1945 National High School Football Rankings

Donora named as national champion over Dobyns-Bennett

The year 1945 does not have a designated national champion by National Sports News Service, which retroactively chose national high school football champions from 1958 to 1910. The reason why is a curious one, considering there were not one, but two rankings services producing rankings for multiple states.

One of those ranking services was the Litkenhous ratings, produced by Edward and Frank Litkenhous starting in 1938. The ratings are still used today in several states, but they were used to rate the entire South and some South Central states in 1945, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia. The ratings have some peculiarities, such as rating the Big 8 Conference champion Tupelo behind five other teams in Mississippi, including teams it defeated head-to-head.

Then there was the Dunkel Index, put together by Dick Dunkel and The Scholastic Sports Institute. Dunkel was already a famous statistician, putting together college ratings and some high school ratings prior to joining the newly-formed Scholastic Sports Institute in 1945. The SSI was formed by G. Herbert McCracken. He told the Associated Press in December of 1945 that the SSI’s major function was to “gather, file and interpret sports statistics.” McCracken hired Walter Kennedy, former Notre Dame public relations, to work for the company. He later went on to become the NBA Commissioner.

The SSI did football ratings in the fall of 1945 and also did basketball ratings in the winter of 1946, but is nowhere to be found during the 1946 football season. Dunkel continued to rank teams, but not necessarily on a national level. The Dunkel family continues to rank college football to this day. In 1945, the Dunkel Index rated 13 states, including California, Texas, Indiana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin.

The two ranking systems purported to rank teams based on similar methods using strength of schedule and wins and losses to come up with a rating. However the actual numbers themselves were quite different. Both Litkenhous and Dunkel rated teams from Indiana. While the “rankings” of the team were fairly similar in their order, the “rating” was quite different with Litkenhous numbers coming in about 20 points higher than Dunkel Index numbers. For instance, East Chicago Roosevelt was No. 1 in Indiana with a Dunkel rating of 78.3. Litkenhous also had Roosevelt No. 1, but with a rating of 101.2.

Meshing the two rankings isn’t exactly compatible, however. For one, Male (Louisville, Ky.) is the No. 1 team in the Litkenhou ratings. However Male lost to Newark, the No. 6 team in the Dunkel Ohio ratings. The problem here is that Litkenhous didn’t rate Ohio, so it’s hard to tell how the Newark win might have changed Male’s overall rating.

Another issue in 1945 is what to do with all of the ties in Ohio. The top five teams in Ohio by the Dunkel Index - Toledo Waite, Cathedral Latin, Warren Harding, Massillon and McKinley, combined for 11 ties including six against each other. All except McKinley were undefeated with the Canton team losing to Harding. How to ultimately rank all of those deserving teams can be difficult.

Other troublesome ties occurred in Texas and Louisiana. Highland Park, which went 12-0-2, tied Waco, a team it had previously defeated, in the Texas state finals. The tie ultimately had to drop Highland Park a little below other undefeated champions. Meanwhile La Salle Academy (Providence, Rhode Island) traveled all the way to New Orleans to tie Louisiana state champion Holy Cross, thus raising the Rams high in the rankings.

Finally there is the case of San Diego. Rated No. 1 in the nation by the Dunkel Index in late November, the Hillers didn’t even reach the Southern California semifinals after losing to Long Beach Wilson in the quarterfinals. Leaving San Diego out of the Top 50 seemed illogical due to its early No. 1 rating, but finding the right place for the Hillers took much consideration.

In the end, Donora (Pa.) earned the No. 1 ranking (pictured above with photo from Classmates). Dunkel had it as the top team in Pennsylvania by a wide margin and if the Dunkel scores are extrapolated to the Litkenhous ratings, it is a clear winner there as well. Donora was also one of the top teams in our 1944 national rankings.

Here’s a look at the Top 50.

1. Donora (Pa.), 10-0
Coming off a WPIAL championship in 1944, Donora was not expected to challenge in 1945 after losing nine starters. However, one of the returning starters  was Dan Towler, later known as “Deacon” Dan Towler during his All-Pro days with the Los Angeles Rams. Towler scored 179 points and was the only Donora player to earn first-team all-state honors. The defense proved to be very tough, posting seven shutouts to start the season and giving up just 13 points on the year. Donora rated No. 1 in the nation in the Dunkel Index, however the ratings only included about 4,500 teams from 13 states.
Season Log
Monessen, 18-0
Pittsburgh Westinghouse, 27-0
LaTrobe, 33-0
Clairton, 7-0
Charleroi, 45-0
Brownsville, 26-0
Monongahela, 28-0
Altoona, 34-7
Washington, 41-0
New Kensington, 38-6

2. Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport, Tenn.), 10-0
After a 6-3-1 season in 1944, Dobyns-Bennett (also known as Kingsport High) took over the No. 1 ranking in Tennessee by the Litkenhous rankings after a 26-12 win over Chattanooga Central, which had been No. 1. The Indians remained at the top of the rankings the rest of the season with a 20-13 win over defending state champion Knoxville and a 34-13 win over Elizabethton, the second best team in the Big Five Conference. Cecil Puckett was an all-state quarterback for Kingsport, but he did not make the All-Southern team because he was not a senior. Jack Fulkerson, the team’s top tackle, also made first team all-state and was an All-Southern Selection. Kingsport finished the season ranked No. 2 in the overall Litkenhous rankings behind Male (Louisville, Ky.). The season was the first unbeaten, untied season in school history.
Season Log
Newport, 63-0
Stair Tech, 27-6
Chattanooga Central, 26-12
Bradley Central, 6-0
Erwin, 39-7
Maryville, 32-7
Knoxville, 20-13
Tennessee, 33-0
Elizabethton, 34-13
Science Hill, 26-0

3. Hillsborough (Tampa, Fla.), 10-0
For the second straight season, Hillsborough finished the year undefeated, this time going 10-0. Ironically, Florida teams did not place very high in the Litkenhous ratings with none finishing in the Top 25 among southern schools. However it’s hard to overlook the accomplishments of the Terriers, who posted five shutouts and won the Big 10 Conference. Running back Hal Griffin, a junior, was considered the top player according to the voting for the All-Southern team. The All-Southern Team was only supposed to include seniors in 1945, but Griffin was selected to the team, perhaps because he intended to finish school over the summer and enter college in the fall. Tackle Ed Diaz and center Jackie Menendez made All-Southern honorable mention. Hillsborough had nine players make the Tampa All-City first or second team.
Season Log
Plant City, 13-6
St. Petersburg, 36-0
Jackson (Jacksonville), 26-6
Jefferson, 20-13
Lakeland, 20-0
Orlando, 20-7
Lee, 26-0
Clearwater, 40-12
Plant, 43-0
Jesuit, 46-0

4. Tucson (Ariz.) 11-0
The 1945 season culminated an undefeated three-year run by the Badgers under coach Rollin Gridley. Tucson won 32 straight games during the streak with three state championships. The 1945 team might have been the best, with five shutouts to start the season and seven overall. Tucson knocked off Phoenix Union twice and handed Mesa two of its three losses on the season. A total of 12 Badgers earned all-state honors on the first, second, and third teams along with honorable mention. Art Pacheco, Joe Kelley, Oscar Carrillo, Jim Tolley and Tom Fridena were all first team picks.
Season log
Phoenix, 15-0
Austin (El Paso, Texas), 12-0
St. Mary’s, 20-0
Bisbee, 32-0
North, 21-0
Mesa, 14-7
St. Mary’s, 17-0
Douglas, 28-6
Phoenix, 35-7
Glendale, 25-13
Mesa, 9-0

5. Highland Park (Dallas, Texas), 12-0-2
After two straight years of coming up one win short of a state championship, the Scotsmen won it all in 1945, sort of. Highland Park tied Waco 7-7 in the state championship game to grab a share of the title. Highland Park had lost to San Angelo in the 1943 semifinals and Port Arthur Jefferson in the 1944 finals. Highland Park had two wins and two ties over the top teams in the state, beating Waco 7-0 during the regular season and tying it in the championship game. The Scots also tied Wichita Falls 7-7 in the regular season and won in the semifinals 18-0. Ironically, Highland Park did not have any players on the All-Southern team, but it did place three players on the all-state first team in end Bill Elliott, center Jimmy Flowers and running back Bill Moxley.
Season Log
Waxahachie, 21-0
San Angelo, 19-6
Waco, 7-0
Sherman, 45-6
Marshall, 26-0
Wichita Falls, 7-7
Denton, 31-0
Arlington, 47-0
McKinney, 87-7
Sulphur Springs, 40-6
Paris, 32-7
North Side (Fort Worth), 40-6
Wichita Falls, 18-0
Waco, 7-7

6. Santa Ana (California) 11-1
Santa Ana wasn’t the favorite entering the postseason in the Southern Section of California in 1945. That honor went to San Diego, which was undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation by the Dunkel Index. However San Diego lost to Long Beach Wilson and Santa Ana defeated Wilson in the semifinals before avenging its only loss of the year with a 33-21 win over Alhambra in the finals. The Saints had only one player make the All-CIF team with running back Bill Turley landing on the second team.
Season Log
Covina, 6-0
Beverly Hills, 14-6
Riverside, 27-0
Alhambra, 13-19
Newport Harbor, 25-0
Anaheim, 19-7
Huntington Beach, 18-0
Orange, 34-0
Fullerton, 7-0
Pomona, 19-2
Long Beach Wilson, 14-12
Alhambra, 33-21

7. East Chicago Roosevelt (Indiana), 10-0
The 1945 season was the first of three undefeated seasons for the Roughriders and the first of four mythical state championships in five seasons. The team ranked No. 1 in the state by both the Dunkel Index and the Litkenhous ratings. Center Ray Wietecha earned first team all-state honors along with running back Johnny Polonciak. The Riders also had a second team all-state pick in Bill Cavitt. Three others earned honorable mention all-state honors.
Season Log
Tolleston 18-0
Wallace (Gary), 12-7
Hammond, 33-0
Horace Mann, 45-6
Bosse, 48-6
Hammond Clark, 35-0
Whiting, 26-6
Hammond Tech, 40-7
East Chicago Washington, 19-6
South Bend Central, 23-0

8. Toledo Waite (Ohio), 10-0-1
Waite might have been much higher on this list if not for the tie with Canton Lincoln in the final game of the season. Waite still ended up as the highest-ranked team in Ohio by the Dunkel Index, but it finished behind several teams in the Midwest, including Donora (Pa.) and East Chicago Roosevelt (Ind.). Clinton Knitz, center, earned first team all-state honors while tackle Jack Dawson made second team.
Season Log
Central Catholic, 13-0
Woodward, 34-0
Liberty, 6-0
DeVilbiss, 27-6
Central Catholic, 26-7
Woodward, 21-0
Liberty, 27-0
Mansfield, 27-12
De Vilbiss, 46-0
Scott, 52-0
Canton Lincoln, 0-0

9. Cathedral Latin (Cleveland, Ohio), 9-0-1
Ranked behind Toledo Waite at the end of the season, Latin was ranked No. 1 in the state for much of the season. A tie with Massillon marred an otherwise perfect record. Robert Lally, a second team all-state pick as a junior, earned first team honors as a senior at guard. Robert Wagner was a third team pick at tackle. The 1945 season was the second of three straight unbeaten seasons for Latin.
Season Log
St. Ignatius, 19-0
Adams, 34-7
East Tech, 14-7
Glenville, 47-12
Holy Name, 13-0
East, 72-2
Massillon, 6-6
Central, 36-0
Collinwood, 46-0
St. Ignatius, 13-7

10. Holy Cross (New Orleans), 9-0-1
Holy Cross opened the season with a win over Boys (Ga.), handing the Atlanta team its only loss of the season. Wins over the top programs in Louisiana - Warren Easton, St. Aloysius, Jesuit, and Istrouma, set up a 31-13 win over Fair Park for the Louisiana state championship. A bowl matchup in December with La Salle Academy (R.I.) ended in a tie, preventing Holy Cross from a higher finish in the rankings. Running back Ed Heider earned All-Southern recognition while running back Joe Ernst was named honorable mention.
Season Log
Boys, 19-6
Peters, 32-6
Fortier, 61-12
Warren Easton, 45-6
St. Aloysius, 20-6
Jesuit, 24-6
Nicholls, 20-0
Istrouma, 33-32
Fair Park, 31-13
La Salle Academy, 6-6

11. La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.), 9-0-1
La Salle Academy might not have made the Top 50 if not for its tie with Holy Cross. However, that single game can’t be discounted. La Salle Academy spent three days riding a train to play the hometown team in New Orleans. To play a tie game with a team that defeated the best teams in Louisiana AND the best team in Georgia is reason enough to put the Rams high on the list. Besides posting seven shutouts, the Rams allowed just 15 points on the season. The Rams were led by quarterback Don Panciera, an all-state pick who was considered the top quarterback in New England. He went on to play at Boston College and played three seasons in the NFL and AAFC combined. Other all-state players included guard Gerard Cote, end Ernest Latessa and running back Edward Bagdanovich. A total of 10 Rams made the All-Metro team chosen by the Providence Journal.
Season Log
St. Clements, 33-0
Malden Catholic, 14-0
Mount Pleasant, 13-0
Springfield Cathedral, 31-0
St. Raphael Academy, 20-7
Cranston, 20-0
Hope, 35-2
Central, 25-0
East Providence, 13-0
Holy Cross, 6-6

12. Boys (Atlanta, Ga.), 10-1
Boys closed its doors following the 1946 season, but it put together a tremendous final dozen years with eight state championships and eight 10-win seasons. Boys went 111-17 from 1934 to 1945. The 1945 team had only one loss, that coming against Holy Cross (New Orleans). Boys knocked off Lanier and Tech, the other top two teams in the state. Known as the Purples, Boys had 10 players named to the Atlanta Constitution All-City team, including guard Ewell Pope who was named co-captain of the team.
Season Log
Commercial, 45-6
Holy Cross, 6-19
Gadsden, 25-6
Columbus, 31-6
Benedictine, 28-0
Georgia Military Academy, 48-0
Savannah, 32-0
Lee (Jacksonville), 32-6
Marist, 20-0
Tech, 14-0
Lanier (Macon), 14-6

13. Newark (Ohio), 9-0
The top five teams in the Dunkel Index ratings for Ohio all had ties, but the No. 6 team, Newark, finished the season undefeated at 9-0. More importantly, Newark had a win over Male (Louisville, Ky.), which finished No. 1 in the Southern Litkenhous ratings. Newark wasn’t rated in the Litkenhous ratings and Male wasn’t rated in the Dunkel Index, so it’s hard to tell what effect the Newark win would have had over Male if it was ranked by Dunkel. We take the opportunity to drop Male in the rankings much lower due to the loss and we put Newark up higher ahead of three other Ohio teams that were ranked higher in the Dunkel Index final ratings. Fullback Bill Fleitz was the second-leading vote-getter on the Associated Press all-state team after scoring 116 points on the season.
Season Log
Columbus East, 13-7
Columbus North, 20-12
Dover, 32-8
Lancaster, 30-6
Coshocton, 26-0
Male, 20-13
Cambridge, 38-6
Marietta, 33-6
Zanesville, 20-7

14. Male (Louisville, Ky.), 8-1
Male was ranked No. 1 in the South by the Litkenhous ratings, but that seems a little mystifying considering the one loss to Newark (Ohio) and the undefeated season by Dobyns-Bennett (not to mention the second straight undefeated season by Hillsborough). The 1945 season marked the third straight season Male earned a top rating in Kentucky by the Litkenhous ratings. Stewart Graham made the Louisville Courier Journal’s all-state team at guard while receiver Larry Phelps, and running backs Sherman Robinson and Dawson Ormon were all third team.
Season Log
Dixie Heights 39-0
South Bend Central, 13-12
West Frankfort (Ill.), 39-6
St. Xavier, 41-0
Newark, 13-20
Russell, 56-0
Knoxville Central, 7-0
Corbin, 55-0
Manual, 20-7

15. Everett (Mass.), 8-0
Despite playing two fewer games, Everett won the state championship over Brockton. Everett had a pair of all-state players in guard Dom Liotta and center Bill Vesprini. Tragically, Liotta committed suicide following the 1951 season while at Villanova just after being selected to play in the Shrine Game. Vesprini went on to play at Dartmouth. Two Everett players made second team while another made third team.
Season Log
Somerville, 19-0
Salem, 20-0
Lynn Classical, 21-7
Medford, 7-6
Waltham, 32-7
Lynn English, 19-6
Malden, 39-6
Chelsea, 19-6

16. Tupelo (Miss.), 11-0
Oddly, Tupelo finished fifth in the Litkenhous ratings for Mississippi behind Vicksburg, McComb, Greenwood and Laurel. Of the five teams, Tupelo was the only undefeated team. Top-rated Vicksburg had a loss to Greenwood, a team Tupelo defeated. Greenwood had three losses, while McComb and Laurel each had three. Tupelo, meanwhile, had quality wins over six teams with six or more wins. Although they were all in the Big 8 Conference, Tupelo did not play McComb, Vicksburg or Laurel during the season. Quarterback Chester Henley and end Bert Lyle both made first team All-Southern Team. Henley scored 118 points on the season.
Season Log
Nettleton, 71-0
Booneville, 39-6
Greenwood, 6-0
Clarksdale, 25-7
Amory, 40-12
Baldwyn, 32-0
Central Jackson, 36-18
Meridian, 33-13
Corinth, 20-13
Greenville, 14-6
Lee, 27-0

17. Istrouma (New Orleans), 10-1
If not for a one-point loss, Istrouma might have been at the top of this list. A 33-32 loss to Holy Cross for the New Orleans city championship ended an unbeaten season for Istrouma, which had previously beaten defending state champion Baton Rouge, Bogalusa and Catholic (Baton Rouge). When Holy Cross defeated Istrouma, it was credited with beating the greatest team Istrouma ever had. Bobby Clegg, running back, made the All-Southern Team while tackle Cleo Darr was honorable mention.
Season Log
Lake Charles, 20-13
Covington, 43-0
Warren Easton, 18-0
GCMA, 13-12
Byrd, 34-6
Pascagoula, 27-0
Bolton, 32-7
Baton Rouge, 34-18
Bogalusa, 44-7
Catholic, 34-7
Holy Cross, 32-33

18. Waco (Texas), 12-1-1
Four years before earning national champion honors in 1948, Waco tied Highland Park (Dallas) for the 1945 Texas AA state championship. Waco’s only loss of the season came in the third game of the year to Highland Park. Waco somewhat avenged that loss with the 7-7 tie in the state finals. Waco also knocked off Goose Creek in the semifinals and Marshall in the quarterfinals. Those two teams finished in the Top 5 in the final state rankings. The state title was the fifth for Waco, which had three players on the all-state team in end James “Froggy” Williams, tackle Ralph Murphy and running back Clifford Lindloff. Williams was a two-time all-state honoree.
Season Log
Jeff Davis (Houston), 16-12
Denison, 19-0
Highland Park, 0-7
Hillsboro, 33-6
Waxahachie, 27-7
Corsicana, 33-0
Bryan, 41-0
Cleburne, 42-0
Temple, 33-6
Breckenridge, 20-6
Marshall, 18-0
Goose Creek, 7-0
Highland Park, 7-7

19. Wichita Falls (Texas), 11-1-1
Like Waco, Wichita Falls suffered a tie and a loss to Highland Park, just in the reverse order of Waco. Wichita Falls tied Highland Park in the seventh game of the season, but then lost in the Class AA semifinals. Tackle Bob Hames earned first team all-state. Two years after the 1945 season, Wichita Falls hired Joe Golding as coach and by 1949 he led the Coyotes to a 14-0 season and a national championship.
Season Log
Amon Carter Riverside, 32-0
Paschal, 27-6
Breckenridge, 20-6
Childress, 34-6
Graham, 19-12
Electra, 20-0
Highland Park, 7-7
Quanah, 7-0
Olney, 58-0
Vernon, 48-0
Amarillo, 26-7
Odessa, 35-0
Highland Park, 0-18

20. Granby (Va.), 10-0
The 1945 season came in the middle of a 32-game win streak for Granby with the loss coming to Lynn Classical (Mass.) in 1946. Lynn Classical went on to earn mythical national champion honors in 1947. The 1945 team defeated defending North Carolina champion Coon and also handed Newport News one of its two losses and Woodrow Wilson its only loss. Carl Eborn (tackle), Louis McLeod (guard), Henry Foiles (center) and Charles Stobbs (back) all earned all-state honors with Eborn also recognized as the state’s top player as a member of the All-Southern Team.
Season Log
Cradock, 51-7
Staunton Military Academy, 40-6
Jefferson Sr., 40-14
Thomas Jefferson, 33-0
Coon, 51-7
John Marshall, 51-13
Hampton, 41-13
Newport News, 35-0
Woodrow Wilson, 46-13
Maury, 52-0

21. Tech (Atlanta, Ga.), 10-1
Tech battled Boys for supremacy in Georgia in 1945 with Boys pulling off a 14-0 win for Tech’s only loss of the season. Tech had three wins over Florida teams, beating Leon (Tallahassee), Lee (Jacksonville) and Miami. Housed in the same building as Boys High School, yet operating as a separate school, Tech and Boys consolidated into Grady in 1947. While both Boys and Tech enjoyed extremely successful season prior to consolidation, Grady has won just one state championship since 1947. Eight Smithies landed on the All-City team, topped by co-captain Pierce McWhorter at fullback.
Season Log
Marist, 12-7
Charlotte, 14-7
Lee (Jacksonville), 7-6
Richmond Academy, 39-0
Leon, 39-0
Lanier (Macon), 26-19
Savannah, 6-0
Georgia Military Academy, 26-13
Boys, 0-14
Newport, 19-0
Miami, 6-0

22. Brockton (Mass.), 10-0
Although it finished with 10 wins to Everett’s 8, Brockton finished behind Everett in the state ratings that determined the state championship. There was some consideration by both teams to play in Miami, as Salem had done in 1944, or to play each other following the regular season, but ultimately neither team played an additional game. Brockton put two players on the Boston Globe’s All-Scholastic First Team in end Vin Kaseta and back Mario DiMarzo.
Season Log
Quincy, 12-6
Mt. Pleasant, 7-0
Medford, 25-0
Newton, 15-0
New Bedford, 32-12
Rindge, 74-0
Malden, 18-13
Central, 13-7
Weymouth, 18-7
Waltham, 19-0

23. Eastern (Washington, D.C.), 8-0
Eastern can thank Gonzaga for its ranking as it defeated previously undefeated Boys Town in the final game of the season. Gonzaga had a loss to Coolidge, a team Eastern easily defeated, to help propel Eastern into the top 25. Eastern did not lose a game in 1944 and went undefeated again in 1945. The entire Eastern backfield of Sonny Settle, Bobby Lyles, Jack Bobb and Jerry Osborne was selected to play in the Prep vs. High School All-Star Game.
Season Log
Roosevelt, 33-6
Central, 20-14
Wilson, 32-0
Western, 16-7
Tech, 20-19
Coolidge, 20-0
Anacostia, 12-0
Wilson, 25-6

24. Gothenburg (Neb.), 10-0
Gothenburg did not even start out in the top 10 in the state of Nebraska at the beginning of the season, but week-by-week the Swedes put together big wins until ultimately they knocked off Creighton Prep, which had been No. 1 most of the season, 27-21. Gothenburg finished the season ranked No. 1 in the state with an unbeaten record. Jim Holmes, the team’s quarterback, was the only Swede to earn all-state honors by the World Herald.
Season Log
Curtis, 18-0
Holdrege, 25-0
North Platte, 34-0
Callaway, 58-6
Cozad, 31-6
Gibbon, 40-0
Cambridge, 51-0
Creighton Prep, 27-21
Broken Bow, 19-7
Lexington, 19-7

25. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 9-1
Gonzaga pulled off one of the bigger upsets of the season and also suffered one of the bigger upsets. Hosting Boys Town (Neb.) in the final game of the season, Gonzaga shut out the previously undefeated visitors 9-0. Gonzaga would have thus been higher on this list, except for a stunning 6-0 loss to Coolidge during conference play. The pass-catch combination of quarterback Billy de Chard and Gil Buckingham scored the winning touchdown against Boys Town and also participated in the Prep vs. High School All-Star Game in Washington D.C.
Season Log
Anacostia, 13-6
Mount St. Joseph’s, 24-7
Devitt, 20-0
Calvert Hall, 27-12
George Washington, 19-0
Coolidge, 0-6
Georgetown Prep, 21-0
Roosevelt, 19-0
St. Johns, 27-6
Boys Town, 9-0

26. Boys Town (Neb.), 11-1
Boys Town jumped to the No. 1 spot in Nebraska following a 7-6 win over Creighton Prep. Father Flanagan’s crew then went on a Midwest tour, knocking off Detroit Catholic Central and Loyola Blakefield before a stunning loss to Gonzaga, which cost Boys Town the No. 1 ranking in the state. Running back Kenneth Morris earned all-state honors along with tackle Laverne Busch.
Season Log
North Platte, 26-6
Nebraska City, 38-0
Sioux City Cathedral, 45-0
Missouri Valley (Iowa), 45-0
Lincoln, 26-7
Creighton Prep, 7-6
Jefferson, 37-19
Detroit Catholic Central, 14-12
Omaha North, 42-0
Curtis Aggies, 59-0
Loyola Blakefield, 26-0
Gonzaga, 0-9

27. Springfield (Ill.), 9-0
Springfield got the season off to a good start with a 6-0 win over East St. Louis, which was one of the top returning teams from 1944. Springfield went on to finish undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state by the Dunkel Index. Running back Jerry Slack was the only player to make the all-state team by Pat Harmon of the Champaign News-Gazette. Slack was also named captain of the all-state team selected by a panel of sportswriters. He was the leading scorer in the Big 12 Conference.
Season Log
East St. Louis, 6-0
Feitshans (Springfield), 25-6
Springfield Cathedral, 36-0
Springfield Lanphier, 39-0
Decatur, 46-6
Peoria Central, 26-13
Bloomington, 33-26
Lincoln, 26-6
Mattoon, 40-0

28. Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.) 7-2
Wilson pulled off one of the biggest wins of the season when it defeated San Diego 27-13 in the second round of the Southern Section playoffs. San Diego had been ranked No. 1 in the nation by the Dunkel Index. Wilson had lost to Redondo early in the season and then fell to eventual Southern California champion Santa Ana 14-12 in the semifinals. Fullback Morley Bockman earned a spot on the All-CIF first team.
Season Log
Inglewood, 13-6
Redondo, 6-21
Whitter, 42-0
LB Poly, 26-7
Jordan, 33-14
Alhambra, 18-7
Compton, 7-6
San Diego, 27-13
Santa Ana, 12-14

29. San Diego (Calif.), 8-1
The Hillers slaughtered the competition in the San Diego area and earned a No. 1 national rating by the Dunkel Index. However San Diego managed just a 6-0 win over Pasadena in the first round of the playoffs and then was eliminated by Long Beach Wilson 27-13 in the quarterfinals. Charles Coffey made the All-CIF first team at end.
Season Log
Coronado, 46-0
Santa Monica, 40-0
Sweetwater, 79-6
Point Loma, 49-0
Grossmont, 53-0
Hoover, 33-6
La Jolla, 61-13
Pasadena, 6-0
LB Wilson, 13-27

30. Rock Hill (S.C.), 10-0
Rock Hill slowly moved to the top of the state rankings in South Carolina, finally moving up to No. 1 late in the season. The team posted eight shutouts on the season and gave up just 12 points. Quarterback Curt Waters earned a spot on the all-state team and the All-Southern squad.
Season Log
Columbia, 6-0
Bennettsville, 38-0
Lancaster, 53-0
Anderson, 14-6
Union, 52-0
Hartsville, 38-0
Gaffney, 14-0
Sumter, 19-6
Florence, 27-0
Chester, 7-0

31. Lawrence (Kan.), 10-0
Lawrence had the first of three unbeaten teams under Chalmer Woodard. Lawrence was 34-0-1 from 1944 to 1948 and was 54-6-2 under Woodard from 1943 to 1949. Guard Charles Penny was the only Lawrence player on the all-state team by the Topeka Capital Journal.
Season Log
Manhattan, 33-7
Topeka, 7-0
Ward, 32-13
Shawnee Mission, 21-0
Leavenworth, 34-13
Argentine, 32-6
Atchison, 47-12
Olathe, 34-0
Ottawa, 34-0
Wyandotte, 19-0

32. Muskegon Heights (Mich.), 9-0
Muskegon Heights capped a perfect season with a 7-6 win over defending champion Muskegon, which finished the season 8-1. The undefeated season was the first of three straight 9-0 seasons for the Tigers. Running back Ed Petrongelli and tackle James Dotson earned first team all-state honors.
Season Log
Creston, 9-0
GR Catholic, 21-13
Holland, 37-6
GR Union, 25-0
Kalamazoo, 27-7
Grand Haven, 37-12
Benton Harbor, 13-0
Battle Creek, 13-0
Muskegon, 7-6

33. Harding (Warren, Ohio), 7-0-2
Harding finished at No. 4 in the Dunkel Index thanks to a 32-12 win over McKinley that handed the Canton school its only loss of the season. Harding also tied Massillon and Memorial. Len Corbin was the lone first team all-state pick for Harding, but he was also the only repeat selection after making the team in 1944.
Season Log
East Tech, 29-0
Steubenville, 7-6
Canton McKinley, 32-12
Memorial, 0-0
Rayen, 13-0
Massillon, 0-0
Niles, 19-0
Shaw, 21-7
New Castle, 18-12

34. Polytechnic (San Francisco), 9-1
Seemingly en route to an undefeated season, Poly lost to St. Ignatius in the league playoffs after defeating SI 27-0 earlier in the season. The loss ended a streak of 23 straight wins from 1943 to 1945. The Parrots placed six players on the All-City team, including ends Bill Kang and Jim Palabay, center Earl Rogers, quarterback Duke Marlowe, halfback Merrill Peacock and fullbank Harry Fromm. Peacock earned player of the year honors for the second straight year.
Season Log
Balboa, 8-6
Lincoln, 33-12
Mission, 14-8
Galileo, 39-12
Lowell, 37-0
St.Ignatius, 27-0
Washington, 33-13
Stockton, 14-8
Commerce, 25-13
St. Ignatius, 7-13

35. Oak Park (Ill.), 8-0
Oak Park finished second in the Dunkel Index ratings behind Springfield and just ahead of Bishop Fenwick. Oak Park won the Suburban League championship and it was the ninth title in 17 years. End Karl Rustman earned all-state honors from the Champaign News Gazette.
Season Log
Crane, 7-0
Thornton, 27-0
Decatur, 59-0
New Trier, 21-19
Evanston, 20-7
Waukegan, 14-0
Morton Township, 21-6
Proviso East, 9-0

36. Miami (Fla.), 7-1-1
After winning state titles in 1942 and 1943, the Stingarees finished behind Hillsborough in 1944 and 1945. Miami did not lose to a Florida team, but tied Lee (Jacksonville) and lost to Tech (Ga.) 6-0 at the end of the season. Miami had only one player make the all-state team with Don Coles making second team at tackle.
Season Log
Jackson, 6-0
Leon, 31-16
Morristown, 6-0
Lee, 7-7
Durham, 6-2
Dothan, 19-13
St. Petersburg, 13-0
Edison, 26-7
Tech (Ga.), 0-6

37. Allentown (Pa.), 10-1
Allentown overcame an early-season loss to Phillipsburg with a run of six straight shutouts to finish 10-1 and rank No. 2 in the state behind Donora in the Dunkel Index. End Bill Wanish earned a second team all-state nod while halfback Elmo Jackson made the third team.
Season Log
Southern, 41-25
Phillipsburg, 0-9
Bethlehem Liberty, 34-6
Easton, 19-7
Frackville, 59-0
Hazle Township, 47-0
Mahanoy City, 18-0
Pottsville, 32-0
Hazleton, 33-0
Reading, 40-0
York William Penn, 25-13

38. Duncan (Okla.), 10-2-1
Duncan overcame a pair of early losses, including one to defending state champion Classen, to win its final seven games and capture the state championship. Along the way, Duncan avenged a loss to Ardmore with an 18-12 win in the semifinals. Duncan then handed Tulsa Rogers its only loss of the season in the state finals. James Harris was the only all-state player, earning a spot at guard on the Oklahoman South team.
Season Log
Classen, 6-14
Pauls Valley, 0-0
Frederick, 26-7
Altus, 7-0
Purcell, 48-0
Ardmore, 7-20
Anadarko, 33-0
El Reno, 13-0
Lawton, 19-7
Chickasha, 13-0
Altus, 14-7
Ardmore, 18-12
Rogers, 17-7

39. Washington (Massillon, Ohio), 5-0-5
The Tigers had one of the most unique undefeated seasons in high school history as it won five games and tied five games and didn’t have a loss. Although a tie with one-win Steubenville may have dropped Massillon down in the rankings a bit, Massillon also tied four powerhouse teams in Canton Lincoln, undefeated Harding and Cathedral Latin and traditional rival McKinley. End Fred Bonk made the first team all-state while halfback Bert Webb landed on the second team.
Season Log
Akron South, 21-0
Weirton (WV), 24-6
Canton Lincoln, 0-0
Steubenville, 7-7
Alliance, 44-7
Mansfield, 40-6
Warren Harding, 0-0
Cathedral Latin, 6-6
East Tech, 26-6
McKinley, 0-0

40. McKinley (Canton, Ohio), 7-1-2
McKinley tied Massillon in the season finale and also tied Canton Lincoln, which tied the state’s top-ranked team Toledo Waite. A loss to Warren dropped McKinley to the No. 5 spot in the Dunkel Index behind Massillon. Running back Ralph Pucci made first team all-state while Robert Tucci earned second team all-state at guard.
Season Log
Timken, 21-0
Youngstown Wilson, 14-6
Warren, 12-32
Niles, 27-0
Canton Lincoln, 7-7
Akron Central, 61-6
Steubenville, 50-0
Alliance, 21-6
Lakewood, 20-0
Massillon, 0-0

41. Roselle Park (N.J.), 8-0
Roselle Park finished as the No. 1 team in the state by the Dunkel Index, thanks to six shutouts in eight games. Herm Hering was an All-North Jersey selection.
Season Log
North Plainfield, 33-7
Dover, 44-0
Westfield, 27-0
Rahway, 13-0
Cranford, 26-14
Millburn, 26-0
Union, 41-0
Roselle, 32-0

42. Central (Cheyenne, Wyo.), 9-0
Wyoming finds a spot in the top 50 with Cheyenne Central, which shut out Fort Collins, the eventual Colorado state champion and perennial powerhouse. With three straight state championships from 1943 to 1945, Central went 25-1-1 over that span with the 1945 team the strongest of the three. The Cheyenne newspaper named nine Central players to the first, second and honorable mention all-state teams.
Season Log
Greeley, 24-6
North Platte, 44-13
Fort Collins, 7-0
Natrona, 38-0
Alliance, 40-6
Fort Morgan, 27-0
Torrington, 28-0
Rawlins, 25-0
Laramie, 27-6

43. Will Rogers (Tulsa, Okla.), 11-1
If not for a loss to Duncan in the state championship game, Rogers might have finished in the Top 10. The Tulsa team had only one close game prior to the Duncan matchup, and that included a 12-0 win over eventual Arkansas state champion Fort Smith. Tackle Bill Garner earned first team All-State North by the Oklahoman.
Season Log
Okmulgee, 14-6
Central, 19-0
Sand Springs, 21-0
Ponca City, 27-0
Muskogee, 19-6
Sapulpa, 6-0
Fort Smith, 12-0
Bartlesville, 40-0
Webster, 27-7
Henryetta, 27-6
Stillwater, 22-0
Duncan, 7-17

44. Fort Smith (Ark.), 10-2
Fort Smith suffered a one-point loss to defending state champion Little Rock, and also fell to Oklahoma state runner-up Tulsa Rogers, however it rebounded to claim the state championship with a 38-0 win over Hot Springs.
Season Log
Van Buren, 66-0
El Dorado, 19-6
Clarksville, 63-6
Pine Bluff, 13-0
Springdale, 21-0
Little Rock, 20-21
Russellville, 14-0
Muskogee, 7-6
Rogers (Tulsa), 0-12
North Little Rock, 6-0
Fayetteville, 34-13
Hot Springs, 38-0

45. Washington (Milwaukee, Wisc.) 9-0
Washington beat up on the Milwaukee schools to finish as the No. 1 team in Wisconsin via the Dunkel Index. Lisle Blackbourne and James Emback both landed on the all-state first team at running back.
Season Log
Madison East, 19-12
Wauwatosa, 32-7
Milwaukee Riverside, 34-0
Milwaukee Lincoln, 37-3
Milwaukee Boys Tech, 42-7
Milwaukee South, 47-7
Milwaukee West, 58-7
Milwaukee Bay View, 53-7

46. Ensley (Ala.), 8-1
Ensley lost to a strong Woodlawn team, but managed to right the ship the rest of the way and earn the nod as the mythical state champion. The key win came in an interstate battle with Chattanooga Central, one of Tennessee’s top teams, which Ensley won 14-12. Running Back Dick Webb earned first team all-state honors.
Season Log
Fairfield, 26-7
Jefferson County, 44-0
Phillips, 13-0
Woodlawn, 0-19
Ramsay, 7-0
Chattanooga Central, 14-12
West End, 12-0
Pensacola, 13-7
West End, 7-0

47. Vicksburg (Miss.), 10-1
The Litkenhous ratings put Vicksburg at the top of the list in Mississippi, however it didn’t win the league championship, Tupelo did. It also had a loss to Greenville, a team Tupelo defeated. Kenneth Floyd, the Vicksburg center, earned conference MVP honors.
Season Log
Charleston, 27-0
Greenville, 33-7
Meridian, 25-0
Baton Rouge, 18-6
Greenville, 0-12
Hazlehurst, 54-13
Clarksdale, 34-0
Laurel, 28-0
Natchez-Adams, 25-0
Central Jackson, 55-0
Ouachita, 51-0

48. Elkader (Iowa), 8-0
Elkader was one of the highest scoring teams in the nation in 1945, averaging just over 50 points per game. Elkader earned the top spot in the state by the Dunkel Index and it was also ranked higher than Toledo Waite, among others. We had Elkader a bit lower. Jack Dittmer, who scored 218 points on the season, earned a first team all-state selection.
Season Log
Independence, 38-7
Maynard, 50-0
Lafayette, 64-0
Manchester, 44-19
West Union, 59-6
Postville, 26-0
Waukon, 58-0
Sumner, 66-0

49. Chattanooga Central (Tenn.), 10-2
Chattanooga Central lost to Dobyns-Bennett and Alabama state champion Ensley and it likely wouldn’t have found a spot on this list, except that it defeated Baylor, High School Sports History’s No. 1 team for 1944, with a 14-7 win. That win was a first by a Tennessee team over Baylor since 1942. Bob McCoy made first team all-state at running back.
Season Log
Asheville, 40-0
Rhea County, 46-7
Shelbyville, 52-0
Dobyns Bennett, 12-26
Red Bank, 13-0
CMA, 25-7
MBA, 25-7
Soddy Daisy, 41-0
Ensley, 12-14
Baylor, 14-7
Tyner, 46-0
Chattanooga, 81-6

50. Wausau (Wisc.), 8-0
Wausau completed yet another undefeated season under coach Win Brockmeyer and stretched its win streak to 45 games in a row. James Krienke made the all-state team at guard.
Season Log
Wisconsin Rapids, 13-8
Marshfield, 19-0
Eau Claire, 20-0
Stevens Point, 39-21
Rhinelander, 12-6
Antigo, 27-0
Merrill, 19-6
La Crosse Central, 35-0

Others: Knoxville Central (Tenn.), 9-1-1; Mount St. Michael (NY), 8-0; New Britain (Conn.), 8-1; Bishop Fenwick (Chicago), 9-1-1; Johnson City (New York), 8-0; Las Vegas, 9-0-1; Raleigh (N.C.), 9-1; Fort Collins (Colo.), 9-1-2; Grant (Portland), 10-0; Alhambra, 8-3-1; Box Elder (Utah), 8-0; Woodrow Wilson (Va.), 8-1; South Charleston (W.Va.), 11-0; Marquette (Alton, Ill.), 9-0; Lanier (Macon), 7-2; Memphis Tech (Tenn.), 10-1; Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.), 8-0.