1951 National High School Football Rankings

Weymouth edges Pomona, Lubbock for No. 1 ranking

The 1951 season would have most likely started off with Washington (Massillon, Ohio) as the No. 1 team in the nation in any preseason rankings. The Tigers were coming off a 10-0 season in 1950 under coach Chuck Mather and are listed as the retroactive national champions for that year by National Sports News Service.

Remember that there were no preseason rankings done in 1951 and there were no postseason rankings either. Art Johlfs retroactively selected national champions sometime after forming National Sports News Service. He began choosing national champions in 1959 and continued into the 1970s when he retired and handed over the rankings to Barry Sollenberger of Arizona.

Since no Top 50 rankings were chosen prior to 1959, High School Sports History is retroactively ranking the top 50 teams in the nation for all years prior to 1959. We’ve already completed 1952-58 along with 1917, 1944 and 1945. Johlfs never chose national champions for the latter three “war years” so the national champions selected in those years are by High School Sports History.

Besides Washington (Massillon), other likely teams to start the season among the nation’s best would have included Weymouth (Mass.), which played in a bowl game in Florida to end the 1950 season, along with Hopewell (Va.), which went undefeated in 1950, and perennial Southern California contender Santa Monica.

Washington lost to Warren Harding in the middle of the season, which would have allowed Weymouth to rise to the top. Hopewell would also have been a top contender all season with yet another undefeated record, but Pomona (Calif.) and Lubbock (Texas) would likely have moved past Hopewell after winning postseason games and finishing 12-0 and 13-0 respectively.

Weymouth would have to stay at No. 1, however, due to the level of competition in the Bay State that included top 50 teams Malden and Medford. Although Weymouth did not play either of those teams, they finished ranked ahead of both in the state’s final rankings.

Following is a look at the Top 50 teams for 1951 as chosen by High School Sports History.

1951 National High School Football Top 50 Rankings

1. Weymouth (Mass.), 9-0
Weymouth’s finish at the top of the 1951 national rankings actually begins in Jacksonville (Fla.) on Dec. 8, 1950. The Maroon defeated Landon (Jacksonville, Fla.) in convincing fashion, 34-18, in the 18th annual Kiwanis Club charity game for crippled children. The victory gave Weymouth a 10-0 record that included 23 straight regular season wins. So heading into the 1951 season, Weymouth would most certainly have been among the most heavily favored teams to vie for a national championship. Under coach Harry Arlanson, Weymouth did not disappoint. The defense allowed just 46 points on the season and the Maroon won every game by at least two touchdowns to win the Class A division for the second straight season. Weymouth also stretched its regular season win streak to 37 wins in a row. A balanced roster, Weymouth had only one player make the All-Scholastics first team by the Boston Globe (which rarely picked two players from any one team). Junior running back Norman Wright made the first team while guard Robert Jacobson made the second team. As good as Weymouth was in 1951, Arlanson told the Boston Globe that the 1950 team was likely better. “(1950) was the best we ever had, but the 1951 team is as good as any other we’ve had.”
Season Log
Dedham, 25-0
Everett, 19-7
Brookline, 33-14
North Quincy, 20-7
Quincy, 26-12
Brockton, 20-0
Greenfield, 32-6
Somerville, 33-0
Revere, 47-0

2. Pomona (Calif.), 12-0
The Red Devils didn’t have a long run of success prior to the 1951 season, but they were consistent winners since their inception in 1898. The 1951 season was the best for a Pomona team since the 1902 team went 7-0 and did not allow a point. After going 8-3 in 1950, the Red Devils were expected to be improved in 1951 thanks to the return of All-CIF running back Marty Keough. Operating out of the single-wing offense, Keough was a one-man wrecking crew for the Red Devils as he did most of the running, the passing and all of the kicking. The Red Devils also operated a spread offense as well, splitting out two receivers on each side of the five-man offensive line with Keough and a running back in the backfield. The press took to calling Keough the best high school player in Southern California since Glenn Davis. In leading Pomona to the Southern Section championship, Keough scored 160 points and accounted for 33 touchdowns rushing and passing. He also averaged 45 yards per punt. He earned CIF Player of the Year honors and also made the Wigwam Wiseman All-American second team. Blocking back Bill Hardy joined Keough on the All-CIF team while split end Ken Martin made the third team. The section championship was the first in school history for Pomona. Also a great baseball player, Keough was later named the Southern Section player of the year in that sport in the spring. Keough eventually played 11 seasons in the Major Leagues with several teams, including the Red Sox, the Indians, the Senators and the Reds. He is the father of former Oakland A’s pitcher Matt Keough.
Season Log
Bonita, 19-13
Montebello, 19-6
Covina, 37-21
San Bernardino, 20-14
Riverside, 31-0
Colton, 25-7
Redlands, 14-0
Chaffey, 20-7
La Jolla, 27-20
Cathedral, 28-13
Santa Monica, 27-6
Monrovia, 26-13

3. Lubbock (Texas), 13-0
The Westerners had their greatest success under coach C.R. Pattison and had their greatest season in 1951. Pattison coached Lubbock from 1948-53, going 55-9 with four district championships and two state championships. Lubbock went 13-0 in 1951 (a record it would repeat in 1952) and scored a school record (that still stands today) of 446 points while giving up 126. Lubbock dominated its first two playoff games by a combined score of 82-21. It also held off Baytown Lee 14-12 for the state championship. Lubbock dominated the Class 4A all-state team, placing four players on offense and two on defense. Don Jones made the team at end while Johnny Tatum was the center, and Charles Brewer and James Sides in the backfield. On defense, Tom Cadenhead made the team at defensive back and Buddy Hill at safety. Sides rushed for 1,441 yards on 178 carries with 23 touchdowns to lead the 4A division. Brewer also led the 4A in passing yardage with 820 (47 of 89 with 9 touchdowns). Sides went on to a Hall of Fame career at Texas Tech while Brewer was a Wigwam Wiseman seventh team All-American. He went on to play for the Texas Longhorns. Brewer’s son Robert Brewer quarterbacked the Longhorns from 1980-82 and his grandson Michael Brewer played at Virginia Tech.
Season Log
Capitol Hill, 29-13
FW North Side, 39-0
Sweetwater, 39-15
Plainview, 27-6
Amarillo, 47-6
Borger, 41-13
Abilene, 34-20
San Angelo Central, 40-6
Odessa, 21-7
Pampa, 33-7
El Paso Ysleta, 40-21
FW Arlington Heights, 42-0
Baytown Lee, 14-12

4. Hopewell (Va.), 10-0
Bill Merner took over as head coach of the Blue Devils in 1949 after coaching the junior varsity. A 1934 graduate of the school, Merner, perhaps, had the greatest start to a varsity football coaching job of anyone in high school sports history. Merner did not lose a game as a varsity coach until the fifth week of his fourth year at Hopewell, stringing together 34 straight wins to start his career. The 1951 team was the third of three straight 10-0 seasons and would have started the season ranked as one of the top teams in the nation had preseason rankings been available in that era. As part of the winning tradition, Merner wore the same suit every game, wrinkled or dirty, since he first started coaching in September of 1948. The Blue Devils had three games that were within a touchdown, but the rest were three touchdowns or better. One of those close games essentially determined the state championship as Hopewell beat an undefeated Woodrow Wilson team 20-13 in early November. The Blue Devils then finished the season with a 35-0 shutout of Thomas Jefferson. The final game was expected to draw 9,000 fans, which is an amazing stat considering the town, known as “Wonder City”, had a population of around 10,000 people. Halfback Eugene “Floogie” Walker, Tackle Jack Ashton and End Delton Hughes earned all-state honors for Group 1. Mickey Riggs, who set a state record with 178 points, earned honorable mention.
Season Log
Warwick, 40-0
Newport News, 13-7
Jefferson Senior, 21-0
George Washington Alexandria, 26-19
Petersburg, 44-0
Granby, 41-19
Benedictine, 46-0
John Marshall, 39-0
Woodrow Wilson (Portsmouth), 20-13
Thomas Jefferson, 35-0

5. Miami Senior (Fla.), 9-1
The Stingarees had their best season since 1947 with the only loss coming against Miami Jackson during conference play. The loss to Jackson marked the first loss by a Stingaree team to a Miami high school program in 26 seasons. Edison, which was undefeated at 9-0 and had a 14-13 win over Jackson, had a chance to win the city championship with a win over the Stingarees; however it had never beaten Miami in the previous 30 meetings between the two teams. Miami pulled off the 20-7 win to create a three-way tie for the city championship. The Miami Herald’s final poll put the Stingarees at No. 1 (224 poll points), followed by Jackson (209) and then Edison (200). Miami went on to play Wilmington (N.C.) in the Kiwanis Bowl and pulled out a 21-7 win. A pair of Miami Senior players made the all-state team by the Florida Sports Writers Association, including Bob Carlton and back Wally Piper. The Orlando Sentinel named Piper the state player of the year and Scholastic Coach picked Piper on its inaugural All-American team while Wigwam Wiseman picked Piper third team All-American. He went on to play at the University of Miami, but his career ended as a freshman due to a knee injury. The 1951 team was the first under coach Charlie Tate. The future World Football League coach spent five seasons with the Stingarees (39-10) and eventually coached seven seasons at the University of Miami in the late 1960s.
Season Log
Miami Beach, 33-6
O’Keefe, 20-0
Coral Gables, 21-0
Chattanooga Central, 14-12
Lee, 7-0
Tech, 42-6
Lanier, 28-14
Miami Jackson, 7-14
Miami Edison, 20-7
Wilmington, 21-7

6. Male (Louisville, Ky.), 10-0
The 12-0 win over Manual capped a 10-0 season for the Bulldogs and a No. 1 state ranking by the Associated Press. The championship was the first for coach George Denes, who had previously won a basketball state championship at Corbin and seven track championships at Male. The Bulldogs put three on the Courier-Journal all-state team, including center Dave Kuhn, fullback Don Bowman and tackle Sonny Berthold. The Associated Press chose Berthold and running back Eddie Grider on the first team. The 10-0 season was the first undefeated season since the Purple went 9-0 in 1943. The 10 wins was the most since the 1937 team went 12-0.
Season Record
Jeffersonville, 28-7
Fern Creek, 42-0
Valley, 38-0
New Albany, 40-7
Flaget, 26-6
Paducah, 33-7
Ashland, 40-0
St. Xavier, 21-0
Eastern, 46-12
Manual, 12-0

7. Jackson (Miami, Fla.), 9-1
Jackson did something it had never done in the past 26 seasons - it defeated the Miami Senior Stingarees. The shocking 14-7 win, coming one week after a 14-13 loss to Miami Edison, turned out to be its only loss of the season. Jackson’s strong finish included three wins by a total score of 125-6 and allowed the Generals to finish No. 2 in the final state rankings behind Miami Senior (which defeated Edison on Thanksgiving Day). Tackle Allen Rodberg and running back Joe Brodsky made the all-state team by the Florida sports writers. Brodsky went on to become head coach at Jackson from 1965 to 1970. He later joined the coaching staff at the University of Miami as an assistant and won national championships in 1983 and 1987. He then joined Jimmy Johnson’s coaching staff with the Dallas Cowboys and won three Super Bowls. The Jackson team also featured quarterback Lee Corso, who went on to coach college football and has been a fixture on College Gameday for nearly four decades. Rodberg played for the University of Miami before going on to become an airline pilot.
Season Log
Lauderdale, 39-6
Jacksonville Jackson, 12-0
Landon, 21-0
Orlando, 20-13
Balboa, 33-6
Miami Edison, 13-14
Miami Senior, 14-7
Coral Gables, 21-0
Miami Beach, 51-0
West Palm Beach, 53-6

8. Chattanooga Central (Tenn.), 10-1
The 1951 team was one of the best under longtime coach E.B. Etter, who spent 27 seasons with the Purple Pounders and posted an all-time mark of 212-68-14. He finished his career at Baylor, where he won another 109 games before retiring in 1983. The only loss of the season was a one-point defeat to Miami Senior, 13-12 at the Orange Bowl. Central finished No. 1 in the Litkenhous state ratings, just eight-tenths of a point ahead of Memphis South Side. The Pounders put three players on the all-state team by the state sportswriters. Quarterback Jimmy Pack, a junior, led the list along with guard Bernard Epperson and center Bill McBrayer. Pack went on to play at Tennessee.
Season Log
Fayetteville (Ark.), 20-0
Young, 25-0
O’Keefe (Ga.), 13-7
Dobyns Bennett, 32-13
Red Bank, 30-0
Miami (Fla.), 12-13
Tyner, 48-7
Bradley County, 27-7
St. Aloysius (La.), 33-7
DuPont Manual (Louisville, Ky.), 14-0
Baylor, 26-7

9. South Side (Memphis, Tenn.), 11-0
Despite going undefeated and winning the Prep League, South Side finished just a few tenths of a point behind Chattanooga Central in the Litkenhous rankings. South Side finished behind Oak Ridge in the final rankings by the state sportswriters. However, the sportswriters rankings did not include South Side’s second win over Central in the “blind children’s” bowl game on Nov. 30. With that win in place, South Side moved ahead of Oak Ridge in the Litkenhous final rankings. South Side featured Ralph Robinson, who was a first team Wigwam Wiseman All-American. Center Don Hanley also made the Wigwam Wiseman seventh team. Marv Throneberry was a backfield member with Robinson. Throneberry played seven years in Major League Baseball, winning a World Series with the Yankees in 1958.
Season Log
Whitehaven, 13-0
Humes, 20-0
Christian Brothers, 27-0
DuPont Manual, 25-20
Memphis East, 46-7
Messick, 23-7
Treadwell, 20-6
Memphis Tech, 26-6
Memphis Catholic, 32-7
Memphis Central, 18-2
Memphis Central, 12-7

10. Monrovia (Calif.), 11-1
The Wildcats had the best season in school history in 1951, winning a school record 11 games before falling to Pomona in the CIF section championship game. Monrovia had three players named to the All-CIF team including receiver Lawrence Ross, running back Roy Gebel and lineman Hardiman Cureton. At UCLA, Cureton earned consensus All-American honors. He went on to play nine seasons in the Canadian Football League.
Season Log
Chaffey, 27-7
Covina, 26-14
Rosemead, 64-7
South Pasadena, 65-0
Keppe, 26-12
Whittier, 7-0
El Monte, 35-7
Alhambra, 46-7
Pasadena, 41-7
Montebello, 34-21
Compton, 14-13
Pomona, 13-26

11. Muskegon (Mich.), 9-0
The Big Red finished No. 1 in the Associated Press state rankings during a season in which state polls came under attack by two of the state’s top coaches. Muskegon’s Harry Potter and Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Ted Sowle complained that the polls put “dangerous pressure” on their teams. Muskegon and Catholic Central finished 1-2 in the Associated Press poll, but switched places in the Detroit Free Press rankings. The Associated Press vote had Catholic Central No. 1 for the first six weeks of the season before Big Red moved ahead and claimed the final ranking by just two votes. Muskegon gets the nod here due to a defense that allowed just 31 points. Quarterback Earl Morral, who later won three Super Bowls with the Baltimore Colts (1) and Miami Dolphins (2) during a 21-year NFL career, was the all-state quarterback for Big Red.
Season Log
Sexton, 27-0
Flint Central, 36-13
Grand Haven, 41-0
Benton Harbor, 7-0
Holland, 48-0
Hamtramck, 45-6
Battle Creek Central, 53-7
Kalamazoo Central, 33-0
Muskegon Heights, 26-6

12. Catholic Central (Grand Rapids, Mich.), 9-0
One year after going 7-1-1, Catholic Central posted a perfect record and a No. 1 ranking in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press. Catholic Central wasn’t a unanimous No. 1, however, as Muskegon won No. 1 honors by the Associated Press. Coach Ted Sowle, however, spoke to a Knights of Columbus gathering and called state ratings, “vicious.” He said, “We are entering an era of over-emphasis in that winning of supposed state championships are creating dangerous pressure.” Offensive tackle Jerry Schoen was the top player for the team, earning all-state honors by the state sports writers and second team All-American honors by the Wigwam Wisemen.
Season Log
Muskegon Heights, 14-6
Ottawa Hills, 44-7
Arthur Hill, 26-20
Holland, 32-12
Union, 33-7
South, 35-6
Grand Rapids Central, 31-13
Creston, 46-13
Detroit Catholic Central, 51-0

13. Washington (Massillon, Ohio), 9-1
One season after finishing 10-0 and earning national championship honors (retroactively by National Sports News Service), the Tigers won another state championship by the Associated Press and the INS rankings despite losing to Warren Harding. The Tigers finished ahead of No. 2 Steubenville in the AP rankings thanks to a 13-6 win early in the season. Massillon finished the season with three straight wins, all by shutout, including a 6-0 win to hand Barberton its only loss of the season. Massillon actually trailed Steubenville in the AP rankings heading into the final week of the season. However a 40-0 win over McKinley - the largest ever win for a Wildcat team over their Canton opponent - was enough to give Massillon the edge in the final poll. The season marked the fourth year under the helm of Chuck Mather, who had a 37-3 record by season’s end. The offensive line was particularly strong with all-state players Frank Gibson at tackle, Glenn Tunning at guard and Bruce Brenner at end. Running back Harry “Ace” Grooms was second team all-state, but he earned fifth team Wigwam Wiseman All-American.
Season Log
Libbey (Toledo), 39-0
Elder, 42-6
Steubenville, 13-6
Akron South, 54-13
Alliance, 34-21
Mansfield, 54-0
Warren Harding, 13-19
Toledo Waite, 21-0
Barberton, 6-0
Canton McKinley, 40-0

14. Steubenville (Ohio), 9-1
Big Red nearly won the state championship in Ohio, but lost to Washington (Massillon) in the third week for their only loss. The loss to the Wildcats came in the final 10 seconds of the game. Steubenville won the remaining games on its schedule including a 13-12 win over Warren Harding, the team that defeated Washington, to finish 9-1. Steubenville finished the season ranked No. 2 in the state by the Associated Press after holding down the top spot in the rankings heading into the final game of the season. The 9-1 season was the best by a Big Red team since 1942. Calvin Jones earned all-state honors for the second year in a row and was named the Ohio Lineman of the Year. Playing at Iowa, Jones won the Outland Trophy in 1955 as the nation’s top college football lineman. He played in the Canadian Football League with Winnipeg but he tragically died in an airplane crash that killed 62 people in December of 1956.
Season Log
John Adams (Cleveland), 26-0
East Liverpool, 25-6
Massillon, 6-13
Lima South, 37-0
Steubenville Catholic Central, 38-0
Canton, 63-6
Akron East, 55-12
Martins Ferry, 22-0
Warren Harding, 13-12
Weirton, 41-0

15. Santa Monica (Calif.), 9-1
The Vikings were, perhaps, the top football program in Southern California during the late 1940s and early 1950s. From 1947, when the Vikings went 12-0, until 1950, Santa Monica posted a 37-4-2 record. The Vikings got the 1951 season off to a strong start, winning nine straight games before facing Pomona in the Southern Section playoffs.
Behind the play of quarterback Sandy Lederman, Santa Monica entered the semifinal matchup as the favorite over Pomona. However Pomona’s Marty Keough scored three touchdowns to down Samohi. According to the Pomona Progress, Ronnie Knox, who played at Inglewood during the 1950 season, had transferred to Santa Monica two weeks prior and was used to simulate the passing of Keough in practice. Lederman made the All-CIF team along with end A.D. Williams. Lederman finished the season with 23 touchdown passes.
Season Log
Alhambra, 26-0
Fremont, 28-6
Beverly Hills, 32-6
Inglewood, 26-12
Torrance, 43-0
Los Angeles, 51-6
Leuzinger, 39-0
Redondo, 34-0
Anaheim, 20-12
Pomona, 6-27

16. Richmond (Calif.), 9-0
The Oilers posted their first undefeated season in the 32-year history of the school with the 9-0 finish. The perfect record included a one-point win over a Berkeley team that would finish undefeated the following season. Richmond also edged a McClymonds team led by running back Sam Brown, who excelled in the Shrine All-Star Game later that summer. Guard Dan Holbrook made the San Francisco Examiner’s All-Northern California first team while end John Rich was second team and center Pete Champlin made third team. The Oilers finished No. 1 in the Examiner rankings, coming in one spot ahead of Stockton (9-1) in the Class A rankings.
Season Log
Napa, 33-0
McClymonds, 29-25
Oakland, 26-0
Hayward, 24-0
Berkeley, 14-13
Piedmont, 34-8
Alameda, 34-2
El Cerrito, 19-0
Sacred Heart, 33-0

17. Edison (Miami, Fla.), 9-1
Edison had a chance to finish the season undefeated and win the city championship heading into the final game of the season against Miami Senior. The only problem is that Edison had not defeated the Stingarees in 26 years. The string continued in 1951 as Miami Senior won 20-7 to drop Edison into a three-way tie for the city championship with Miami Senior and Miami Jackson. Edison ended up No. 3 in the state rankings by the Miami Herald behind Miami Jackson despite a 14-13 win over Jackson. End Ray Brown led the all-state voting with 17 votes while running back Dick Albrecht also made the all-state team.
Season Log
Coral Gables, 33-7
Landon, 28-6
Lauderdale, 25-6
Lee, 33-0
Jefferson, 40-7
Miami Jackson,14-13
Jacksonville Jackson, 20-7
St. Petersburg, 14-9
West Palm Beach, 34-7
Miami Senior, 7-20

18. Breckenridge (San Antonio, Texas), 12-1
The 1950s were the greatest era in school history for Breckenridge. The Buckaroos won all five of the school’s state championships during the decade with the first coming in 1951. One year after an undefeated regular season and an 11-1 season, the Buckaroos lost only to Abilene en route to the Class 3A state championship in 1951. Breckenridge held off a Temple team that sported one of the greatest quarterbacks in Texas history in Doyle Traylor. The Buckaroos had a solid quarterback of their own in sophomore Kenneth Ford, who threw for 1,073 yards and 15 touchdowns. Ford made the Class 3A all-state first team along with end Donald Robbins and guard Gary Rice. Second team all-state center Jerry Tubbs went on to win two national championships in college at Oklahoma before an 11-year career in the NFL. He also coached for 22 seasons in the NFL and won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.
Season Log
North Dallas, 34-0
Wichita Falls, 12-7
FW Carter-Riverside, 39-7
Abilene, 0-19
San Angelo Central, 45-0
Brownwood, 40-6
Cleburne, 55-0
Graham, 47-7
Stephenville, 33-7
Weatherford, 26-0
Midland, 34-14
Grand Prairie, 34-6
Temple, 20-14

19. Harrisonville (Mo.), 10-0
The Wildcats crushed opponents all season long and earned the right to play Higginsville in the Mineral Water bowl game. There, Harrisonville needed a blocked extra point by Gene Roll to prevent a tie game against the Huskers. Harrisonville eventually compiled a 45-game win streak that ended in 1954. The Wildcats topped that record from 2005 to 2007 with a 50-game undefeated streak. End Carl Lathrop made the all-state second team while quarterback Dudley Childress made the third team after scoring 21 touchdowns. Childress went on to get his doctorate in electrical engineering and was a pioneer in the field of prosthetics and rehabilitation.
Season Log
Odessa, 46-6
Ruskin, 68-6
Lee’s Summit, 49-14
Center, 34-13
Windsor, 34-13
Grandview, 34-6
Blue Springs, 41-12
Pleasant Hill, 37-0
Clinton, 61-0
Higginsville, 14-13

20. South Bend Central (Ind.), 10-0
The Bears earned four mythical state championships in their history with the 1951 state title being the first since 1931. The Bears also won in 1958 and 1959. South Bend Central finished the season with 18 straight wins and were one of five teams ranked No. 1 in the state by the UP Poll at season’s end. However the Litkenhous ratings put South Bend Central at No. 1. The Bears finished the season with wins over South Bend Riley and Gary Emerson, handing those two teams their only losses of the season. Govenor Grady was the only Bear to earn all-state honors as a defensive back, despite missing the final game of the season after turning 20 years old. Grady went on to play at Ball State where he led the team in scoring two years in a row.
Season Log
Gary Roosevelt, 21-0
Fort Wayne North, 14-12
Mishawaka, 7-6
South Bend Washington, 14-7
East Chicago Washington, 13-5
South Bend Adams, 32-6
Elkhart, 35-6
Goshen, 39-7
South Bend Riley, 6-0
Gary Emerson, 25-12

21. Columbia (N.J.), 9-0
Columbia had the best season in school history in 1951, topping it off with a 26-7 win over perennial champion Montclair to end the Mounties’ 29-game win streak. Columbia finished with 747 points in the state ranking system and Montclair finished No. 2 with 720 points. Running back James Valestin made the all-state team and reportedly had 50 college offers. He settled on Indiana, but he only played one year there due to his service in the Korean War.
Season Log
New Brunswick, 27-0
Kearny, 13-0
Westfield, 19-14
West Orange, 6-0
Plainfield, 20-12
Orange, 27-0
Morristown, 27-0
Montclair, 26-7
East Orange, 41-7

22. Austin (Minn.), 9-0
With a 48-7 win over Northfield, Austin finished the 1951 season with 31 straight wins dating back to the 1948 season. The win gave Austin the Big Nine championship, which it had won six times under coach Harold Hastings. Austin had also never finished lower than second during his stint as coach.  The No. 1 finish was also the third for Austin, which finished No. 1 in 1947 and 1950. Twin running backs Don and Dayle Rasmussen both made the all-state team selected by Ted Peterson of the Star Tribune.
Season Log
St. Cloud, 31-19
Southwest, 27-19
Owatonna, 27-7
Rochester, 19-0
Red Wing, 39-13
Winona, 39-6
Albert Lea, 33-7
Faribault, 21-0
Northfield, 48-7

23. Bessemer (Ala.), 8-0-1
The only blemish on Bessemer’s record was a tie in the first game of the season against West End. The two teams had to postpone their game one day to a rainstorm and the conditions on the second day weren’t much better. Numerous fumbles due to a wet pigskin resulted in both teams failing to score. The Purple Tigers had no more lapses the rest of the season, including a 6-0 win over undefeated Ramsey. Bessemer ended up as the No. 1 ranked team in the state by the Birmingham News. The team featured All-Southern selections Frank Christy at tackle and Johnny Adams at running back.
Season Log
West End, 0-0
Anniston, 34-13
Jones Valley, 57-13
Gadsden, 33-0
Woodlawn, 19-6
Phillips Birmingham, 14-6
Ramsay, 6-0
Fairfield, 38-0
Hueytown, 27-0

24. Malden (Mass.), 8-0-1
Only a tie with Somerville kept Malden from potentially finishing ahead of Weymouth in the Class A rankings in Massachusetts. While Weymouth finished with a 9.11 rating, Malden was close behind at 9.00. The Golden Tornadoes needed a win over Medford on Thanksgiving Day to finish at No. 2. Malden managed a 19-0 win, dropping Medford to No. 3 in the rankings. Emerson Dickie led the Malden honorees as he made the All-Scholastics first team at end and was a Wigwam Wiseman second team All-American. He caught nine touchdown passes during the season.
Season Log
Nashua, 19-0
Haverhill, 6-0
Melrose, 45-0
Central, 20-0
Chelsea, 44-20
Brockton, 32-14
Somerville, 14-14
Everett, 54-12
Medford, 19-0

25. Port Huron (Mich.), 9-0
Any other year, Port Huron would have been the easy choice for the No. 1 ranking in Michigan, but the Red Hawks finished No. 3 in the Associated Press poll behind No. 1 Muskegon and No. 2 Grand Rapids Catholic Central.  Port Huron had six shutouts and gave up just three touchdowns on the season. Center Ray Wine was the lone all-state pick for the Red Hawks. He also made the Scholastic Coach All-American team.
Season Log
Handy, 12-6
Highland Park, 27-0
Mt. Clemens, 40-0
Eastpointe, 46-0
Ferndale, 47-0
Seaholm, 13-0
Grosse Pointe South, 32-6
Hazel Park, 50-6
Pontiac Central, 15-0

26. Lincoln (Neb.), 9-0
The Links were the No. 1 team in Nebraska and it wasn’t even really close. They won their games by an average of three touchdowns and they trailed in only one game all season. That’s when Alliance returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Lincoln scored 139.5 points in the Associated Press poll, which was 18 points ahead of No. 2 Fremont. Lincoln placed end LeRoy Butherus, guard Syl Mendoza and back Bill DeBus on the all-state team.
Season Log
Omaha Central, 32-13
Sioux City East, 14-0
Sioux City Central, 13-0
Northeast, 6-0
Scottsbluff, 27-6
Omaha North, 39-13
Omaha South, 30-0
Alliance, 40-13
Grand Island, 65-13

27. Montclair (N.J.), 8-1
The Mounties had a 29-game win streak ended by Columbia for their only loss of the season. In the state rankings used by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Columbia finished with 747 points and Montclair finished No. 2 in the state with 720 points. Captain Royce Flippin made the all-state team after leading Montclair with 11 touchdowns and 587 yards passing. After playing at Princeton, Flippin eventually became the University’s athletic administrator.
Season Log
Orange, 46-0
Irvington, 33-13
Kearny, 25-0
Nutley, 41-6
East Orange, 40-7
Columbia, 7-26
West Orange, 37-13
Clifton, 31-14
Bloomfield, 20-13

28. Springfield (Ohio), 9-1
When Springfield defeated Mansfield in the final game of the season, the Springfield News Sun proclaimed “Wildcats claim state title after licking Tygers”. It didn’t quite turn out that way as the Associated Press voted Springfield No. 3 in the final rankings two days later. The 9-1 season was the best for a Springfield team since it went undefeated in 1933. Coach Jim McDonald was a member of the 1933 team and he noted in the News Sun that his 1951 squad was the better of the two teams. Springfield finished ahead of No. 4 Hamilton in the final rankings, handing Hamilton its only loss of the season. Running back Dick Shatto made the all-state second team, yet he made the Wigwam Wiseman All-America second team as a quarterback. Shatto went on to play at the University of Kentucky and then spent 12 seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts. He ranks as one of the league’s all-time scorers with 91 touchdowns and 13,642 career yards. He was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 1975.
Season Log
Dayton Stivers, 53-0
Toledo Woodward, 59-7
Portsmouth, 33-0
Middletown, 20-35
Dayton Roosevelt, 41-6
Hamilton, 8-7
Dayton Wilbur Wright, 33-6
Lima Central, 46-7
Toledo Catholic, 53-13
Mansfield, 7-0

29. Lee (Baytown, Texas), 10-2-1
Lee suffered just a two-point loss to undefeated state champion Lubbock in the 4A championship game in Texas and would likely have been rated a lot higher if not for a loss and a tie with Houston Lamar. The loss came during the fourth week of the season while the tie came in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Lee advanced due to having more penetrations. Lee then knocked off undefeated Corpus Christi Ray in a blowout in the semifinals before meeting Lubbock. Early in the season, Lee knocked off Temple, which finished as the 3A runner-up. Tackle Herb Gray was an all-state choice on offense and defense while end Andy Balke and linebacker Kevin Lounsberry made all-state on defense. Gray went on to play at the University of Texas and was a six-time All-CFL selection with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was eventually selected to the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame. Lounsberry was a first-team Wigwam Wiseman All-American at fullback.
Season Log
St. Thomas, 20-6
Temple, 6-0
Galena Park, 40-6
Houston Lamar, 6-13
Denison, 47-6
Beaumont, 21-0
Orange Stark, 27-0
Pasadena, 27-0
Port Arthur Jefferson, 7-0
Galveston Ball, 62-0
Houston Lamar, 7-7
Corpus Christi Ray, 32-0
Lubbock, 12-14

30. Temple (Texas), 11-2
Temple’s only losses on the season were to the Class 4A runner-up and the Class 3A champion, both by six points. Temple lost to Baytown Lee 6-0 in the third game of the season and fell to Breckenridge in the 3A title game. Favored to beat Breckenridge by some pundits, Temple featured a high-powered offense led by the greatest Texas quarterback to date in Doyle Traylor. A junior in 1951, Traylor had his best season with 2,188 yards passing and 34 touchdowns. Traylor made the all-state first team along with tackle Bill Green. Traylor went on to earn Wigwam Wiseman All-America honors as a senior in 1952. Traylor played at Baylor, but injuries brought an early end to his career.
Season Log
Waco, 33-7
Adamson, 47-7
Baytown Lee, 0-6
Denton, 71-0
Arlington Heights, 34-0
Corsicana, 46-14
Nacogdoches, 73-0
Lufkin, 49-6
Palestine, 25-0
Bryan, 12-0
Conroe, 34-14
Hanna Brownsville, 58-6
Breckenridge, 14-20

31. Richmond (Ind.), 9-0
United Press voters had a difficult time selecting a state champion in Indiana in 1951, choosing to name five teams to the top spot. They included East Chicago Roosevelt, Hammond Noll, Linton-Stockton, South Bend Central and Richmond. The Red Devils had no close games in 1951, winning by an average of 32 points per game. The Richmond team featured junior Lamar Lundy, who went on to play for the Los Angeles Rams. However he did not make the all-state team. Honored players included tackle Dick Murley, running back Jim Peters and guard Bob Goldenberg.  Murley played one year for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Peters ended up in the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame
Season Log
Frankfort, 37-0
Anderson, 63-6
New Castle, 52-7
Indianapolis Broad Ripple, 38-7
Fort Wayne South, 21-0
Indianapolis Tech, 21-0
Connersville, 34-0
Fort Wayne Central, 27-0
Marion, 26-8

32. Medford (Mass.), 8-1
Medford had a chance to finish as the top team in Massachusetts in 1951 - even ahead of Weymouth. Going into the final game of the season - a Thanksgiving Day game against long-time rival Malden - Medford was 8-0 with a chance to claim the Eastern State and Class A state championship via the state’s ranking system. Malden ended up winning by three touchdowns, dropping Medford to No. 3 in the Class A rankings behind Weymouth and Malden. Jack Geary made the Boston Globe’s All-Scholastic team. He was the team’s top passer, rusher, kicker, tackler, blocker and safety according to his All-Scholastic bio.
Season Log
Malden Catholic 20-0
Waltham, 6-2
Somerville, 7-6
Melrose, 45-0
Everett, 28-7
Newton, 19-12
Arlington, 31-0
Chelsea, 33-0
Malden, 0-19

33. Wyandotte (Kansas City, Kan.), 9-0
Just one year after finishing 2-5-1, Wyandotte posted what would turn out to be the last undefeated season in school history with a 9-0 finish and a state championship. The key game of the season came against Lawrence in the eighth game of the season. Like Wyandotte, the Lions were also 7-0 on the season. However Wyandotte pulled off the 14-6 win and then blanked Ward the next week, 26-0, to finish undefeated. The Bulldogs placed two on the all-state team in tackle Bob Heath and running back Emerson Wilson. After playing at Colorado, Wilson went on to coach in Boulder during the 1960s where he led a team that included future pro golfer Hale Irwin and Miami Dolphin safety Dick Anderson.
Season Log
Kansas City Central, 34-6
Shawnee Mission, 19-6
Leavenworth, 14-7
Topeka, 13-0
Argentine, 20-13
Emporia, 24-6
Salina, 42-7
Lawrence, 14-6
Ward, 26-0

34. Farrell (Pa.), 9-1
The 1951 season proved to be the Steelers’ best season to date, based on the Saylor Rankings, even better than the 9-0 season in 1940. The only loss for Farrell came against Harding (Warren, Ohio), a team that also defeated Washington (Massillon), but somehow lost to Cleveland Collinwood, Mansfield and Steubenville to finish 7-3 and ranked No. 7 in the Ohio Associated Press state rankings. Farrell, however, scored 528 points in the Saylor rankings (used in Pennsylvania and New Jersey) to finish No. 1 in the state. Although not favored against Munhall, Farrell, nevertheless, won in a shutout, 15-0, to hand Munhall its only loss of the season. Quarterback Bob Hoffman made the All-WPIAL first team after throwing 20 touchdown passes. He also made the all-state second team.
Season Log
Har-Brack, 20-6
Meadville, 36-14
Erie Academy, 39-6
Warren Harding (Ohio), 6-26
New Castle, 26-7
Beaver Falls, 41-13
Greenville, 26-0
Altoona, 27-20
Sharon, 27-12
Munhall, 15-0

35. Mt. Carmel (Chicago), 9-2
The Caravan were coming off a city championship in 1950, but they had a rough start to the 1951 season with two losses in their first four games, including one game to Catholic League rival St. George. However the Caravan returned to the same prowess they showed in 1950 during the remainder of the 1951 season. With Fenwick knocking off St. George, Mt. Carmel was able to play Fenwick for the Catholic League berth in the city championship game. The Caravan knocked off undefeated Fenwick and then bested Public League champion Lindlom to earn the city title. Center Jim Zajeski was the only all-state first team player for Mt. Carmel.
Season Log
Loyola, 20-7
St. George, 7-32
St. Rita, 19-0
Green Bay Central Catholic, 7-18
De La Salle, 14-7
St. Phillip, 27-0
St. Elizabeth, 28-0
Leo, 39-13
St. Ignatius, 34-19
Fenwick, 32-13
Lindblom, 19-6

36. Hamilton (Ohio), 9-1
Big Blue was one of four teams at the top of the final Associated Press state rankings to finish 9-1, but a one-point loss relegated Hamilton to No. 4 in the final rankings. While Massillon held down the top spot and Steubenville came in No. 2, Springfield held the No. 3 ranking thanks to an 8-7 win over Hamilton during the sixth game of the season. Big Blue managed three first-place votes in the poll and had 282 points to Springfield’s 327. Hamilton finished way ahead of No. 5 Zanesville, which had 208 points. Hamilton didn’t have any first team all-state picks, but did land two on the second team. End Phil Liliard made the squad along with quarterback Bob Lakes, who threw 23 touchdown passes on the season.
Season Log
Cleveland Central, 59-0
Steubenville Central, 53-0
Elder, 34-6
Benedictine, 55-26
Columbus West, 54-21
Springfield, 7-8
Portsmouth, 68-0
Libbey, 14-13
Dayton Dunbar, 40-0
Middletown, 14-6

37. Ada (Okla.), 13-0-1
The Cougars began their run of six state championships during the 1950s with their undefeated 1951 season. Ada tied Sand Springs in the semifinals, but advanced to the championship game due to penetrations. Against Ponca City in the championship game, Ada withstood 24-degree weather to pull out the win in the final minutes. The win was the first state championship in school history for the Cougars. Jerry Scott, an end, was the only all-state player for Ada.
Season Log
Hugo, 31-0
Purcell, 30-6
Durant, 19-6
Pauls Valley, 20-6
Ardmore, 20-18
Wewoka, 33-7
Seminole, 21-20
Henryetta, 47-7
McAlester, 39-7
Holdenville, 66-0
Henryetta, 43-0
Ardmore, 14-13
Poteau, 20-20
Ponca City, 20-13

38. Istrouma (Baton Rouge, La.), 12-1
After winning the second state championship in school history in 1950, Istrouma won it all again in 1951. For the second straight year, the Indians defeated Fair Park (Shreveport) for the championship. The only loss on the schedule came against Arkansas power Little Rock Central by one point. Istrouma placed three on the all-state team in end Larry Grissom, tackle Gus Nordstrom and back Harry Hodges. Grissom also made the Wigwam Wiseman sixth team.
Season Log
Lake Charles, 27-12
Little Rock, 12-13
Warren Easton, 31-13
Fortier, 35-0
Fair Park, 20-7
Byrd, 27-0
Sulphur, 20-7
Bossier City, 34-0
Catholic, 44-0
Bogalusa, 40-14
Baton Rouge, 26-6
Holy Cross, 38-20
Fair Park, 19-7

39. Pekin (Ill.), 10-0
The Chinks finished the first undefeated, untied season in 25 years at Pekin and the 1951 squad became the first team in school history to win 10 games. Illinois had no official state rankings at the time, but Pekin won the “bigger” half of the Big 12 championship. The Chinks landed Ed Skaggs, a guard, on the all-state first team by the Chicago Tribune.
Season Log
Argo, 28-13
East Peoria, 26-8
Canton, 47-0
Lincoln, 50-0
Manual, 7-6
Streator, 6-0
Central, 33-6
Spalding, 39-6
Springfield, 33-27
Woodruff, 40-7

40. Dreher (S.C.), 10-0
In only its fifth year of competitive play, Dreher had the first undefeated team in Columbia since 1930. According to “The State”, the 1951 Dreher team was considered one of the finest teams in recent state history. The 10-0 season was the start of the greatest decade in school history as it won 10 or more games four times and finished the decade with a 12-0 record in 1959 - the best record in school history. Tackle B.C. Inabinet made the all-state team by the state sportswriters. Carl Brazell made the first team at running back. Inabinet, who stood 6-foot-8, played at Clemson and became one of the University’s biggest recruiters/boosters. Owner of an industrial maintenance company, Inabinet used his wealth to help bring players to the school, including basketball players Tree Rollins, Stan Rome and Skip Wise. According to a Sports Illustrated article in March of 1982, Inabinet was ordered by the NCAA in 1975 to disassociate himself with the school’s recruiting program.
Season Log
Camden, 19-7
Olympia, 27-2
Mount Zion Institute, 33-0
Mullins, 26-7
Edmunds, 32-0
Orangeburg, 32-12
Spartanburg, 39-6
Brookland-Cayce, 19-0
Eau Claire, 39-6
Columbia, 40-0

41. Zanesville (Ohio), 9-0
Ironically, Zanesville finished the 1951 season as the only team in the Associated Press Top 10 rankings to end the year undefeated and untied. However Zanesville finished ranked No. 5 in the rankings, a good distance behind No. 4 Hamilton. Zanesville had six first-place votes, compared to Hamilton’s three, but finished with only 202 points compared to Hamilton’s 282. Tackle Ronnie Thompson was the top player for Zanesville, making the all-state third team.
Season Log
Akron Garfield, 30-14
Columbus East, 27-0
Coshocton, 40-6
Cambridge, 42-7
Newark, 14-7
Lancaster, 38-0
Chillicothe, 20-0
Marietta, 40-0
Dayton Fairview, 49-0

42. Ray (Corpus Christi, Texas), 11-1
Ray fielded its first football team in 1950 under coach Bill Stages and by 1951, the Texas already had the school’s first undefeated regular season. After winning a playoff game against Waco, Ray suffered its only loss of the season to eventual Class 4A runner-up Baytown Lee. The 1950s were the heyday for Ray as it had four undefeated regular seasons, five season with 10 or more wins and a state championship in 1959. Stages had a record of 115-49 while at Ray and was elected to the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. While in high school, Stages played on the Masonic Home team chronicled in the novel “Twelve Mighty Orphans.” No Wildcats made all-state, but running back Sonny Crisp, center Dick Gravett and guard Jimmy Foerster all made first team all-district.
Season Log
Beaumont, 7-0
Tivy Kerryville, 29-0
San Benito, 61-7
Jefferson, 42-13
Harlingen, 42-0
Austin, 20-0
Brackenridge, 26-6
San Antonio Tech, 58-0
Laredo, 36-0
Miller, 37-14
Waco, 21-20
Baytown Lee, 0-34

43. Pine Bluff (Ark.), 9-1-1
After Allen Dunaway left Pine Bluff in 1939 following an 11-0 record and the school’s 12th state championship,  the Zebras won just one state title in the ensuing 12 seasons and struggled to win more than eight games in a single year. Under George Terry, however, the Zebras won nine games three straight seasons, culminating in the school’s 14th state championship in 1951 with a 9-1-1 record. Key wins included victories over North Little Rock, handing the Wildcats their only loss of the season, and a win over perennial state champion competitor Little Rock Central. The win over Central was evidence of Pine Bluff’s strength as Central had defeated Istrouma, the defending Louisiana AA state champion, earlier in the season. However Pine Bluff fell to Ouachita Parish (La.) in the second-to-last game of the season to further muddy the strength of the top teams from Arkansas. Pine Bluff put four on the All-Big Six team, including linemen Tommy Beal (tackle), Richard Hardwick (tackle), Harold Steelman (center) and quarterback Billy Holmes.
Season Log
Malvern, 66-0
Jonesboro, 47-0
Fort Smith, 27-6
Greenville (Miss.), 27-13
El Dorado, 28-14
Camden, 7-7
North Little Rock, 13-7
Fordyce, 25-7
Little Rock, 21-19
Ouachita Parish (La.), 13-33
Hot Springs, 21-14

44. Fenwick (Chicago), 9-1
Prior to the start of the season, Fenwick coach Tony Lawless called his 1951 crew, “The worst team I’ve had in many years.” So of course all Fenwick did was start the season with nine straight wins, including a key victory over St. George, which had defeated Mt. Carmel in league play. Fenwick entered the Catholic League championship game against the Caravan as the favorite, but Mt. Carmel pulled out the win for Fenwick’s only loss of the season. Fenwick placed center Tom McKenna on the all-state team by the Champaign Gazette.
Season Log
St. Rita, 27-0
St. Phillip, 13-0
St. Patrick, 57-0
St. George, 19-13
Weber, 7-6
DePaul, 31-0
Holy Trinity, 20-0
Loyola, 32-7
St. Mel’s, 6-0
Mt. Carmel, 13-32

45. Burlington (Iowa), 9-0
Deemed the state champion by the sportswriters in the state, Burlington won the second state championship in the school’s history after not trailing in any of the team’s nine games during the season. The key outcome came in the final game of the season when Burlington defeated a similarly undefeated Fairfield team, 25-0. Running back Mel Knotts made the first team all-state team by the Iowa Daily Press Association after rushing for 1,091 yards and 16 touchdowns. End Don Ulm made the second team. Knotts went on to play in the Rose Bowl while at Iowa and was inducted into the Iowa Hall of Fame.
Season Log
Dowling, 42-0
Muscatine, 26-0
Washington, 33-13
Keokuk, 54-14
Fort Madison, 20-0
Alleman (Rock Island), 45-13
Ottumwa, 19-13
Quincy, 31-0
Fairfield, 25-0

46. St. George (Chicago), 9-1
St. George set itself up to play in the city championship game against the Public League championship, but a loss to Fenwick dropped it from contention. St. George whipped Mt. Carmel 32-7 in the third game of the season to take command in the Catholic League. However Fenwick maintained its undefeated record with a come-from-behind win against St. George. Dick Fitzgerald made the all-state team at fullback.
Season Log
Leo, 18-7
St. Phillip, 34-26
Mt. Carmel, 32-7
DePaul, 14-6
Fenwick, 13-19
Loyola, 20-0
St. Mel’s, 39-0
St. Patrick, 61-0
Holy Trinity, 57-6
Weber, 32-0

47. Uniontown (Pa.), 10-0
Munhall and Farrell played for the No. 1 ranking in Pennsylvania in the final game of the season in 1951 and when Farrell won 15-0, that allowed Uniontown to finish just ahead of Munahll in the Saylor rankings, 519 to 518. Uniontown also barely missed out on participating in the championship game against Munahall. The PIAA used the Gardner Scoring System to determine playoff teams and Farrell edged Uniontown, 129-128, in the formula for the right to play Munhall. The 10-0 season was the first undefeated season in Uniontown history. Francis “Moose” Machinsky became the first Raider to earn first team all-state honors. Machinsky went on to earn All-American honors at Ohio State and was All-CFL with the Toronto Argonauts.
Season Log
Georges, 44-6
Dunbar, 32-13
Monessen, 35-6
Redstone, 14-0
Monongahela, 20-0
South Union, 32-6
Mt. Lebanon, 39-12
Connellsville, 32-0
Brownsville, 13-6
LaTrobe, 46-0

48. West (Green Bay, Wisc.), 7-0-1
The 1951 season was the beginning of a string of 35 games in which Green Bay West did not lose. Behind the play of junior all-state halfback Lee Hermsen, West won the Fox River Valley Conference. Hermsen led the conference in rushing with 987 yards and 15 touchdowns. He went on to earn All-American honors by Scholastic Coach as a senior in 1952.
Season Log
Neenah, 33-0
Oshkosh, 14-6
Sheboygan North, 26-2
Appleton, 22-0
Manitowoc, 14-6
Sheboygan Central, 47-0
Fond du Lac, 20-20
Green Bay East, 21-18

49. Ballard (Seattle, Wash.), 8-0
Ballard was the top defensive team in the state in 1951 and it slowly rose through the rankings with seven wins that included five shutouts and only 8 points allowed. By Thanksgiving week, Ballard had risen to No. 3 in the rankings behind No. 1 Walla Walla and No. 2 Bremerton. Ballard posted a come-from-behind 14-13 win over Bremerton. In the next vote by the Associated Press, Walla Walla had 12 first place votes and Ballard only five, but Ballard had enough second place votes to edge Walla Walla 165-164 in the final rankings. Guard Russ Quackenbush along with running backs Arleigh Hiersch and Mel McCain made the all-state football game. Hiersch also made Wigwam Wiseman fourth team All-American.
Season Log
Franklin, 19-0
Cleveland, 25-0
Garfield, 24-0
West Seattle, 20-2
Queen Anne, 33-0
Roosevelt, 25-0
Lincoln, 13-6
Bremerton, 14-13

50. Brookhaven (Miss.), 10-1
In winning the Big 8 South Conference in 1951, the Panthers had the best season in the school’s 40-year history, and one that has been topped or equaled only three times since. Brookhaven had just a two-point loss to Laurel, but otherwise had little trouble with the rest of the Big 8. Joe Tuminello made the Wigwam Wiseman All-American team and the All-Southern team. The Panthers had a couple of players make the All-Southern honorable mention team, including guard Willard Saniford and end Rivers Sutton. Tuminello went on to earn All-SEC honors three times at LSU.
Season Log
Columbia, 38-7
Hazelhurst, 31-7
Moss Point, 49-6
Gulfport, 37-7
Hattiesburg, 13-12
Laurel, 12-14
Biloxi, 21-7
Pascagoula, 20-7
Natchez-Adams, 38-6
McComb, 34-6