no champion) | ||||
| 1908 | Longmont (CO) Longmont High School | Los Angeles Herald, Volume 36, Number 86, 26 December 1908, c | |||
| 1909 | Chicago (IL) Englewood | SL, TH[8]: 369 | |||
| 1910 | Oak Park (IL) | 10–2 | Robert Zuppke | NCG,[8]: 369 NSNS | |
| 1911 | Oak Park (IL) | 10–0 | Robert Zuppke | NCG,[8]: 369 NSNS | |
| 1912 | Oak Park (IL) | 10–0 | Robert Zuppke | NCG, NSNS | |
| Fostoria (OH) | 8–0 | Lawrence Boles | BET, NCG | ||
| 1913 | Oak Park (IL) | 10–1 | Glenn Thistlewaite | NCG,[8]: 369 NSNS | |
| 1914 | Everett (MA) | 13–0 | Cleo O'Donnell | NCG, NSNS | |
| 1915 | Detroit (MI) Central | 11–0–1 | Edbert C. Buss | NCG, NSNS | |
| Everett (MA) | 11–0–1 | Cleo O'Donnell | NCG, NSNS | ||
| 1916 | San Diego (CA) | 12–0 | Nibs Price | NSNS | |
| Toledo (OH) Scott | NCG, SL, TH[8]: 369 | ||||
| 1917 | Everett (WA) | 12–0 | Enoch Bagshaw | HSSH[40] | |
| 1918 | Harrisburg Tech (PA) | 9–0 | Paul Smith | NSNS | |
| 1919 | Harrisburg Tech (PA) | 12–0 | Paul Smith | NCG, NSNS | |
| Everett (WA) | Enoch Bagshaw | NCG, TH[8]: 369 | |||
| Toledo (OH) Scott | Pat Dwyer | NCG, TH[8]: 369 | |||
| 1920 | Everett (WA) | 9–0–1 | Enoch Bagshaw | NCG, NSNS | |
| Oak Park (IL) | 9–0–1 | Glenn Thistlewaite | NCG,[8]: 369 NSNS | ||
| 1921 | Jacksonville (FL) Duval | 8–0 | Wiley Wright[41] | NSNS | |
| 1922 | Toledo (OH) Scott | 9–0 | William Neill | NCG, NSNS | |
| 1923 | Toledo (OH) Scott | 10–0 | William Neill | NCG, NSNS | |
| East Cleveland (OH) Shaw | 9–1 | John Snavely | NCG, NSNS | ||
| 1924 | Toledo (OH) Waite | 10–0 | Joe Collins | NCG,[8]: 369 NSNS | |
| Cedar Rapids (IA) Washington | SL[8]: 369 | ||||
| 1925 | Pine Bluff (AR) | 16–0 | Foy Hammons | NCG, NSNS | |
| Louisville (KY) duPont Manual | NCG[42] | ||||
| 1926 | Tuscaloosa (AL) | 9–0 | Paul Burnum | NCG,[8]: 369 NSNS | |
| 1927 | Waco (TX) | 14–0 | Paul Tyson | NCG, NSNS | |
| 1928 | Medford (OR) | 9–0 | Prink Callison | NSNS | |
| 1929 | Tuscaloosa (AL) | 9–0 | Paul Burnum | NCG,[8]: 369 NSNS | |
| 1930 | Phoenix Union (AZ) | 13–0 | Robby Robinson | NSNS | |
| 1931 | Ashland (KY) | 10–0 | Paul Jenkins | NSNS | |
| 1932 | Toledo (OH) Waite | 12–0 | Don McCallister | NCG,[8]: 370 NSNS | |
| New Rochelle (NY) | 9–0 | Bill McKenna | NHSFC | ||
| 1933 | Oklahoma City (OK) Capitol Hill | 12–0 | Jim Lookabaugh | NCG,[8]: 370 NSNS | |
| 1934 | Canton (OH) McKinley | 11–0 | Jim Aiken | NSNS | |
| 1935 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Paul Brown | NSNS | |
| 1936 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Paul Brown | NSNS | |
| 1937 | Chicago (IL) Austin | 10–0 | William Heiland | NSNS | |
| Evansville (IN) Memorial | NCG, SL, TH[8]: 370 | ||||
| 1938 | Louisville (KY) duPont Manual | 10–0 | Ray Baer | LSANHSC,[18] NSNS | |
| 1939 | Garfield (NJ) | 10–0 | Art Argauer | NSCHB[21] | |
| Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Paul Brown | NSNS | ||
| Pine Bluff (AR) | 11–0–1 | Allen Dunaway | LSANHSC[43][18] | ||
| 1940 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Paul Brown | NSNS | |
| 1941 | Chicago (IL) Leo | 11–0 | Whitey Cronin | NSNS | |
| 1942 | Miami (FL) | 9–0 | Lyles Alley | NSNS | |
| 1943 | Miami (FL) | 9–0 | Tom Moore | NSNS | |
| 1944 | Chattanooga (TN) Baylor | 10–0 | HSSH[44] | ||
| 1945 | Donora (PA) | 10–0 | HSSH[45] | ||
| 1946 | Little Rock Central (AR) | 14–0 | Raymond Burnett | NSNS | |
| 1947 | East Chicago (IN) Roosevelt | 9–0 | Pete Rucinski[46] | NSNS | |
| Lynn Classical (MA) | 11–1 | Bill Joyce[47] | NSNS | ||
| 1948 | Waco (TX) | 14–0 | Carl Price | NSNS | |
| 1949 | Wichita Falls (TX) | 14–0 | Joe Golding | NSNS | |
| 1950 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Chuck Mather | NSNS | |
| 1951 | Weymouth (MA) | 9–0 | Harry Arlanson | NSNS | |
| 1952 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Chuck Mather | NSNS | |
| 1953 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Chuck Mather | NSNS | |
| 1954 | Vallejo (CA) | 9–0 | Bob Patterson | NSNS | |
| 1955 | San Diego (CA) | 12–0 | Duane Maley | NSNS | |
| 1956 | Abilene (TX) | 14–0 | Chuck Moser | HSSH,[48] NSNS | |
| 1957 | Little Rock Central (AR) | 12–0 | Wilson Matthews | HSSH,[49] NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* |
| Portland (OR) Jefferson | 11–0 | Thomas DeSylvia | NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* | |
| Downey (CA) | NSNS[10] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* | |||
| 1958 | Portland (OR) Jefferson | 12–0 | Thomas DeSylvia | NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* |
| Oak Ridge (TN) | 10–0 | Jack Armstrong[50] | HSSH,[51] NSNS[10] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* | |
| Wichita Falls (TX) | NSNS[10] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* | |||
| 1959 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 10–0 | Leo Strang | NSNS | |
| 1960 | Lawrence (KS) | 9–0 | Al Woolard | NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* |
| Miami (FL) | 8–0–1 | Ottis Mooney[52] | NSNS[53][10] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* | |
| 1961 | Massillon (OH) Washington | 11–0 | Leo Strang | NSNS | |
| 1962 | Valdosta (GA) | 12–0 | Wright Bazemore | NSNS | |
| Miami (FL) | 9–0 | Ottis Mooney | ISS[54] | ||
| San Francisco (CA) St. Ignatius Prep | ISS[54] | ||||
| 1963 | Chicago (IL) St. Rita | 9–0 | Edward Buckley | NSNS | |
| 1964 | Coral Gables (FL) | 12–0 | Nick Kotys | NSNS | |
| 1965 | Miami (FL) | 12–0 | Robert Carlton | NSNS | |
| 1966 | Pico Rivera (CA) El Rancho | 13–0 | Ernest Johnson | NSNS | |
| 1967 | Austin (TX) Reagan | 14–0 | Travis Raven | NSNS | |
| Coral Gables (FL) | 13–0 | Nick Kotys | NSNS | ||
| 1968 | Austin (TX) Reagan | 15–0 | Travis Raven | NSNS | |
| Coral Gables (FL) | 12–1[3] | Nick Kotys | NSNS[10] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* | |
| 1969 | Bogalusa (LA) | 14–0 | Lewis Murray[55] | NSNS[10] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* |
| Pasadena (CA) Blair | 13–0 | Pete Yoder | NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* | |
| Coral Gables (FL) | 10–0 | Nick Kotys | NSNS[56] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* | |
| Valdosta (GA) | 12–0–1 | Wright Bazemore | NSNS[56] | not listed in recent sources as NSNS champion* | |
| 1970 | Austin (TX) Reagan | 14–1 | Travis Raven | NSNS | |
| 1971 | Valdosta (GA) | 13–0 | Wright Bazemore | NSNS | |
| 1972 | Odessa (TX) Permian | 14–0 | Gil Bartosh | NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* |
| Bristol Tennessee | 13–0 | John Cropp[57] | NSNS | ||
| 1973 | Tyler (TX) John Tyler | 15–0 | Corky Nelson | NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* |
| Chattanooga (TN) Baylor | 13–0 | Red Etter[58] | NSNS | ||
| 1974 | Thomasville (GA) | 12–1 | Jim Hughes | NSNS | |
| 1975 | Los Angeles (CA) Loyola | 13–0 | Marty Shaughnessy | NSNS, SL[8]: 371 | |
| Rancho Cordova (CA) Cordova | 12–0 | Dewey Guerra | NSNS | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* | |
| 1976 | Warner Robins (GA) | 13–0[59] | Robert Davis | NSNS, SL[8]: 371 | not listed in older sources as NSNS champion* |
| Cincinnati (OH) Moeller | 12–0 | Gerry Faust | AJS33,[60] NPSN,[61] NSNS | ||
| 1977 | Cincinnati (OH) Moeller | 12–0 | Gerry Faust | NPSN, NSNS | |
| 1978 | Annandale (VA) | 14–0 | Bob Hardage | NSNS | |
| 1979 | Cincinnati (OH) Moeller | 12–0 | Gerry Faust | NSNS | |
| 1980 | Cincinnati (OH) Moeller | 13–0 | Gerry Faust | NSNS | |
| 1981 | Warner Robins (GA) | 15–0 | Robert Davis | NSNS | |
| 1982 | Cincinnati (OH) Moeller | 13–0 | Steve Klonne[62] | NSNS, USATS25[63] | |
| 1983 | Berwick Area (PA) | 13–0 | George Curry | NSNS, USATS25[63] | |
| 1984 | Valdosta (GA) | 15–0 | Nick Hyder | NSNS, USATS25[63] | |
| 1985 | East St. Louis (IL) | 14–0 | Bob Shannon | NSNS, USATS25[63] | |
| 1986 | Valdosta (GA) | 15–0 | Nick Hyder | NSNS, USATS25[63] | |
| 1987 | Plano (TX) | 16–0 | Gerald Brence | NSNS | |
| Fontana (CA) | 14–0 | Dick Bruich | WFSNPP[64] | ||
| Pittsburgh (PA) North Hills | 13–0 | Jack McCurry | USATS25[63] | ||
| 1988 | Pensacola (FL) Pine Forest | 14–0 | Carl Madison | NSNS, USATS25[63] | |
| Prichard (AL) Vigor | 13–0 | Harold Clark | WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 1989 | Odessa (TX) Permian | 16–0 | Gary Gaines | NSNS, WFSNPP[64] | |
| Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | 13–0 | Chuck Kyle | USATS25[63] | ||
| 1990 | Houston (TX) Aldine | 15–0 | Bill Smith | WFSNPP[64] | |
| Lawton (OK) Eisenhower | 14–0 | Tim Reynolds | USATS25[63] | ||
| Ruston (LA) | 14–0 | Jimmy Childress[65] | NSNS | ||
| 1991 | LaGrange (GA) | 15–0[66] | Gary Guthrie | USATS25[63] | |
| Indianapolis (IN) Ben Davis | 14–0 | Dick Dullaghan | NSNS, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 1992 | Berwick Area (PA) | 15–0[67] | George Curry | USATS25[63] | |
| Valdosta (GA) | 14–0 | Nick Hyder | NSNS, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 1993 | Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | 14–0 | Chuck Kyle | NSNS, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | |
| 1994 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 14–0 | Bruce Rollinson | USATS25[63] | |
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 13–0 | Bob Ladouceur | NSNS, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 1995 | Berwick Area (PA) | 15–0 | George Curry | USAHSF, USATS25[63] | |
| Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | 14–0 | Chuck Kyle | NSNS, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 1996 | Hampton (VA) | 14–0 | Mike Smith | NSNS, USAHSF, WFSNPP[64] | |
| Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 14–0 | Bruce Rollinson | USATS25[63] | ||
| 1997 | Doylestown (PA) Central Bucks West | 15–0 | Mike Pettine Sr. | USAHSF | |
| Canton (OH) McKinley | 14–0 | Thom McDaniels | USATS25[63] | ||
| Hampton (VA) | 13–0 | Mike Smith | NSNS, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 1998 | West Monroe (LA) | 15–0 | DBFN, TBNHSFP | ||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 12–0 | Bob Ladouceur | NSNS, USAHSF, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 1999 | Midland (TX) Lee | 15–0 | John Parchman | DBFN, USATS25[63] | |
| Shreveport (LA) Evangel Christian | 15–0 | Dennis Dunn | AFM,[68] FF50, TBNHSFP, USAHSF, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 12–0 | Bob Ladouceur | NSNS | ||
| 2000 | West Monroe (LA) | 15–0 | TBNHSFP | ||
| Erie (PA) Cathedral Prep | 14–0[30] | USAHSF | |||
| Long Beach Poly (CA) | 14–0 | DBFN | |||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 13–0 | Bob Ladouceur | AFM,[69] FF50, NSNS, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 2001 | Jenks (OK) Jenks | 13–0[30] | USAHSF | ||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 12–0 | Bob Ladouceur | AFM,[70] DBFN, SSF50, TBNHSFP, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 2002 | Lilburn (GA) Parkview | 15–0[30] | USAHSF | ||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 13–0 | Bob Ladouceur | AFM,[citation needed] SSF50, TBNHSFP, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 2003 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | 13–0 | Bob Ladouceur | AFM,[71] SSF50, TBNHSFP, USAHSF, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | |
| Thousand Oaks (CA) Westlake | CP[72] | ||||
| 2004 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | 16–0 | Todd Dodge | AFM,[73] SSF50, TBNHSFP, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | |
| Charlotte (NC) Independence | 15–0[30] | Bill Geiler | USAHSF | ||
| Cincinnati (OH) Colerain | 15–0 | Kerry Coombs | CP,[74] CPFCR | ||
| 2005 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | 16–0 | Todd Dodge | AFMPuS,[75] CP,[76] CPFCR, MPX25,[77] TBNHSFP, WFSNPP[64] | Both overall and public school champion |
| Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier | 15–0[30] | AFMPrS,[75] USAHSF | Both overall and private school champion | ||
| Lakeland (FL) | 15–0 | Bill Castle | SSF50, USATS25[63] | ||
| 2006 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | 16–0 | Todd Dodge | CP,[78] CPFCR, MPX25,[77] TBNHSFP, USAHSF, USATS25[63] | |
| Lakeland (FL) | 15–0 | Bill Castle | RF50, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 2007 | Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier | 15–0 | Steve Specht | CP,[79] CPFCR, ESPNRF50, WFSNPP[64] | |
| Miami Northwestern (FL) | 15–0 | Billy Rolle | ESPNHE25,[80] USATS25[63] | ||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 13–0 | Bob Ladouceur | MPX25,[77] USAHSF | ||
| 2008 | Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas | 15–0 | George Smith | CPFCR, ESPNRF50, MPX25,[77] RH100, USAHSF, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | |
| Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | CP[81] | ||||
| 2009 | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | 12–0 | Greg Toal | CPFCR, ESPNRF50, MPX25,[82] RH100, USAHSF, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | |
| Abilene (TX) | CP[83] | ||||
| 2010 | Batesville (MS) South Panola | 15–0 | Lance Pogue | MPX25,[84] RH100, USATS25[63] | |
| Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas | 15–0 | George Smith | ESPNRF50, WFSNPP[64] | ||
| Lakewood (OH) St. Edward | 15–0[30] | CP,[85] USAHSF | |||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 14–0 | Bob Ladouceur | CPFCR | ||
| Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | 12–0 | MR[86] | |||
| 2011 | Calhoun (GA) | 15–0 | MPSS[87] | Small school champion only | |
| Louisville (KY) Trinity | 14–0 | RH100, SI | |||
| Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | 11–0 | Greg Toal | CP,[88] ESPNHSF50, MR,[89] MPX25,[90] USAHSF, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | ||
| 2012 | Katy (TX) | 16–0 | Gary Joseph | F50 | |
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 15–0 | Bob Ladouceur | BSMGT25,[91] PF50 | ||
| Bellevue (WA) | 14–0 | MPMS,[92] SI | Both overall and medium school champion | ||
| River Ridge (LA) John Curtis Christian | 14–0 | John T. Curtis Jr. | HSFAT25,[93] MPX25,[94] PF,[95] RH100, USAHSF, USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | ||
| Allen (TX) | 15–1 | CP,[96] HSFAT25,[97] MR[98] | |||
| Davie (FL) University | Roger Harriott | MPSS[99] | Small school champion only | ||
| 2013 | Allen (TX) | 16–0 | Tom Westerberg | BSMGT25,[100] HSFAT25[93] | |
| Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | 15–0 | Jason Negro | CP,[101] MR,[102] USAHSFPrS | Both overall and private school champion | |
| Maria Stein (OH) Marion Local | 15–0 | MPSS[103] | Small school champion only | ||
| Miami (FL) Booker T. Washington | 14–0 | Ice Harris | F50, MPMS,[104] MPX25,[105] PF,[106] USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | Both overall and medium school champion | |
| Hoover (AL) | Josh Niblet[30] | USAHSFPuS | Public school champion only | ||
| 2014 | Allen (TX) | 16–0 | Tom Westerberg | BSME25,[100] HSFAT25,[93] MPX25,[107] NSNS | |
| Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | 15–0 | Tony Sanchez | USATS25,[63] WFSNPP[64] | ||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | 14–0 | Justin Alumbaugh | CP,[108] MR[109] | ||
| Jacksonville (FL) Trinity Christian | MPSS[110] | Small school champion only | |||
| 2015 | Katy (TX) | 16–0 | Gary Joseph | MR,[111] MPX25,[112] PNNPP | |
| Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | 15–0 | Kenny Sanchez | BSME25,[100] USATS25[113] | ||
| Moultrie (GA) Colquitt County | 15–0 | Rush Propst | HSFANT50,[93] PF[114] | ||
| Jacksonville (FL) Trinity Christian | 14–0 | HSFASST25,[115] MPSS[110] | Small school champion only | ||
| Sammamish (WA) Eastside Catholic | 13–0 | HSFAMST25[116] | Medium school champion only | ||
| Concord (CA) De La Salle | CP[117] | ||||
| 2016 | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | 15–0 | Kenny Sanchez | BSME25,[118] CP,[119] HSFANT50,[93] MR,[120] MPX25,[121] PF,[122] PNNPP, USATS25[123] | |
| Munhall (PA) Steel Valley | 15–0 | MPSS[110] | Small school champion only | ||
| 2017 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 15–0 | Bruce Rollinson | BSME25,[124] CP,[125] HSFANT100,[93] MR,[126] MPX25,[127] PNNPP, USATS25[128] | |
| 2018 | Catawissa (PA) Southern Columbia Area | 16–0 | HSFASST25[129] | Small school champion only | |
| Houston (TX) North Shore | 16–0 | Jon Kay | MPX25,[130] MR,[131] PF,[132] PNNPP | ||
| Alcoa (TN) | 15–0 | Gary Rankin | HSFAMST25[133] | Medium school champion only | |
| Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 13–2 | Bruce Rollinson | BSME25,[134] CP,[135] HSFANT100, PF,[136] USATS25[137] | ||
| Hollywood (FL) Chaminade–Madonna Prep | 12–2 | MPSS[138] | Small school champion only | ||
| 2019 | Catawissa (PA) Southern Columbia Area | 16–0 | HSFASST25[139] | Small school champion only | |
| Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | 13–1 | Jason Negro | BSME25,[140] CP,[141] HSFANT100,[97] MPX25,[142] MR,[143] PF,[144] PNNPP,[142] USATS25[142] | ||
| Cedar Hill (TX) Trinity Christian | 13–1 | MPSS[145] | Small school champion only | ||
| Miami Northwestern (FL) | 13–2 | HSFAMST25[146] | Medium school champion only | ||
| 2020 | Austin (TX) Westlake | 14–0 | Todd Dodge | BSME25[147] | |
| Catawissa (PA) Southern Columbia Area | 12–0 | Jim Roth | MPSS[148] | Small school champion only | |
| Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy | 8–0 | Bobby Acosta | HSFANT100,[149] MPX25,[150] SBLP25,[151] USATS25[150] | ||
| Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 5–0 | Bruce Rollinson | CP,[152] MR[153] | ||
| 2021 | China Spring (TX) | 16–0 | Brain Bell | MPSS[154] | Small school champion only |
| Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 12–0 | Bruce Rollinson | BSME25,[155] CP,[156] HSFANT100,[157] MPX25,[158] MR,[159] SBLP25,[160] USATS25[161] | ||
| 2022 | Carthage (TX) | 16–0 | Scott Surratt | MPSS[162] | Small school champion only |
| Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | 13–1 | Jason Negro | BSME25,[163] CP,[164] HSFANT100,[165] MPX25,[166] MR,[167] SBLP25,[168] USATS25[169] | ||
| 2023 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 13-1 | Frank McManus | BSME25,[170] CP,[171] HSFANT300,[172] SBLP25[173] | |
| DeSoto (TX) | 15-0 | Claude Mathis | MR[174] | ||
| Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | 15–0 | Brent Browner | MPX25,[175] USATS25[176] | ||
| Malakoff (TX) | 16-0 | Jamie Driskell | MPSS[177] | Small school champion only | |
| 2024 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 13-0 | Raul Lara | BSME25,[178] CP,[179] HSFANT300,[180] MPX25,[181] MR,[182] SBLP25,[183] USATS25[184] | |
Note: all information between 1904 and 2000 is derived from the National High School Football Record Book (2001),[11] unless otherwise specified; *—listings from an earlier source[10] do not necessarily match listings from a more recent source[11]—it is not immediately clear if this was due to poor record-keeping or if past champions were later reevaluated by the National Sports News Service and revised accordingly.
Most selectors
No definitive ranking service exists to declare a universal national champion for high school football. Since 2000, five teams have received a consensus 100% of selectors: Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman (2016), Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei (2017, 2021, 2024) and Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco (2019, 2022).
Since 1982, four schools have received the most selectors in consecutive seasons: Concord (CA) De La Salle (2000–2003), Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei (2017–2018, 2023–2024), Southlake (TX) Carroll (2004–2006) and Hampton (VA) (1996–1997).
| Year | School | Selectors received | Selectors total | % of Selectors received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Cincinnati (OH) Moeller | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 1983 | Berwick Area (PA) | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 1984 | Valdosta (GA) | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 1985 | East St. Louis (IL) | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 1986 | Valdosta (GA) | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 1987 | (no plurality received) | |||
| 1988 | Pensacola (FL) Pine Forest | 2 | 3 | 67% |
| 1989 | Odessa (TX) Permian | 2 | 3 | 67% |
| 1990 | (no plurality received) | |||
| 1991 | Indianapolis (IN) Ben Davis | 2 | 3 | 67% |
| 1992 | Valdosta (GA) | 2 | 3 | 67% |
| 1993 | Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 1994 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | 2 | 3 | 67% |
| 1995 | (no plurality received) | |||
| 1996 | Hampton (VA) | 3 | 4 | 75% |
| 1997 | Hampton (VA) | 2 | 4 | 50% |
| 1998 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | 4 | 6 | 67% |
| 1999 | Shreveport (LA) Evangel Christian | 5 | 8 | 63% |
| 2000 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | 5 | 8 | 63% |
| 2001 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | 6 | 7 | 86% |
| 2002 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | 5 | 6 | 83% |
| 2003 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | 6 | 7 | 86% |
| 2004 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | 5 | 8 | 63% |
| 2005 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | 5 | 8 | 63% |
| 2006 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | 6 | 8 | 75% |
| 2007 | Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier | 4 | 8 | 50% |
| 2008 | Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas | 7 | 8 | 88% |
| 2009 | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | 7 | 8 | 88% |
| 2010 | Batesville (MS) South Panola | 3 | 9 | 33% |
| 2011 | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | 7 | 9 | 78% |
| 2012 | River Ridge (LA) John Curtis Christian | 7 | 14 | 50% |
| 2013 | Miami (FL) Booker T. Washington | 5 | 9 | 56% |
| 2014 | Allen (TX) | 4 | 8 | 50% |
| 2015 | Katy (TX) | 3 | 8 | 38% |
| 2016 | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 2017 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| 2018 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 5 | 9 | 56% |
| 2019 | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 2020 | Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy | 4 | 7 | 57% |
| 2021 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| 2022 | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| 2023 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 4 | 7 | 57% |
| 2024 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | 7 | 7 | 100% |
By current selector
| Year | USA Today | hsratings.com | MaxPreps | Massey Ratings | High School Football America | BlueStar Media | SBLive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Cincinnati (OH) Moeller | ||||||
| 1983 | Berwick (PA) Area | ||||||
| 1984 | Valdosta (GA) | ||||||
| 1985 | East St. Louis (IL) | ||||||
| 1986 | Valdosta (GA) | ||||||
| 1987 | Pittsburgh (PA) North Hills | ||||||
| 1988 | Pensacola (FL) Pine Forest | ||||||
| 1989 | Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | ||||||
| 1990 | Lawton (OK) Eisenhower | ||||||
| 1991 | LaGrange (GA) | ||||||
| 1992 | Berwick (PA) Area | ||||||
| 1993 | Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | ||||||
| 1994 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | ||||||
| 1995 | Berwick (PA) Area | ||||||
| 1996 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | ||||||
| 1997 | Canton (OH) McKinley | ||||||
| 1998 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | ||||||
| 1999 | Midland (TX) Lee | ||||||
| 2000 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | ||||||
| 2001 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | ||||||
| 2002 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | ||||||
| 2003 | Concord (CA) De La Salle | Thousand Oaks (CA) Westlake | |||||
| 2004 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | Cincinnati (OH) Colerain | |||||
| 2005 | Lakeland (FL) | Southlake (TX) Carroll | Southlake (TX) Carroll | ||||
| 2006 | Southlake (TX) Carroll | Southlake (TX) Carroll | Southlake (TX) Carroll | ||||
| 2007 | Miami (FL) Northwestern | Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier | Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier | ||||
| 2008 | Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas | Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius | Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas | ||||
| 2009 | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | Abilene (TX) | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | ||||
| 2010 | Batesville (MS) South Panola | Lakewood (OH) St. Edward | Batesville (MS) South Panola | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | |||
| 2011 | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep | |||
| 2012 | River Ridge (LA) John Curtis Christian | Allen (TX) | River Ridge (LA) John Curtis Christian | Allen (TX) | River Ridge (LA) John Curtis Christian | Concord (CA) De La Salle | |
| 2013 | Miami (FL) Booker T. Washington | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Miami (FL) Booker T. Washington | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Allen (TX) | Allen (TX) | |
| 2014 | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Concord (CA) De La Salle | Allen (TX) | Concord (CA) De La Salle | Allen (TX) | Allen (TX) | |
| 2015 | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Concord (CA) De La Salle | Katy (TX) | Katy (TX) | Moultrie (GA) Colquitt County | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | |
| 2016 | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | |
| 2017 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | |
| 2018 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Houston (TX) North Shore | Houston (TX) North Shore | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | |
| 2019 | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | |
| 2020 | Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy | Austin (TX) Westlake | Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy |
| 2021 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei |
| 2022 | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco | Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco |
| 2023 | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman | DeSoto (TX) | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei |
| 2024 | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei | Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei |
National championships by school
Summarize
Perspective
Composite
Years selected for overall national championships are denoted by boldfaced type below; years selected for specialty national championships that were reserved for specific kinds of schools (such as for private, public, medium or small-sized schools only) are in regular type. It is theoretically possible that some early national championship games held when segregation was legal may have restricted qualifying schools to all-white rosters, but in the absence of incriminating documentation, all championship games are currently assumed to have been open to all teams and are therefore listed below in boldface.
Most selectors
| City | State | School | Championships | Year (% of selectors received) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concord | CA | De La Salle | 6 | 1994 (67%), 1998 (67%), 2000 (63%), 2001 (86%), 2002 (83%), 2003 (86%) |
| Santa Ana | CA | Mater Dei | 5 | 2017 (100%), 2018 (56%), 2021 (100%), 2023 (67%), 2024 (100%) |
| Southlake | TX | Carroll | 3 | 2004 (63%), 2005 (63%), 2006 (75%) |
| Valdosta | GA | Valdosta | 3 | 1984 (100%), 1986 (100%), 1992 (67%) |
| Bellflower | CA | St. John Bosco | 2 | 2019 (100%), 2022 (100%) |
| Hampton | VA | Hampton | 2 | 1996 (75%), 1997 (50%) |
| Ramsey | NJ | Don Bosco Prep | 2 | 2009 (88%), 2011 (78%) |
| Allen | TX | Allen | 1 | 2014 (50%) |
| Batesville | MS | South Panola | 1 | 2010 (33%) |
| Berwick | PA | Berwick Area | 1 | 1983 (100%) |
| Bradenton | FL | IMG Academy | 1 | 2020 (57%) |
| Cincinnati | OH | Moeller | 1 | 1982 (100%) |
| Cincinnati | OH | St. Xavier | 1 | 2007 (50%) |
| Cleveland | OH | St. Ignatius | 1 | 1993 (100%) |
| East St. Louis | IL | East St. Louis | 1 | 1985 (100%) |
| Fort Lauderdale | FL | St. Thomas Aquinas | 1 | 2008 (88%) |
| Indianapolis | IN | Ben Davis | 1 | 1991 (67%) |
| Katy | TX | Katy | 1 | 2015 (38%) |
| Las Vegas | NV | Bishop Gorman | 1 | 2016 (100%) |
| Miami | FL | Booker T. Washington | 1 | 2013 (56%) |
| Odessa | TX | Permian | 1 | 1989 (67%) |
| Pensacola | FL | Pine Forest | 1 | 1988 (67%) |
| River Ridge | LA | John Curtis Christian | 1 | 2012 (50%) |
| Shreveport | LA | Evangel Christian | 1 | 1999 (63%) |
See also
- USA Today All-USA high school football team (including Super 25 teams in U.S. and Top 10 teams in East, South, Midwest, and West regions)
- All-American Bowl (high school football)
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.