1917 National High School Football Rankings

Everett (Wash.) tops list of Top 50 teams from 1917

When the National Sports News Service (NSNS) retroactively chose national champions, it did not include three seasons - 1944, 1945 and 1917. High School Sports History has selected a Top 50 for 1944 and 1945 and now we present 1917.

The NSNS first chose retroactive national champions back to 1927, although when those champions were selected is unknown. Later, when Arizona historian Barry Sollenberger joined NSNS founder Art Johlfs in the mid-1970s, teams were added from 1926 to 1910. Other historians, Simon Lyons and Tim Hudak, have added to the list prior to 1910 along with the recognition of contests claimed as “national championship” games.

But 1917 remains vacant, likely due to the fact that it was a war year, just like 1944 and 1945. It wasn’t uncommon for teams in 1917 to play military outposts and training camps. High schools also played prep schools, college teams and YMCAs, making evaluating the best teams rather difficult.

But High School Sports History has made an effort to fill in the void. Tracking down win-loss records and season scores was not always easy and some games proved to be elusive due to the unavailability of newspaper resources. Many states also had a handful of teams claiming state championship honors while other states had no claims toward a state title.

Information on individual players was also scant, with most stories using only last names. Few states picked an all-state team and there were no All-America teams in 1917. So determining the top players on the top teams was also difficult.

That being said, here are our picks for the Top 50 teams from 1917.

1917 High School Football Top 50

1. Everett (Wash.), 10-0-1
The Seagulls, under future University of Washington coach Enoch Bagshaw, were ranked No. 1 in the nation by the National Sports News Service’s retroactive national rankings for 1919 and 1920, but the 1917 Everett team might have been Bagshaw’s best team. In posting a 10-0-1 record, Everett outscored opponents 569-19. The 1917 season capped Bagshaw’s first seven seasons at Everett in which he went 60-4-3 with three of those losses coming against college teams. The Seagulls also outscored opponents 2,484 to 207 during the seven-year run. In 1917, Everett played various armed forces units, but also had impressive wins against high school teams. The week after demolishing Auburn 122-0, Everett played two games in one afternoon. The Seagulls blasted Bremerton Naval Base 55-7 in the morning and high school team Sedro-Woolley 19-0 in the afternoon. Everett’s only blemish was a 0-0 tie against an Aberdeen team that was also undefeated (albeit in five games) with the game being played in a pouring rain. Halfback W. Daily and guard Britt were named to the All-Northwest team by George Bertz of Portland. Everett went on to tie Toledo Scott in a 1919 national championship game and tied Oak Park (Chicago) for the 1920 national championship, but the Seagulls hold sole claim to the 1917 national championship by High School Sports History.
Season Log
Twelfth WCA, 19-0
Auburn, 122-0
Bremerton, 55-7
Sedro-Woolley, 19-0
Monroe Reformatory, 56-0
Bellingham, 12-0
Ellensburg, 49-2
Company D 253d Infantry, 97-0
Aberdeen, 0-0
Chehalia, 61-10
James John (Portland), 54-0

2. Oklahoma City Central (Okla.) 11-0
A number of teams were in contention for claiming the state championship in Oklahoma in 1917 with squads from Marshall, Madill, Cherokee, Ponca City, Tulsa and Bartlesville all putting in their stake. Oklahoma City was regarded as the clear favorite in Central Oklahoma, but one argument stated that even though Oklahoma City was 10-0 in the regular season, it had only played five different opponents. In fact OKC defeated Guthrie, Shawnee, Chickasa, El Reno and Enid twice before meeting Marshall for the unofficial state championship. Of course Oklahoma City dominated the final, beating Marshall 74-0 and finishing the season with 698 points scored to just 13 allowed. While that total is the highest in the nation for 1917, the small number of unique opponents has to be taken into account when choosing a national champion. Thus Oklahoma City comes in No. 2 in our rankings. Tyler, Hardy and White all earned all-state honors from the Tulsa Daily World.
Season Log
Guthrie, 67-0
Shawnee, 6-0
Chickasa, 64-0
Shawnee, 28-6
El Reno, 68-0
Enid, 64-0
El Reno, 75-0
Guthrie, 85-7
Enid, 113-0
Chickasa, 54-0
Marshall, 74-0

3. Easton (Pa.), 9-0
The second-winningest team in Pennsylvania history with 863 wins, Easton has been highly successful ever since it fielded its first team in 1895. By the time the Red Rovers finished undefeated in 1917, they had already posted seven undefeated seasons in school history. The 1917 season, however, might be among the greatest seasons in school history, certainly no lower than No. 2 behind the 1968 team that went 10-0. Chief among the key wins for Easton in 1917 was a 31-19 win over Harrisburg Tech. The following two seasons, Harrisburg Tech was retroactively recognized as the No. 1 team in the nation by the National Sports News Service. Easton also clobbered its rival Phillipsburg 35-0. Pennsylvania high school football historian Roger Saylor recognizes Easton as the state champion for 1917.
Season Log
Collegiate East Stroudsburg, 20-13
Bordentown, 14-0
Harrisburg Tech, 31-19
Allentown Allen, 24-0
Reading, 32-0
Norristown, 47-6
Allentown Prep, 34-13
Newton, 60-0
Phillipsburg, 35-0

4. Owensboro (Ky.), 8-0
While Oklahoma City scored the most points in 1917, Owensboro had the highest scoring average. Coached by Art Acker, a young coach who eventually moved West and became a legendary basketball coach at Chico State in California, Owensboro scored over 100 points three times and averaged 74.6 points per game. Owensboro also defeated the top two programs in Kentucky in Male and Lexington. The loss was the only one of the season for Lexington while Male lost twice. Newspapers noted that Owensboro would have a difficult time taming Henderson in its season final. Owensboro won 124-0. Owensboro placed five on the all-state team, including quarterback Don Field, fullback Doug Field, guards Birk and Little and halfback Terry Snoddy.
Season Log
Madisonville, 116-0
Morganfield, 68-0
Hopkinsville, 66-0
Male, 14-0
Lexington, 28-2
Princeton, 104-0
Paducah, 1-0 FFW
Henderson, 124-0

5. Manual Arts (Los Angeles), 11-1
While most of the state was playing rugby, the southern part of the state was still playing football in California. Manual Arts has been retroactively selected by Cal-Hi Sports as the state team of the year for 1917, and for good reason. The Toilers played many of the top programs in the state including Fullerton (7-2-1), Hollywood (6-3-1), San Diego (5-4-2), and Santa Monica (6-4). Manual Arts played Pomona (7-1-1) for the section championship and won easily, 27-0. The only loss was against Occidental College by just three points. Manual Arts had four players chosen on the All-Southern California team by Jerry Abbott, including ends Erb and McMillan, and halfbacks Amor Galloway and Solly Smith. Berkey, a tackle, and Redd, a guard, joined the other four on the Los Angeles Evening Express All-City Team.
Season Log
Santa Monica, 40-13
Occidental College, 7-10
San Bernardino, 48-0
Lincoln, 40-0
Loyola, 17-0
Hollywood, 13-6
LA Normal, 20-0
LA Poly, 28-2
Los Angeles, 44-0
Fullerton, 21-3
San Diego, 55-0
Pomona, 27-0

6. Hyde Park (Chicago), 8-0
Hyde Park ran roughshod through the Chicago League, outscoring opponents 256-7 in six games. In a Chicago city playoff, Hyde Park shut out an Oak Park team that had dominated the decade with national championships from 1910 to 1913. In an interstate matchup with Male (Louisville), Hyde Park blanked one of Kentucky’s top teams 25-0. Running backs Neff and Murphy made the All-Cook County team along with guard Miller and end Schimmer.
Season Log
St. Rita, 59-0
Lane, 20-0
Phillips, 59-0
Crane, 49-0
Harrison, 14-0
Englewood, 55-7
Oak Park, 6-0
Male, 25-0

7. Medford (Mass.), 10-0
Medford ran off eight straight shutouts to start the season, including a 10-0 victory over Everett, the 1914 national champion by the NSNS, and 3-0 wins over powerhouses Haverhill and Malden. In a battle between the top two teams in Massachusetts, Medford edged Newton 12-7. Medford then captured the New England championship with a 13-7 win over Manchester (N.H.). Quarterback Charles Donellan was selected as the captain of the Boston Globe’s All-Interscholastic Team along with tackle Francis Bowler and center Warren McLellan.
Season Log
Woburn, 42-0
Haverhill, 3-0
St. John’s Danvers, 21-0
Melrose, 81-0
Dorchester, 47-0
Somerville, 7-0
Everett, 10-0
Malden, 3-0
Newton, 12-7
Manchester, 13-7

8. Lansing Central (Mich.), 7-0-1
A scoreless tie with Grand Rapids Union was all that kept Lansing Central from moving further up the list. Lansing was averaging 75 points per game prior to the Grand Rapids game and then finished the season with a 37-0 win over Jackson. Central was slated to meet the winner of the Detroit Central and Detroit Northwestern game (which Northwestern won) but Lansing coach E.J. Shassberger decided not to play the game. “Lansing has sufficient of a hold on the title to rest content.” Halfback Kipke, center Johns and guard Vandervoort all made the all-state 11 chosen by the Detroit Central coach.
Season Log
St. Louis, 53-0
Lapeer, 110-0
Battle Creek, 96-0
Bay City Eastern, 53-0
Grand Rapids Central, 13-6
Bay City Western, 127-0
Grand Rapids Union, 0-0
Jackson, 37-0

9. Baton Rouge (La.), 7-0
Baton Rouge didn’t give up a point all season, but even after beating defending state champion Warren Easton 24-0 for the defacto state championship game, Winnfield made claims for the state title. Undefeated on the season, Winnfield said that Baton Rouge needed to play it in order to claim the state championship. After initially declining the invitation, Baton Rouge played Winnfield in late November and ended any doubts with a 46-0 win. 
Season Log
Jesuit, 34-0
Manual Training, 27-0
Chamberlain Hunt, W
Shreveport, 27-0
Bolton, 17-0
Easton, 24-0
Winnfield, 46-0

10. Greenville (Texas), 10-0
Greenville had the best overall record of any team in Texas and had several key wins. A 13-6 Greenville win handed Waxahachie its only loss of the season. Greenville also defeated Terrell 45-0, which had handed 9-1 Sherman its only loss of the season. Greenville knocked off De Leon to claim the championship of Texas.
Season Log
Garland, 26-0
Rockwall, 52-0
Terrell, 45-0
Honey Grove, 19-0
SMU B, 29-0
Dallas Powell School, 24-7
Bonham, 40-3
Marshall, 17-0
Waxahachie, 13-6
DeLeon, 20-0

11. Youngstown South (Ohio), 10-0
No state champion has been named in Ohio for 1917 by the state football historians, but one potential candidate would be Youngstown South. Undefeated on the season while allowing just 6 points, South had the best record in the state. A key win included a 19-0 victory over Washington (Massillon), which had gone 10-0 in 1916 and garnered state champion recognition, along with Toledo Scott, for that season. Oberlin, which had one of the top records in the state in 1917, was the only team to score on Youngstown South.
Season Log
Alliance, 19-0
Akron South, 21-0
New Castle, 14-0
Meadville, 27-0
Oberlin, 27-6
Niles, 82-0
Washington (Massillon), 19-0
Canton, 7-0
Warren, 44-0
Rayen, 48-0

12. Memphis Central (Tenn.), 6-0
Central challenged Montgomery Bell for the state title in Tennessee. Central had a big win over Little Rock, which claimed the state championship in Arkansas. Memphis Central blanked Little Rock and had four other shutouts on the season. The undefeated season was part of a 24-0 run over four seasons for the Warriors.
Season Log
Little Rock, 27-0
Tupelo Military Institute, 42-0
Union University, 14-6
University of Memphis, 33-0
Memphis University, 37-0
Haywood, 58-0

13. Champaign (Ill.), 8-0
Champaign won the central Illinois championship by blanking seven opponents and edging rival Urbana for the title. Champaign was scheduled to play Oak Park, but the game never materialized. Champaign also challenged Chicago champion Hyde Park, but the latter team declined the invitation, saying it had disbanded for the year.
Season Log
Monticello, 122-0
Danville, 63-3
West Aurora, 20-0
Bloomington, 35-0
Springfield, 41-0
Tuscola, 77-0
Arcola, 61-0
Urbana, 28-14

14. Omaha Central (Neb.), 9-0
Besides having its way with teams from Nebraska, Omaha Central topped Sioux Falls (S.D.) and St. Joseph (Mo.) in neighboring states to enter into the national championship conversation. Central also edged Lincoln in a battle of unbeaten teams. Central had five players named all-state by the World Herald, including three linemen and quarterback Maxwell.
Season Log
Commerce, 57-0
South, 40-3
Creighton, 52-0
Sioux City, 20-0
Beatrice, 69-0
Lincoln, 13-0
Sioux Falls, 38-7
Norfolk, 35-0
St. Joseph, 21-6

15. Mason City (Iowa), 9-0-1
Mason City’s season was divided into two very different parts. In the first six games, Mason City cracked the century mark twice while scoring 500 points and averaging 83 points per game. In the last four games, Mason City scored just 29 points for an average of 7 points per game. The only blemish on the schedule was a 7-7 tie with Marshalltown. Belding, and end, McConnell, a tackle, and Shearer, a fullback, made the all-state first team. Other teams in the state laid claim to the title, including Marshalltown and Iowa City. Marshalltown was undefeated with two ties while Iowa City was undefeated with one tie. However Iowa City scored just 229 points on the season - a total Mason City topped in its first two games of the season.
Season Log
New Hampton, 124-0
Clarion, 133-0
Nashua, 68-0
Eldora, 37-0
Industrial School, 71-0
Osage, 67-0
Marshalltown, 7-7
West Waterloo, 12-0
North, 3-0
Algona, 7-0

16. Trenton (N.J.), 8-0
Three teams made claims to the state championship in New Jersey in 1917, including Trenton and Millville in the south part of the state and Battin in the north. The argument held that Trenton was the top team, due to its tougher schedule and strong performance. Halfback Moore landed on the Asbury Park Press all-state team while tackle Pierce also made first team.
Season Log
Pennington Seminary, 16-0
Bordentown MI, 19-0
Wilmington, 19-0
East Orange, 13-0
Dickinson, 40-0
Camden, 33-12
Atlantic City, 14-0
New Brunswick, 33-0

17. Asheville School for Boys 7-0
The team with the best record in North Carolina, Asheville played few high schools, instead beating several military outposts and Lenoir College by 148-0, a score that still stands as the highest score posted by a North Carolina team in state history. Charlotte is listed as the state champion by the NCHSAA, but Asheville beat Charlotte twice during the 1917 season.
Season Log
Asheville School, 33-0
Homer Military, 66-0
Camp Sevier, 14-0
Lenoir College, 148-0
Charlotte, 16-8
Bailey Military Institute, 16-0
Charlotte, 13-7

18. Georgia Military College Prep, 7-0
The Bulldogs had the best record in Georgia in 1917, edging out Valdosta, which went 6-1 with a loss to Duval (Jacksonville, Fla.). GMC edged Tech, which later claimed the state championships with a 5-1 overall record. Over the course of five seasons from 1915 to 1919, GMC lost just four games.
Season Log
Lanier, 56-0
Boys, 27-0
Tech, 14-13
Chick Springs Military Academy, 40-0
Savannah, 20-6
North Georgia Agricultural College, 26-6
Porter Military (Charleston SC), 13-0

19. Manchester 9-1
A loss to Medford proved to be Manchester’s only obstacle from claiming a New England championship in 1917. Besides beating several New Hampshire squads, Manchester also defeated several teams from Massachusetts, including a powerful Haverhill squad. Manchester might have even held a slight advantage over Medford for the New England championship based on Medford only defeating Haverhill 3-0. Bill Kenyon was the star running back for Manchester as he did the running, passing and kicking for the team.
Season Log
Portsmouth, 41-0
Allen, 82-0
Concord, 42-0
MIT frosh, 47-0
Lowell, 53-0
Haverhill, 21-2
Concord, 34-7
Peabody, 7-6
Cambridge Latin, 73-0
Medford, 7-13

20. Millville (NJ), 9-0
A single touchdown by Trenton may have kept Millville from making the best claim to a state championship in 1917. Trenton and Millville were targeted as the top teams from South Jersey while Battin and Barringer were the top North Jersey teams. Trenton and Millville weren’t scheduled to play each other, but they both played Atlantic City with Trenton winning 14-0 and Millville winning 7-0. Trenton ultimately got the nod from several newspapers, but Millville certainly could make the argument. Besides not giving up a point all season, Millville outscored Trenton 302-187. However the argument for Trenton mentioned a tougher schedule than Millville.
Season Log
Wilmington, 12-0
Pleasantville, 95-0
Glassboro, 45-0
Moorestown, 27-0
Salem, 45-0
Vineland, 26-0
Atlantic City, 7-0
Penns Grove, 19-0
Bridgeton, 26-0

21. Taylorville (Ill.), 8-0-1
Also challenging Hyde Park and Champaign for state championship honors in Illinois was Taylorville, a team from the southern part of the state. Undefeated on the season, Taylorville had a 7-7 tie against Alton to mar an otherwise stellar record. The biggest win came against Tuscola. In the 181-0 victory, legend has it that Vernon “Deem” Mullen scored 22 touchdowns for Taylorville. However, the school’s own records list Mullen with eight touchdowns.
Season Log
Villa Grove, 35-0
Beardstown, 40-0
Assumption, 99-6
Decatur, 13-0
Pana, 41-0
Alton, 7-7
Tuscola, 181-0
Rushville, 7-6
Danville, 33-7

22. Marshall (Okla.), 11-1
The team most likely to challenge Oklahoma City Central for the state championship in Oklahoma was Marshall, which gave up just six points in 11 wins (two of them forfeits) heading into a matchup with Central for the unofficial state championship. Central won overwhelmingly, however, to leave Marshall as the No. 2 choice.
Season Log
Crescent, 77-0
Norman, 13-0
Cherokee, 14-6
Medford, 21-0
Perry, 68-0
Edmond, 34-0
Billings, FF
Lamont, FF
Crescent, 67-0
Aggie 2nds, W
Madill, 19-0
Oklahoma City, 0-74

23. Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 7-1
After opening the season with a 7-0 loss to prep school Cullum Hall, Erasmus won the rest of its games, including a 6-0 showdown with 1916 Catholic city champion Brooklyn Prep. Erasmus placed three players on the Brooklyn Eagle’s All-Scholastic Team, including tackle Wilkinson, and running backs MacPhee and Goebel.
Season Log
Cullum Hall, 0-7
Commercial, 27-0
NYU Frosh, 30-6
St. John’s Prep, 46-0
Manual Arts, 26-0
Brooklyn Prep, 6-0
Boys, 33-6
Poly Prep, 13-0

24. Binghamton (N.Y.), 7-0
While Erasmus and Brooklyn Prep were dueling for supremacy in the city, Binghamton was the top team in upstate New York. Allowing only six points to a strong Utica Free team, Binghamton also blanked a strong Elmira Free team. Binghamton ended the season with a 2-0 win over Flushing, the top team from Long Island. Nine players made the Central New York Interscholastic Team by the Spalding Guide, including Sullivan at halfback.
Season Log
Towanda, 6-0
Cortland, 7-0
Norwich, 19-12
Utica Free, 19-6
Elmira Free, 20-0
Ithaca, 18-0
Flushing, 2-0

25. Hartford Public (Conn.), 6-0-2
Hartford didn’t allow a point all season and tied perennial state champion New Britain 0-0 in the final game of the season. New Britain claimed the state championship at the conclusion of the season due to averaging more points per game. However Hartford won two more games than New Britain and gets the nod here.
Season Log
Wyndham, 20-0
Holyoke, 14-0
Loomis, 7-0
Torrington, 48-0
Springfield, 0-0
Norwich, 46-0
New Haven, 19-0
New Britain, 0-0

26. Pomona (Calif.), 7-1-1
Pomona was the clear No. 2 team in the state of California in 1917, losing to Manual Arts for the Southern Section championship for its only loss of the season. Pomona also tied a solid San Diego team while also blanking Long Beach Poly in the quarterfinals and Hollywood in the season opener. Nisbet, at halfback, and Glenn, at guard, made the All-Southern California team.
Season Log
Hollywood, 21-0
Redlands, 48-0
Chaffey, 6-0
San Diego, 7-7
San Bernardino, 23-0
Riverside, 3-0
Long Beach Poly, 9-0
South Pasadena, 20-0
Manual Arts, 0-27

27. Brooklyn Prep (N.Y.), 5-1
The city champion of 1916, Brooklyn Prep vied for the title again in 1917, but lost to Erasmus Hall 6-0. Brooklyn Prep rebounded to beat Fordham Prep to capture the Catholic prep championship. The win also proved to be Brooklyn Prep’s first over Fordham in nine years. Brooklyn Prep placed three on the Eagle’s All-Scholastic team, including O’Rourke at quarterback and linemen Hehl and Hardin.
Season Log
Adelphi, 44-0
Marquand, 55-0
St. John’s Prep, 19-7
New Utrecht, 25-0
Erasmus, 0-6
Fordham Prep, 14-6

28. Hillsborough (Tampa, Fla.), 5-3-1
League play among the largest schools in Florida was very balanced in 1917 with Gainesville, Plant City and Duval all battling Hillsborough for the top spot. While Hillsborough lost to a YMCA and Southern college, it was 5-1-1 against high school competition. It tied Gainesville and beat Duval while Gainesville and Duval both tied, allowing Hillsborough to claim the state championship. Hillsborough placed five on the all-state team including center Culbreath and end Pendas on the first team.
Season Log
YMCA, 6-18
Osceola, 6-0
St. Petersburg, 6-7
Orlando, 14-6
Gainesville, 0-0
Southern, 6-14
Plant, 41-0
Duval, 7-3

29. Montgomery Bell (Nashville, Tenn.), 5-0
Although Montgomery Bell only won five games, one of them was an 18-6 win over Baylor, which handed Central Birmingham its only loss. According to the Tennesseean on Dec. 9, Bell was supposed to play Hume-Fogg to determine the state championship on Dec. 22, but the game was never played.
Season Log
Baylor, 18-6
Columbia Military Academy, 20-0
Castle Heights, 21-6
Green, 38-0
Sewanee Military, 26-6

30. Central (Birmingham, Ala.), 6-1
Later known as Phillips, Central dominated Alabama football teams including an 84-0 win over an Ensley team that finished 8-2. The only loss was a 7-6 defeat at the hands of Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.), one of the top teams in Tennessee.
Season Log
Pennington, 27-0
Baylor, 6-7
Etowah, 18-0
Ensley, 84-0
Oneonta Blount County, 62-0
Bessemer, 51-0
Fayette County, 47-0

31. Lexington (Ky.), 7-1
Lexington gave Owensboro one of its toughest games of the season and it also topped Male in a close contest to finish as the No. 2 team in the state. Patrick, a halfback, made the all-state team along with King, a receiver.
Season Log
Mt. Sterling, 20-7
Paris, 59-0
Kentucky Wesleyan, 7-6
Kentucky Military Institute, 6-0
Male, 6-0
Cynthiana, 34-7
Owensboro, 2-28
Somerset, 13-7

32. Detroit Northwestern (Mich.), 5-0-1
Detroit Central was a top candidate to contend with Lansing Central for the championship of Michigan, but Northwestern worked its way into the mix after beating Central 7-6. Northwestern also tied Eastern 6-6, but won all of its other games by blowout to finish No. 2 behind Lansing Central.
Season Log
Northern, 30-6
Windsor, 44-0
Cass Tech, 68-0
Central, 7-6
Eastern, 6-6
Adrian, 70-0

33. Rochester (Minn.), record unknown
Not much is known about the 1917 team at Rochester, except that it was coming off a state championship season in 1916 and it went through the 1917 season undefeated (total number of wins unknown) while outscoring its opponents 224-0. Included in the wins was a 14-0 win over St. Cloud that gave Rochester the state championship.
Season Log
Madelia, 48-0
St. Cloud, 14-0
224-0

34. Battin (N.J.), 9-0
While Trenton and Millville were considered the top teams in South Jersey, Battin and Barringer were the top teams in the North. Battin ended Barringer’s claim to the title with a 20-7 win near the end of the season. Battin was named as the second best team in the state by some newspapers and third by others.
Season Log
Eastside, 35-0
Rahway, 65-0
Plainfield, 27-0
New Brunswick, 20-2
Irvington, 39-7
Asbury, 28-0
Pingry, 53-0
Barringer, 20-7
Southside, 13-7

35. Sherman (Texas), 9-1
Sherman battled Greenville for the top spot in the state in 1917. Sherman suffered one loss, a 14-7 defeat to Terrell. Greenville, meanwhile, defeated Terrell 45-0 to take top state honors.
Season Log
Van Alstyne, 86-0
Durant, 45-0
Wesley College, 19-6
Dallas Powell School, 51-0
Terrell, 7-14
Bonham, 41-0
Tishimongo College, 68-0
Beaumont, 13-7
Port Arthur, 3-0
Denison, 25-0

36. Scott (Toledo, Ohio), 8-1
Named co-champion in Ohio in 1916, Scott picked up a number of impressive wins, including an 89-0 thrashing of perennial Michigan standout Muskegon, a 19-0 win over rival Waite and a 53-12 win over Chicago power Englewood. However a 20-12 loss to Detroit Central, which ended up finishing No. 3 in the Michigan state title claim, prevents Scott from being much higher on the list.
Season Log
Bryan, 103-0
Sandusky, 34-0
Hamilton, 52-0
Detroit Central, 12-20
Masten Park, 50-3
Englewood, 53-12
Muskegon, 89-0
Lafayette (Buffalo), 80-0
Waite, 19-0

37. Little Rock (Ark.), 7-2
If not for a 19-18 loss to Lonoke, Little Rock would have been higher on the list. Little Rock also lost to a powerful Memphis, but bounced back to blast Stutgart 111-0. The state title was the first of five in a row for Little Rock and if not for Pine Bluff’s state title in 1916, Little Rock would have had eight in a row.
Season Log
Lonoke, 18-19
Texarkana, 26-0
Pine Bluff, 24-7
Benton, 21-7
Benton, 28-0
Russellville, 14-0
Memphis Central, 0-27
Stutgart, 111-0
Normal, 45-0

38. Independence (Kan.), 7-0
While Hutchinson has claimed the state championship in Kansas for 1917, Independence might have the better record. While also going 6-0 in-state, Independence also knocked a Bartlesville team that challenged for the Oklahoma state championship.
Season Log
Nowata, 33-2
Bartlesville, 32-6
Fredonia, 91-0
Labette, 61-0
Chanute, 15-13
Cherryvale, 64-0
Erie, 32-0

39. Lagrande (Ore.), 4-0-1
The key win for Lagrande came against Franklin, a Portland school that went undefeated against the best teams in the Portland area. A late-season game against Lagrande, however, ended and unbeaten season and gave Lagrande claim to the Oregon state championship.
Season Log
Elgin, 46-0
Pendleton, 13-13
Enterprise, 114-0
Baker, 31-7
Franklin, 14-0

40. Franklin (Portland, Ore.), 9-1
Franklin won nine straight games by shutout and would have made a claim for the state championship if not for a loss to Lagrande in the season finale.
Season Log
Commerce, 64-0
Gresham, 41-0
Hill Military Academy, 46-0
Lincoln, 14-0
James John, 14-0
Benson, 41-0
Columbia Univ., 7-0
Washington, 13-0
Jefferson, 13-0
LaGrande, 0-14

41. Bartlesville (Okla.), 7-1
Bartlesville was a possible claimant to the state championship from the Tulsa area after defeating Tulsa during the season. The only blemish on Bartlesville’s record came with the intrastate loss to Independence of Kansas.
Season Log
Independence, 6-32

Pawhuska, 20-7
Claremore, 26-0
Okmulgee, 27-0
Tulsa, 27-0
Nowata, 7-6
Muskogee, 19-12
Dewey, 12-7

42. Lincoln (Seattle, Wash.), 5-0
Lincoln only played five league games and won them all, including the crucial 6-2 win over Broadway. Lincoln comes out on top of a head-to-head chain of wins among great teams. Lincoln beat Broadway, which beat Walla Walla, which beat East (Salt Lake City). Offensive guard Sandberg earned a spot on the Spokane Chronicle’s all-state team.
Season Log
Ballard, 28-0
West Seattle, 32-0
Franklin, 7-0
Queen Anne, 7-0
Broadway, 6-2

43. Ponca City (Okla.), 10-0
When discussing the top teams in Oklahoma in 1917, Ponca City is usually about third on the list among state scribes behind Oklahoma City Central and Marshall. Ponca City, however, was not part of the state association and was accused of using illegal players. However, it’s hard to deny that Ponca City had a dominant team. Big wins included the victories over Blackwell and Perry. Ponca City was criticized for playing “weaker” Kansas teams, however it beat a Wellington team that was considered among the top clubs in Kansas.
Season Log
Medford, 13-7
Tonkawa, 14-7
Southwestern college frosh (Kan), 20-6
Lamont, 61-0
Perry, 39-0
Newkirk, 113-0
Blackwell, 69-13
Anthony, 40-0
Wellington, 53-14
Pawhuska, 2-0 FF
Mountain View, 61-7

44. Harrisburg Tech (Pa.), 7-2
A glimpse of what was to come in 1918 and 1919, Harrisburg Tech lost only to undefeated Easton and Steelton-Highspire, although it avenged the latter loss. Harrisburg Tech also blasted Altoona 117-0. The headline in the Harrisburg Telegraph toted the 1917 team as the school’s best ever. Those opinions would definitely change over the next two season when Harrisburg Tech went undefeated two years in a row and were pegged as back-to-back national champions. The 1919 team outscored opponents 701-0. Carl Beck, who led the nation in scoring in 1919 and went on to play in the NFL with the Pottsville Maroons, was all-state honorable mention as a sophomore on the 1917 team.
Season Log
Harrisburg Central, 64-0
Steelton Highspire, 28-7
Steelton Highspire, 7-9
Wilkes Barre Coughlin, 62-0
Mount Carmel, 32-0
Easton, 19-31
Western Pa. Altoona, 117-0
Greensburg, 16-7
Lebanon, 29-0

45. Broadway (Seattle, Wash.), 5-1
The Broadway yearbook doesn’t list the win over Walla Walla in the season opener, but it’s a significant win considering Walla Walla’s win over East for the Pacific Northwest championship. Broadway won its first four league contests by shutout (although two games ended up as forfeits for use of an illegal player). That set up a game with unbeaten Lincoln for the conference championship, but Lincoln won 6-2, scoring the only touchdown of the year against Broadway.
Season Log
Walla Walla, 37-0
West Seattle, 12-0
Franklin, 14-0
Ballard, 39-0
Queen Anne, 6-0
Lincoln, 2-6

46. Walla Walla (Wash.), 5-1
A 27-7 win over East (Salt Lake City) gave Walla Walla the Pacific Northwest championship. The only blemish came in the season opener when Seattle powerhouse Broadway blanked Walla Walla 37-0. However Walla Walla won five straight, including a 119-0 win over North Yakima. Offensive tackle Clark earned a spot on the All-Northwest Team selected by the Spokane Chronicle and was listed as one of the strongest player in the state. Fullback Yenny also made the first team.
Season Log
Broadway, 0-37
North Central Spokane, 27-10
Ellensburg, 90-0
North Yakima, 119-0
North Central, 27-10
East (Utah), 27-7

47. East (Salt Lake City, Utah), 9-1
No team dominated Utah football from 1917 to 1922 like East, which went 45-0 against Utah foes and outscored opponents 2,222 to 62 with 35 shutouts, according to Utah historian George Felt. The 1917 season saw them outscore Utah opponents 475-6 while the 1919 team outscored foes 552-0. East didn’t always fare so well against opponents outside of the state, losing to Walla Walla 27-7 for the Pacific Northwest championship. East placed seven players on the all-state first team by the Salt Lake Telegram, including captain honors for halfback Milton “Mit” Romney, the namesake of future Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who was a first cousin once removed. Romney played in the NFL four seasons with the Chicago Bears.
Season Log
Ogden, 134-0
Utah Frosh, 61-0
Utah State Frosh, 72-0
20th Infantry, 70-0
Payson, 35-6
Granite, 54-0
West, 50-0
Davis forfeit
Jordan forfeit
Walla Walla, 7-27

48. Marinette (Wisc.), 6-0
Marinette edged out La Crosse for the claim to the state championship after winning games with three other Wisconsin teams compared to just one for Lacrosse. Marinette finished the season unscored upon and handed a traditionally strong Escanaba (Mich.) team its worst loss of the season. Marinette also ha a key win over Watertown for the state championship. The win propelled Marinette to championship seasons in 1921, 1922, 1924 and 1926, according to Wisconsin historian Kevin Patrowsky in his book, “The Great Teams.”
Season Log
Oconto, 79-0
Green Bay East, 69-0
Green Bay West, 16-0
Escanaba, 52-0
Menominee, 31-0
Watertown, 27-0

49. William Penn Charter (Philadelphia) 8-1-1
William Penn Charter had one of its best team in years with only a loss to Radnor an a scoreless tie with West Philadelphia marring an undefeated record.
Season Log
Radnor, 0-7
Cheltenham, 7-0
West Philadelphia, 0-0
Germantown, 25-0
Swarthmore Prep, 36-6
St. Lukes, 7-0
Germantown Academy, 52-0
Friends Central, 62-0
Episcopal Academy, 31-7
Chestnut Hill Academy, 33-0

50. Twin Falls (Idaho), 7-0-1
Twin Falls was one of the highest scoring teams in the nation at 54 points per game. Twin Falls allowed just 14 points on the season in a tie with Gooding, but it bettered that outing with a 47-0 win over Gooding late in the season. Twin Falls then topped Nampa from another part of the state 56-0.
Season Log
Jerome, 93-0
Buhl, 12-0
Rupert, 124-0
Gooding, 14-14
Buhl, 33-0
Blackfoot, 55-0
Gooding, 47-0
Nampa, 56-0