1957 National High School Football Rankings

Little Rock Central finishes ahead of Miami Edison for mythical title

To say that the 1957 high school football season was one of the more monumental seasons in high school sports history would not be hyperbole. With the passage of the Brown vs. Board of Education by the United States Supreme Court in 1954, racial segration in public schools was deemed unconstitutional because it violated a person’s 14th Ammendment rights.

Of course the Supreme Court decision did not mean that schools automatically integrated. In fact racial segregation in the South continued in many schools until the late 1960s, but perhaps the most famous example of forced integration occured in Little Rock, Arkansas.

When nine black students, at the behest of the NAACP, attempted to attend Little Rock Central, the governor of Arkansas called in the National Guard to prevent the potential “immenent danger of tumult.” While protesting white students and parents prevented the integration during the first weeks of school, President Dwight Eisenhower ordered the Arkansas National Guard to protect the nine students and escort them into the school by Sept. 23.

Meanwhile, the Little Rock Central football team was about to embark on one of the greatest seasons in the school’s long, rich football history. The Tigers thus begin our list of the Top 50 Football teams for the 1957 season.

It should be noted that the 1957 season not unlike the COVID seasons of 2020 and 2021. The 1957 football season dealt with a flu bug that resulted in cancelled games and shortened seasons.

1957 Top 50

1. Little Rock Central (Ark.), 12-0
In September of 1957, the sports pages of the Arkansas Democrat were busy determining whether or not the Tigers could maintain their 21-game win streak - the longest in school history. On the front pages, the Democrat focused on a matter of national importance - the integration of the school by nine black students. The first attempt at integration began on Sept. 4, but the students were turned away by the school’s white students. With the National Guard on hand to maintain order, integration attempts continued throughout the end of the month when students were eventually admitted following Central’s win over Texarkana.

Meanwhile, the Tigers faced one of the more difficult schedules in school history. Besides playing the regular opponents in the Big 8, Central was set to meet Christian Brothers (Memphis), Texarkana (Texas), Istrouma (La.), Memphis Central and Paducah Tighlman. The Tigers ended up beating all of them without much difficulty. Christian Brothers finished the season with a 10-1 record while Texarkana finished 7-3, Istrouma won the Louisiana state title with a 9-2-2 record. Paducah, meanwhile, was ranked No. 1 in Kentucky when Central beat them easily 46-13. The Big 8 opponents provided little challenge, which had been the case for the past 10 seasons. Since the conference formed in 1948, Central had posted a 47-2-2 record. The Tigers ended the season 12-0 with a 33-game win streak.

The Tigers likely would have begun the season ranked No. 2 in the nation behind Abilene, which had a 38-game win streak entering the 1957 season. However Abilene’s tie with Highland Park would have abdicated the top spot to Little Rock by the end of the season, perhaps even sooner. Attempts were made to have Little Rock play in Florida, possibly against Edison or Miami, in December. A matchup with Abilene was also tossed around, but ultimately Little Rock was unable to play any games after the conclusion of the season due to state association by-laws forbidding such games.

Little Rock had several All-American candidates in running back Bruce Fullerton and linebacker Billy Hicks and a total of eight players earned All-Big 8 first team honors. Fullerton bypassed a college career for one in the military, attaining a rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force. Hicks went on to a Hall of Fame career as a player and coach at Baylor.

“When you are in the middle of something like that, you don’t even realize you are part of history,” said Hicks in an interview following his Hall of Fame induction at Baylor in 2017.

The state title in 1957 was the sixth in a row for the Tigers, but it also marked the end of the Tigers’ dominance. With the opening of Hall High School in the fall of 1957, Little Rock was now a two-high school town. Hall, in fact, won the state championship in 1959, just three years after opening. After winning 22 state championships between 1907 and 1957, the Tigers have won eight titles since, the last coming in 2004. Coach Wilson Matthews, who guided Central to a 118-17-3 record in his 11 seasons, left Little Rock for a coaching job at the University of Arkansas. He remained at the university until the 1990s, finishing his career as athletic director emeritus.

The Tigers’ win streak ended in 1958 with a 42-0 loss to Istrouma (Baton Rouge). The win streak covered 35 wins dating back to September of 1955 when Central also lost to Istrouma.

Season Log
Christian Brothers, 20-0
Texarkana, 54-13
Istrouma, 15-6
Hot Springs, 49-6
Fort Smith, 28-0
Texarkana, 47-7
El Dorado, 28-0
Memphis Central, 34-0
Paduah Tilghman, 46-13
Pine Bluff, 33-0
Blytheville, 53-12
North Little Rock, 14-7

2. Edison (Miami), 10-0
Featuring an experienced group from a 1956 team that went 4-4, Edison opened the season against a Coral Gables team that had defeated the Red Raiders 34-7 the year before. Edison had little trouble with the Cavaliers and the win set the stage for an undefeated season. Along the way, Edison picked up key wins over Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) and perennial powerhouse Miami. Edison finished the regular season ranked No. 1 by the Miami Herald’s statewide coaches poll while Miami was No. 2, Coral Gables No. 3 and Lee No. 4. With a 9-0 record, Edison took on Lawrence (Mass.), the top team from Massachusetts, in the Kiwanis Charity Game on Dec. 13 and won behind the play of quarterback Larry Libertore. The Herald’s Player of the Year, Libertore rushed for 692 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season and also threw five touchdown passes. He went on to play quarterback at Florida and his single season rushing total stood as a school record for a quarterback until broken by Tim Tebow nearly 50 years later. Running back Dale Sanders joined Libertore on the all-state first team.

Season Log
Coral Gables, 27-14
Landon, 19-14
Jackson (Miami), 27-6
Robert E. Lee, 19-6
Hialeah, 45-7
Jackson (Jacksonville), 40-7
West Palm Beach, 42-14
Boone, 19-13
Miami, 20-7
Lawrence (Mass.), 40-26

3. Highland Park (Dallas), 11-1-1
A powerhouse in the 1940s that won 10 straight district championships from 1941 to 1950, Highland Park began the 1950s without a district title until 1956. The Scots won their only state championship of the decade in 1957 during the second of four straight years of double-digit wins. After opening the season with a loss to Crozier Tech, the Scots didn’t lose again the rest of the season, although they did tie Abilene in the playoffs 20-20. Highland Park was able to advance due to having more penetrations (five to Abilene’s three) inside the opponents’ 20. The tie ended Abilene’s 49-game win streak and put the Scots into the final where it defeated Port Arthur Jefferson, 21-9. Jack Collins led the Highland Park offense, earning a place on the Fort Worth Telegram’s Super Team. He rushed for 1,473 yards in 13 games with 148 points. He went on to play at Texas and he became the first coverboy on Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine in 1960.

Season Log
Crozier Tech, 19-21
Lubbock Monterey, 25-0
Marshall, 39-0
Arlington Heights, 39-0
Tyler, 52-7
Dallas Wilson, 44-0
Dallas Jefferson, 35-0
Dallas Samuell, 38-6
Dallas Hillcrest, 38-0
Crozier Tech, 26-7
Wichita Falls, 28-6
Abilene, 20-20
Port Arthur Jefferson, 21-9

4. Abilene (Texas), 12-0-1
If not for the tie against Highland Park in the state semifinals, Abilene would have surely been tagged as the best team in the nation over Little Rock Central. After all, the Eagles had won three straight state championships under coach Chuck Moser with a national-best 49-game win streak heading into the matchup with the Scots. TIME Magazine featured Abilene on Nov. 4 when the streak reached 44 games. The magazine called Abilene the “Oklahoma of the high school ranks”, comparing the Eagles to the Sooners who had a long win streak of their own at the college level. Bill Sides earned all-state honors at fullback, rushing for 952 yards as a senior. The semifinal loss marked the last time the Eagles advanced that deep into the playoffs for over 40 years. Moser left in 1959 after winning two more district championships and finishing with a record of 78-7-2. Abilene did not win more than seven games in a season until 1999 when it went 11-3 in 1999. The Eagles eventually added another state title in 2009.

Season Log
Waco, 27-7
Lubbock, 39-0
Lubbock Monterey, 58-0
Breckenridge, 41-20
Midland, 41-0
Sweetwater, 34-13
Big Spring, 32-0
San Angelo Central, 12-6
Odessa, 19-0
El Paso Austin, 60-0
Amarillo, 33-14
Highland Park, 20-20

5. Benedictine (Cleveland), 10-0
Perennial champions Massillon and Canton McKinley got most of the attention at the start of the season in Ohio and when the first UPI state rankings came out on Sept. 24, Massillon had a commanding lead with 220 points. Cleveland Benedictine, with a 2-0 record, came in at No. 9 with 71 points. Those numbers slowly changed as Benedictine kept racking up the wins and kept moving up the list. When Benedictine defeated Massillon on Oct. 11, it marked the first time in 10 years that a Cleveland team had beaten Massillon. The win moved Benedictine into second place in the rankings behind Warren Harding. When Warren lost to Massillon on Oct. 26, Benedictine became the first Cleveland team to hold on to the No. 1 spot in the United Press rankings in its five year history. Benedictine defeated St. Ignatius in the final game for the city championship, its fifth since 1950. Benedictine edged out Massillon 247-240 in the Associated Press poll. Ron Skufca, rated as the No. 1 offensive lineman in the state, earned first team all-state honors by the Associated Press while halfback George Sefcik made second team. Skufca became the first Benedictine player to earn national honors when he was selected by Teen Magazine. According to the Great Book of Cleveland Sports, Skufca was recruited to play at Purdue by future New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. He was eventually drafted by the Rams but he did not play in the NFL.

Season Log
St. Edward, 51-0
East Tech, 19-12
Youngstown Ursuline, 38-14
Glenville, 47-7
Massillon, 13-7
East, 40-0
Collinwood, 39-0
Cathedral Latin, 19-0
John Adams, 28-6
St. Ignatius, 27-3

6. Downey (Calif.), 11-1-1
Coming off a tie with Anaheim for the Southern Section championship in 1956, Downey struggled early in the 1957 season. Downey tied Fullerton and lost to Long Beach Poly, but recovered to win 10 straight games including a 24-7 win over San Diego for the CIF Southern Section championship. Downey got a scare in the semifinals, needing a one-yard plunge by Dallas Moon with one second left in the game to beat Riverside, 19-14. Downey faced San Diego in the finals, a team it had defeated in the first round of the playoffs in 1956. San Diego had won the section championship two years prior in 1955. Guard Bob Harris made the All-CIF team along with running back Peter Yoder. A Long Beach State graduate, Yoder went on to coach running backs under John McKay at USC in the early 1970s. He then coached at Esperanza and had a record of 99-35-6 during his time there.

Season Log
Fullerton, 7-7
Garden Grove, 33-12
Long Beach Poly, 7-12
Long Beach Jordan, 26-0
Lynwood, 20-0
Centennial, 27-6
Compton, 19-14
Paramount, 34-14
LB Wilson, 26-0
Santa Monica, 33-0
Mt. Carmel, 18-0
Riverside, 19-14
San Diego, 24-7

7. San Diego, 11-1
Retroactively chosen by the National Sports News Service as the national champion in 1955, San Diego was still a national power in 1957 under coach Duane Maley. After losing two games in 1956, including to Downey in the first round of the playoffs, the Cavers won the first 11 games of the 1957 season and were favored to defeat Downey for the CIF Southern Section championship. San Diego lost 24-7. Maley spent two more years at San Diego, moving up to administration after the 1959 season with a career record of 97-19-3 with the Cavers. Calvert Fackrell, a tackle, made first team All-CIF while junior quarterback Ezell Singleton made the second team. Singleton went on to earn All-America honors in 1958 and is considered one of the greatest players in city history. When the San Diego Daily Press selected an all-time All-County team in 2013, Singleton was named the quarterback.

Season Log
LB Wilson, 32-0
Kearney, 33-0
Hoover, 25-6
Mission Bay, 26-0
St. Augustine, 27-7
Yuma, 40-0
Lincoln, 13-7
Point Loma, 21-13
Sweetwater, 31-7
Montebello, 27-7
Whittier, 20-6
Downey, 7-24

8. Nederland (Texas), 14-0
The Bulldogs rose to prominence during the 1950s under the direction of O.A. “Bum” Phillips, the future coach of the NFL’s Houston Oilers. Phillips won four straight district championships and had four straight undefeated regular season records. However Nederland achieved its greatest success the year right after Phillips left to be an assistant at Texas. Emmett McKenzie took over in 1957 and led Nederland to its greatest season and its only state championship. Among the big wins for the Bulldogs was a 14-0 victory over an Istrouma team that went on to win the Louisiana state championship. Following the Bulldogs’ win over Sweetwater for the Class 3A state championship, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that Nederland was considered by some to be the best team in Texas in any division. End James Street and quarterback Roger Rienstra made the all-state team by the Texas Sports Roundup Association. Rienstra led Nederland in scoring on the year with 25 touchdowns.

Season Log
Orange, 25-6
Tyler, 6-0
South Park, 25-7
Istrouma, 14-0
Lake Charles, 13-6
Beaumont, 41-0
French, 37-0
Port Neches, 40-14
Vidor, 42-0
Silsbee, 39-0
El Campo, 49-7
Brenham, 41-7
SA Edison, 39-0
Sweetwater, 20-7

9. Jefferson (Portland, Ore.), 11-0
Coming off a 1956 season in which it finished fifth in the Big 8 League, the Democrats were picked to finish third in the newly-formed Big 10. In the season preview of league teams in the Oregonian, Jefferson is pegged to finish behind Benson and Grant. Ray Renfro, older brother of future NFL Hall of Famer Mel Renfro, was seen as the offensive threat for Jefferson and future Heisman Trophy winner Terry Baker was not even mentioned. Baker also wasn’t listed as the starting quarterback in Jefferson’s season opener against Madison. By the end of the season, though, Baker was firmly entrenched as the quarterback, leading the Democrats’ T-formation and single-wing. By the end of the season while leading Jefferson to a 12-7 win over South Salem for the state A-1 championship,  the Oregon Journal called Baker, “One of the finest running quarterbacks to emerge from the Oregon prep ranks.” The state title for Jefferson was the first for a Portland team since 1950. Articles also proclaimed that Jefferson’s state title brought prestige back to the city of Portland, which was not necessarily viewed as a home to great football teams. Despite finishing undefeated, Jefferson had just two players make the first team all-state unit. Baker made the team at quarterback while Doug White made the squad at center. Raye Renfro and guard John Thies made the second team while end Glenn Williams and running back Harvey Jackson were honorable mention.

Season Log
Madison, 56-0
Cleveland, 32-7
Lincoln, 28-19
Wilson, 32-7
Roosevelt, 13-6
Benson Tech, 26-2
Franklin, 33-7
Grant, 51-14
Washington, 21-19
Beaverton, 30-6
South Salem, 12-7

10. Ada (Okla.), 13-0
Under coach Elvan George, Ada dominated the middle part of the 1950s, posting a record of 59-3 from 1954 to 1958. The 1957 team had the best record during that run with a 13-0 mark. Although Ada was a Class A school, it defeated the eventual Class AA state champion Capitol Hill 27-7. Ada dominated in the playoffs, outscoring opponents 174-33. Ada outscored its 13 opponents 526 to 65 on the year en route to winning its fourth straight state championship. George was named state coach of the year by the Oklahoman. Henry Wells, a tackle, and DeWayne Pitt, a quarterback, earned all-state honors. Wells earned Wigwam Wiseman All-America first team honors while Pitt was a three-year starter for Ada.

Season Log
Holdenville, 40-0
Chickasha, 26-0
Durant, 52-0
Capitol Hill, 27-7
Ardmore, 19-12
Wewoka, 35-0
Seminole, 26-0
McAlester, 38-0
Henryetta, 34-13
Northwest, 55-0
Idabel, 74-13
Bristow, 59-7
Harding, 41-13

11. St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.), 10-0-1
The Tigers posted back-to-back state championships in 1956 and 1957 with identical 10-0-1 records. Both times a 0-0 tie prevented a perfect record for St. Xavier. In 1956, Roger Bacon (Ohio) tied St. Xavier and in 1957 rival Male pulled off the tie. The Tigers defeated Corbin in the final game of the season in the Exposition Bowl behind the play of Bobby Reeves. The season scoring leader for St. Xavier scored five touchdowns in the win and finished the year with 140 points. Corbin had won 30 of its last 33 games and was the state champion by the Litkenhous Ratings in 1955. The win over Corbin extended St. Xavier’s undefeated streak to 30 games in a row. The Tigers extended the streak to 31 in a row before losing the second game of the 1958 season to Montgomery Bell (Tenn.). Reeves was the lone St. Xavier player on the all-state first team by the Courier Journal, but center Jim Rice made the second team and tackle Kenny Kraus made the third team.

Season Log
Lafayette, 40-0
Hall, 61-0
Central (Louisville), 7-0
Manual, 23-13
Roger Bacon, 9-0
Louisville Valley, 33-0
Male, 0-0
Atherton, 55-6
Trinity, 14-0
Flaget, 14-13
Corbin, 47-0

12. Lexington (Neb.), 8-0
A small town in the middle of Nebraska, Lexington fielded a team that featured two of the nation’s top linemen who went on to long careers in the NFL. Monte Kiffin was a starting tackle for Lexington and was selected to play in the Wigwam Wiseman All-America game. He went on to play at Nebraska and then embarked on a 24-year NFL coaching career, winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mick Tingelhoff, the center and middle linebacker, also played at Nebraska and then played 17 years in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2015. Lexington did not give up a point until late in the final game of the season against North Platte.

Season Log
Broken Bow, 26-0
Omaha Westside, 33-0
McCook 25-0
Gothenburg, 34-0
Kearney, 33-0
Holdredge, 41-0
Cozad, 13-0
North Platte, 33-6

13. El Dorado (Ark.) 10-1
The 1957 season was a prelude to the 1958 state championship season for the Wildcats. Aside from the loss to Little Rock Central, El Dorado had only one close game all season. El Dorado landed four players on the all-state first team, including fullback Tommy Brasher, tackle Jack Vandegrift, guard Reed McConnell and nose guard Charles Jinks. Brasher went on to a long coaching career, spending 35 years in the NFL as an assistant.

Season Log
Magnolia, 26-14
Fort Smith, 15-12
Fairpark (Shreveport), 33-12
North Little Rock 13-7
Pine Bluff 14-7
Smackover, 20-0
Central Little Rock, 0-28
Texarkana, 24-7
Blytheville 40-7
Hot Springs 27-0
Camden, 26-0

14. Massillon Washington (Ohio), 8-1
The Tigers were retroactively selected by the National Sports News Service as the mythical national champion in 1950, 1952 and 1953, but Canton McKinley won back-to-back state championships in 1955 and 1956. Thus at the start of the 1957 season, McKinley held the top spot in the preseason United Press coaches poll with 15 first-place votes. Massillon came in second with four first place votes. The Tigers held the No. 2 spot through the first four weeks of the season before suffering their only loss of the season, a 13-7 defeat to Benedictine. Massillon bounced back from that loss, however, to beat No. 1-ranked Warren Harding, 20-14. The win came on an unlikely last second pass from third string quarterback Joe Sparma that traveled 46 yards to 6-foot-4 end Clyde Childers who outleaped the defender for the ball at the four-yard line and dove into the end zone for the touchdown. Massillon later concluded the season with a win over rival Canton McKinley and finished No. 2 behind Benedictine in the final state rankings. Childers earned all-state first team honors along with halfback Ivory Benjamin, who rushed for 1,138 yards and 17 touchdowns on the year. Benjamin was later inducted into the Negro League Football Hall of Fame.

Season Log
Akron South, 33-0
Canton Lincoln, 19-0
Alliance, 28-6
Steubenville, 26-7
Benedictine, 7-13
Warren Harding, 20-14
Barberton, 30-0
Akron Garfield, 33-0
Canton McKinley, 25-7

15. Toledo Devilbiss (Ohio), 11-0
The 1958 Devilbiss yearbook writeup for the undefeated 1957 football team lists the Tigers as state champions. However the Associated Press final poll had Devilbiss at No. 4. The International News Service put the Tigers at No. 2 and the United Press coaches poll had Devilbiss at No. 4. Regardless, the Tigers certainly played a schedule worthy of a national Top 50 ranking. Besides knocking off Toledo powers Waite and Scott, Devilbiss also topped one of the top Cleveland schools with a win over Shaw. Dan Kwiatkowski made first team all-state as a defensive back while Mel Shapiro made third team fullback.

Season Log
Central (Toledo), 26-0
Hamilton Catholic, 37-6
LaPorte, 37-6
Lorain, 19-0
Waite, 20-0
Scott, 33-6
Lima, 32-0
Dayton, 47-0
Macomber, 12-7
Cleveland Shaw, 19-14
Libbey, 13-7

16. Northside (Atlanta, Ga.) 12-1
After losing to Roosevelt in the second game of the season, Northside, the Atlanta city champion three years running, had to work its way to the top spot in the state rankings. The Atlanta Constitution ranked Northside No. 1 after the Tigers raised their record to 6-1 with a 35-0 win over Sylvan. Northside never fell out of the top spot, beating Columbus (which was ranked No. 1 by the Atlanta Journal) for the AAA state championship. Quarterback Stan Gann earned Back of the Year honors on the Class AAA all-state team and was also an All-American. He was considered one of the greatest players the state of Georgia had ever produced. Gann made the Wigwam Wiseman All-America fifth team. John Ferguson made the all-state team at end.

Season Log
North Fulton, 26-0
Roosevelt, 0-14
Bass, 21-0
Southwest (Atlanta), 22-6
Lanier, 13-7
Brown, 34-7
Sylvan, 35-0
Smith, 35-7
O’Keefe, 40-6
West Fulton, 13-0
Grady, 20-6
Marietta, 6-0
Columbus, 20-0

17. Bloom (Ill.), 9-0
While Illinois did have any state rankings or mythical state champions in 1957, Bloom is generally considered the state’s top team for that season as well as one of the top teams ever to come out of Illinois. Bloom dominated Illinois athletics in the 1950s, winning four straight state track championships to go along with the powerhouse in football. The key athlete on both teams was future NFL receiver Leroy Jackson. A three-time state champion in the 100 meters (1956-58). He earned all-state honors at running back after averaging 10 yards a carry in gaining 1,136 yards. Jackson was a first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 1962 draft, but he was traded to the Washington Redskins for Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis.

Season Log
East Rockford, 20-13
East Aurora, 19-7
Leyden, 29-7
Fractional, 26-7
Argo, 33-0
Blue Island, 28-0
Thornton, 33-19
Lockport, 45-12
Kankakee, 32-0

18. Walker (Alabama), 10-0
Now known as Jasper, Walker had its best season in school history in 1957 when it had one of the school’s three undefeated seasons. Walker dominated on defense, allowing just 20 points all season with seven shutouts. Bill Richardson, the “Back of the Year” on the all-state team, also made the All-Southern Team after rushing for over 1,000 yards. He went on to play at Alabama.

Season Log
Descher, 25-0
Decatur 12-0
Carbon Hill 13-0
Tuscaloosa County 13-0
Russellville 12-0
Cordova 26-7
Haleyville 41-6
Cullman 38-0
Athens 12-0
Coffee 39-7

19. Lawrence (Kansas), 9-0
Al Woolard began coaching at Lawrence in 1950 and by 1957 his Lions were on their way to one of the longest winning streaks in the nation. After finishing the 1955 season with two wins, Lawrence went 9-0 in 1956 to set up the 1957 season. Behind the play of future 16-year NFL veteran John Hadl, the Lions went 9-0 in 1957 and claimed the mythical state championship. Lawrence went on to compile a 47-game win streak by the end of the 1960 season. Hadl was the lone all-state player for the Lions after leading the state with 107 points and 1,028 yards on 117 carries in just eight games (Lawrence had a forfeit win due to flu). Hadl went on to a College Hall of Fame career at the University of Kansas and he finished his NFL career in 1977 as the league’s No. 3 all-time in passing yards with 33,503 yards.

Season Log
Manhattan 39-0
Atchison 26-12
Kapaun 18-6
Leavenworth 34-0
Argentin 57-0
Ottawa FFW (flu)
Wyandotte 13-7
Highland Park 31-6

20. Evansville Reitz (Ind.), 10-0
Between 1948 and 1962, Reitz had arguably the top football program in Indiana. The Panthers went undefeated seven times during that span and went 10-0 in 1948, 1953 and 1957. The 1957 season was part of a 28-game unbeaten streak from 1955 to 1958. The Panthers also claimed six state championships including back-to-back titles in 1956 and 1957. Despite suffering a knee injury in the seventh game of the season, two-time all-state pick Bill Coleman led the Panthers in scoring with 92 points. He also led the team as a junior with 106 points and added 12 touchdowns as a sophomore. Tom Trainer, meanwhile, earned first team Wigwam Wiseman All-American at end.

Season Log
Owensboro Catholic, 41-0
Vincennes Lincoln, 34-6
Muncie Central, 26-0
New Albany, 39-6
Evansville Mater Dei, 33-0
Indianapolis Cathedral, 40-7
Evansville North, 46-0
Memorial, 21-6
Evansville Central, 33-6
Evansville Bosse, 33-13

21. Lawrence (Mass.), 8-1
Massachusetts determined its class champions based on a rating system in the 1950s and Lawrence claimed the Class A championship with a 19-0 shutout of Lowell on Thanksgiving Day. The championship allowed Lawrence to travel to Miami for the annual Kiwanis Charity Game. While the game usually featured the Miami Stingarees, Lawrence instead faced Edison, which finished undefeated including a win over Miami. Lawrence was unable to keep up with the faster, deeper Edison team, which posted three runs of 60 or more yards in the win. Lawrence was at a bit of a disadvantage heading into the game after losing halfback Mike Riccio to a broken collarbone suffered in the practices leading up to the game. End Larry Klimas and guard Ken Spires earned All-Scholastic honors. Klimas went on to a successful coaching career in football (196 career wins at Methuen) and track.

Season Log
Keith, 47-7
Peabody, 32-0
Lynn English, 33-14
Lynn Classical, 26-0
Somerville, 13-8
Manchester Central, 45-0
Haverhill, 25-13
Lowell, 19-0
Edison (Fla.), 26-40

22. Warren Harding (Ohio), 9-1
If not for a last-second Hail Mary pass against Massillon, Warren Harding likely would have been the state champion in Ohio in 1957. The loss is a controversial one due to the conspiracy theory that the Massillon timers added a minute to the game late in the fourth quarter that allowed the Tigers extra time to eventually score on a 46-yard pass at the buzzer. Gary Vogt wrote a story debunking the “extra minute” theory in a very detailed story on the Massillon Tigers website. Warren Harding was ranked No. 1 in the state with a 6-0 record heading into the game. The big win came in the second week when Warren defeated preseason No. 1 and two-time defending state champion Canton McKinley, 31-7. The loss ended a 21-game win streak for McKinley. Warren Harding finished No. 4 in the state by the Associated Press.

Season Log
Collinwood, 26-0
Canton McKinley, 31-7
Sharon, 38-0
Mansfield, 20-7
Erie East, 41-0
Akron East, 26-6
Massillon, 14-20
Lorain, 34-0
Cathedral Latin, 13-7
Youngstown Ursuline, 26-0

23. Wilkinsburg (Pa.), 10-0
Putting together its first undefeated season since 1922, the Wilkinsburg team in 1957 was known as small and fast with few college recruits. How small? Consider that the offensive line averaged 168 pounds and the backfield averaged 172 pounds. Wilkinsburg was in a battle with Uniontown and Clairton for the mythical state championship, which was based on a points system in 1957. The race came down to the final game of the season when Wilkinsburg blanked Clairton 13-0. The win gave Wilkinsburg the WPIAL AA crown and the PIAA championship by the Saylor point system. Quarterback Leroy Loudermilk was the only all-state pick, making the Associated Press’s third team.

Season Log
Allderice, 19-7
Peabody, 34-0
Greensburg, 25-6
Latrobe, 13-7
Trinity, 33-12
Mt. Lebanon, 24-6
Hempfield Area, 20-18
Jeannette, 40-7
Penn, 6-0
Clairton, 13-0

24. Midland (Mich.), 8-0
The Chemics took over the top spot in the Associated Press rankings following a 20-14 win over Bay City Central. Midland and Bay City Central were deadlocked in a tie for first place in the rankings for the two weeks leading up to the game. Quarterback Mike Westley earned first team all-state honors along with tackle Roger Weaver and running back LeeRoy Millner. Future NFL Pro Bowl guard and longtime coach Howard Mudd also earned Class A all-state honors at end.

Season Log
Flint Central, 25-7
Arthur Hill, 33-0
Saginaw, 54-6
Traverse City Central, 28-6
Alpena, 27-6
Bay City Central, 20-14
Handy, 53-0
Owosso, 28-0

25. East Chicago Roosevelt (Ind.), 9-0
A powerhouse in the 1940s and 1950s, East Chicago Roosevelt had its final great season in 1957 before eventually closing after the 1985-86 school year. Unbeaten during the regular season, the Riders defeated South Bend Central, which had been ranked No. 1 in the state by one poll, 13-12 in a conference playoff game. Roosevelt then placed in a tie with Evansville Reitz for first place in the final United Press poll on Nov. 20. Roosevelt placed three players on the all-state first team in ends Rich Jemenko and Jim Hicks and tackle Ed James. The year marked the last undefeated season for the Riders who never won more than eight games during its final 20 years of existence.

Season Log
Hammond Tech, 34-12
Hammond Clark, 21-0
Hammond, 19-12
Gary Tolleston, 33-12
Hammond Morton, 41-0
Whiting, 26-7
Hobart, 27-0
East Chicago Washington, 27-14
South Bend Central, 13-12

26. Capitol Hill (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 10-1
While Capitol Hill has struggled to win football games for the past 50 years, there was a time in the 1950s when the school had one of the top athletic programs in the nation. The 1957 football team was one of the best the school ever produced, losing only to undefeated Ada. Center David Patterson and running back Ray Curtis each earned all-state honors.

Season Log
El Reno, 13-7
Classen, 26-19
Northeast, 37-0
Ada, 7-27
Shawnee, 46-13
Enid, 41-20
Northwest, 31-7
Harding, 32-0
Douglass, 40-7
Southeast, 69-7
El Reno, 19-14

27. Miami Senior (Fla.), 7-1-1
In the second year under coach Ottis Mooney, who eventually led the Stingarees to a national championship in 1960, Miami Senior improved slightly on its 1956 record, going from 7-2-1 to 7-1-1. The only loss came against Edison in the final game that determined the mythical state championship. Miami also tied Coral Gables 7-7 and finished just ahead of the Cavaliers in the final state rankings. Miami did have a key win over Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville), which later defeated an unbeaten Chattanooga Central team. Miami’s win allows it to fit into the rankings ahead of the Tennessee state champions. Guard Gene Mariutto led the voting among the coaches for the all-state team. Halfback Paul Higgs joined him on the first team.

Season Log
Landon, 32-6
West Palm Beach, 28-0
Jackson, 19-6
Jackson (Jax), 34-0
Coral Gables, 7-7
Key West, 67-0
Lee, 19-0
Lakeland, 33-7
Edison, 7-20

28. Valdosta (Ga.), 13-0
After winning just one state championship in its history prior to the tenure of coach Wright Bazemore, Valdosta got pretty used to finishing at the top of the heap under the highly successful coach. In his 26 years at Valdosta, Bazemore won 14 state championships and finished undefeated 11 times. The 1957 team won Bazemore his sixth state championship and was the fifth to finish without a loss. It was also the last to compete at the AA level as the Wildcats moved up to AAA in 1958. Valdosta was never ranked lower than No. 1 by either the Journal or the Constitution. Guard Bobby Hodge made first team all-state along with backs Johnny Welch and Dale Williams. Welch rushed for 735 yards and 12 touchdowns while Williams completed 31 of 74 passes for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Season Log
Appling County, 47-6
Wayne County, 19-0
Fitzgerald, 34-6
Americus, 42-6
Albany, 41-13
Tifton, 33-6
Moultrie, 39-0
Berrien, FFW
Thomasville, 27-6
Waycross, 33-13
Wayne County, 13-0
Thomasville, 20-0
Rockmart, 13-6

29. Davenport (Iowa), 9-0
Davenport was the unanimous champion in Iowa in 1957, finishing No. 1 by the Associated Press, United Press and Des Moines Register polls. The nine straight wins extended the Blue Devils’ win streak to 33 in a row (eventually extending to 35) over four seasons. Gary Gardner earned all-state honors at quarterback while end Dick Brown and center Jerry Hillebrand also earned all-state recognition. Hillebrand, who made second team all-state, received third team Wigwam Wiseman All-America honors. Gardner threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns on the year and rushed for 383 yards and eight scores. The team was considered by coach Butch Stolfa as the most versatile team in school history.

Season Log
St. Ambrose, 40-6
George Washington (Cedar Rapids), 41-7
East Moline, 32-6
Clinton, 21-13
Jefferson (Cedar Rapids), 40-0
Moline, 7-0
Dubuque, 7-0
Iowa City, 21-0
Rock Island, 20-0

30. Gadsden (Ala.), 9-0-1
Featuring one of the stingiest defenses in the state, Gadsden finished second in the state ratings behind Walker. Gadsden gave up just six points on the season with nine shutouts, including a 0-0 tie with Etowah. The Birmingham News rated Gadsden in a tie with Walker for the AAA state championship while the Post Herald chose Walker and the Montgomery Advertiser chose Sidney Lanier.  Center Myron Hawkins earned a spot on the All-Southern team. He also made all-state first team while end Terrell Wallen and tackle Pat Waldrop made second team.

Season Log
Red Bank, 21-0
Butler, 18-0
Decatur, 12-0
Etowah, 0-0
Albertville, 40-0
Huntsville, 27-0
Scottsboro, 27-6
Anniston, 26-0
Emma Sansom, 21-0
Emma Sansom, 27-0

31. Istrouma (Baton Rouge, La.), 9-2-2
By the end of the regular season, the Indians were no better than sixth place in the AAA standings in Louisiana. However, that's because two of the losses were away games against arguably the nation’s best team in Little Rock Central and possibly the best team in Texas in Nederland. At 7-2-1, Istrouma also had a tie with undefeated Warren Easton, which finished at the top of the AAA regular season standings at 7-0-2. Despite the two losses and one tie, Istrouma was ranked No. 1 in the state by the United Press throughout the month of November with Warren Easton at No. 2. In the playoffs, Istrouma tied Warren Easton again, 7-7, but got the win by converting more first downs, 8-5. The next two games were wipeouts over Fair Park and LaGrange, making Istrouma the first Louisiana high school to win three straight state championships. Roy Winaron earned first team all-state honors along with quarterback Lynn Amedee. End Jackie Cox, guard Norbert Roy and running back Don Smith were on the second team. Amedee went on to play at LSU and in the Canadian Football League before embarking on a coaching career that lasted over 30 years.

Season Log
St. Stanislaus, 47-0
Easton, 12-12
Little Rock Central, 6-15
Nederland, 0-14
Sulphur, 39-14
Byrd, 21-7
Catholic, 52-14
Bogalusa, 40-0
Baton Rouge, 20-13
Terrebonne, 12-0
Easton, 7-7
Fair Park 42-0
LaGrange, 34-13

32. Warren Easton (New Oreleans, La.), 7-0-3
Istrouma won the state championship in Louisiana in 1957, but it never defeated Warren Easton despite playing the Eagles twice. Warren Easton tied Istrouma two times, including 7-7 in the playoffs. The only reason the Eagles did not advance to the semifinals is because Istrouma had the edge in first downs, 8-5. Despite Istrouma winning in the semifinals and advancing to the championship against LaGrange, Warren Easton was still ranked No. 1 in the state by the Times Picayune. Only after Istrouma defeated La Grange for the championship did Warren Easton drop down to No. 2 in the final rankings. End Malcolm Bech and tackle Duncan Savelle earned all-state honors.

Season Log
St. Aloysius, 6-0
Bogalusa, 7-0
Istrouma 12-12
Holy Name, 40-0
Holy Cross, 13-13
McDonough, 40-0
Nicholls, 47-0
Fortier, 27-7
East Jefferson, 13-0
Istrouma, 7-7

33. Edina Morningside (Minn.), 9-0
Voted No. 1 in the state by the Minneapolis Tribune, Edina did not have a close game all season long and had the best undefeated record in the state. Roy Bostock was the only Edina player to make the all-state team selected by the Tribune’s Ted Peterson, however Peterson did not choose more than one player from any team. Five other Edina players made honorable mention. Bostock, the team’s quarterback, suffered the loss of his father, who died in a car crash during the season. Bostock did all right for himself following high school. He was a two-sport standout (football, baseball) at Duke, graduated Phi Beta Kappa and eventually became CEO of Yahoo!

Season Log
Bloomington, 41-0
Richfield, 33-6
St. Louis Park, 20-0
Mound, 14-0
Wayzata, 39-6
Roosevelt, 26-6
Robbinsdale, 25-7
Minnetonka, 35-0
Hopkins 37-0

34. Anderson (Austin, Texas), 11-0-1
The champions of the Prairie View Interscholastic League, Anderson finished unbeaten for the second year in a row, concluding with a 22-14 championship win over Dallas Washington. Stagnated at No. 4 in the state rankings most of the season after a tie with Yates, Anderson won its second straight title with two playoff wins. The team included running back Charlie Bonner, considered one of the top running backs in Texas, and fullback L.D. Washington.
Season Log
Hebert, 14-0
St. Peters, 77-0
Waco Moore, 14-0
Oklahoma City Douglass, 27-20
Yates, 6-6
Corpus Christi Coles 39-0
Bryan Kemp, 46-0
Fort Worth Dunbar, 37-2
San Antonio Wheatley, 20-0
Midland Carver, 74-6
Houston Washington, 13-9
Dallas Washington, 22-14

35. Chattanooga Central (Tenn.), 10-1
The Pounders finished No. 1 in the Litkenhous rankings, edging No. 2 Dobyns Bennett by 1 point and Oak Ridge by 1.1 points. Central defeated both of them during the season and had an undefeated season before falling to Robert E. Lee of Jacksonville, 14-0. Lee lost to Miami Senior, 19-0, which is why Chattanooga comes in behind the Stingarees. Central had two players on the all-state first team, including center Eddie Lance and running back Williams “Chink” Brown. Also an All-Southern first team selection, Brown went on to a long law career and spent many years as a circuit court judge in Hamilton County.

Season Log
Ripley, 20-0
Memphis South Side, 7-0
Memphis Central, 7-0
Bradley Central, 35-0
Dobyns Bennett, 26-20
Fulton, 41-0
Woodlawn, 21-0
Scottsboro, 29-12
Knoxville South, 41-0
Oak Ridge, 8-0
Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville), 0-14

36. Youngstown South (Ohio), 9-0
South had its best record in over 30 years in finishing 9-0 in 1957. The Warriors finished with three first-place votes in the final state rankings by the Associated Press and ranked No. 5 overall. Junior running back Don Lisbon was eventually drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and was an all-star in the Canadian Football League.

Season Log
Woodrow Wilson, 34-0
John Hay, 73-7
Youngstown North, 54-0
Chaney, 46-6
Campbell, 9-0
Ursuline, 19-6
Sharon, 35-0
Rand, 25-6
Youngstown East, 40-0

37. Braddock (Pa.), 9-0
Under coach Chuck Klausing, Braddock went 36-0-1 by the end of the 1957 season. The Tigers were the Class A state champions and had four players on the Class A All-WPIAL team, including running back Jerry Manns (18 touchdowns) and tackle Larry Reaves. Braddock eventually extended its unbeaten record to 56 games in a row, breaking the national record held by Massillon.

Season Log
Swissvale, 33-0
North Braddock Scott, 23-6
New Brighton, 41-7
McKees Rocks, 32-7
Homestead, 25-12
Glassport, 13-0
Elizabeth Forward, 53-7
Derry Area, 27-6
Canon-McMillan, 35-0

38. Sidney Lanier (Montgomery, Ala.), 8-0-1
While Birmingham newspapers named Gadsden and Walker County as the state co-champions in 1957, the Montgomery Advertiser, using its own rating system, chose Sidney Lanier. The Poets finished just two-tenths of a point ahead of Gadsden, 83.5 to 83.3 in what were called the Action Ratings. Tackle Cliff Russell and guard Jimmy Sharpe made first team all-state by the Advertiser.

Season Log
Parrish Selma, 20-6
Central Phenix City, 12-7
Dothan, 7-0
Valley, 6-0
Ramsay, 21-7
Tuscaloosa, 7-7
Murphy, 7-0
Tallassee, 40-7
Lee Montgomery, 14-12

39. Clifton (N.J.), 7-1
During the entire 10-year run of the Clifton-Montclair series, Montclair had the dominating edge, winning all 10 games. Five times Clifton entered the game undefeated, only to fall to the Mounties. But 1957 proved to be different as the Mustangs turned the tables and won by shutout, ending Montclair’s 37-game unbeaten streak. Clifton missed out on a chance to be sole state champion with a 33-6 loss the next week to Bloomfield. Montclair then beat Bloomfield to finish in a tie for the mythical state championship with the Mustangs. Running back George Telesh was a two-time all-state pick, scoring 157 points as a junior and 129 as a senior. He also earned All-American honors as a senior. He reportedly ran for 2,747 yards as a senior, according to Clifton Merchants Magazine (2021), and 4,727 yards in his career. However, newspaper reports from that year put his season total closer to 1,300 yards. A native of Poland, Telesh spent nine months at the age of five in a Nazi concentration camp in Germany. His father died in the camp, according to the Paterson News. Four years after the war, Telesh came to America to live with an uncle. He became a naturalized citizen during the 1957 season and he went on to a long career as a doctor.

Season Log
Paterson Central, 34-0
Lyndhurst, 33-8
Paterson Eastside, 41-7
East Rutherford, 19-13
Nutley, 34-14
Montclair, 26-0
Bloomfield, 6-33
Garfield, 21-0

40. Montclair (N.J.), 8-1
Under coach Clary Anderson, Montclair was one of the dominant teams in the nation during the 1950s with eight state championships during the decade. In fact, Anderson won 17 state titles between 1941 and 1966. The Mounties were on their way to yet another undefeated season in 1957, only to be shut out by Clifton, a team it had never lost to in 10 previous meetings. With Clifton’s loss to Bloomfield, however, Montclair shared the state championship with Clifton. Running back Richard Haines was a two-time all-state pick for the Mounties.

Season Log
Orange, 39-0
Kearny, 53-12
Nutley, 21-6
East Orange, 34-6
Columbia, 35-0
West Orange, 27-0
Clifton, 0-26
Irvington, 52-0
Bloomfield, 21-3

41. Artesia (N.M.), 12-0
New Mexico began holding state football playoffs since 1950 and in that time, no team has come close to winning as many state championships as Artesia. The Bulldogs won their first title in 1957 when it had its first 12-0 season. Johnny French led the Bulldogs to the championship by leading the state in scoring with 144 points. French made the Wigwam Wiseman All-American fifth team. Ironically, Artesia also had the second-leading scorer in the state AA scoring race in James Mitchell, who had 90 points during the regular season. Mitchell and French were both first team all-state. A total of nine Bulldogs made first team, second team or honorable mention.

Season Log
Lovington, 38-7
Highland, 16-6
Odessa Ector, 21-0
El Paso Ysleta, 27-6
Dumas, 20-0
Seminole, 27-14
Carlsbad, 14-13
Alamogordo, 40-14
Clovis, 48-6
Hobbs, 27-25
Roswell, 13-0
Highland, 27-26

42. Madison West (Wisc.), 8-0
Before he was a 17-year NFL veteran kicker with the St. Louis Cardinals, Jim Bakken was an all-state quarterback at Madison West. Bakken was named honorary captain of the all-state team after leading Madison West to the first undefeated season in school history. Bakken finished his NFL career as the league’s third all-time leading scorer behind George Blanda and Lou Groza. Among the wins for West included a 47-14 whitewash of two-time defending Big 8 champion Kenosha.

Season Log
Marinette 21-20
Horlick 44-0
Central 39-6
Park 48-0
Beloit 54-6
Janesville 53-0
Kenosha 47-14
East 26-0

43. Dobyns Bennett (Kingsport), 10-1
The Indians missed out on a state championship in Tennessee by just seven points following a 26-20 loss to Chattanooga Central. Otherwise, Dobyns Bennett was untouchable the rest of the season. Jerry Reese accounted for over 1,800 yards on the season while fullback David Steadman, an all-state pick at tackle, rushed for just under 1,200 yards. Guard Mel Joseph also made the all-state team at guard.

Season Log
Lynn Camp, 46-0
Whitehaven, 20-6
Fulton Knoxville, 27-0
Central Chattanooga, 20-26
Unicoi County, 31-13
Jefferson (Va.), 40-25
Greeneville, 14-7
Elizabethton, 49-6
Tennessee, 47-12
Science Hill, 33-14
Montgomery Bell, 21-7

44. Jefferson (Roanoke, Va.), 8-1
The Magicians went undefeated in Group 1 play with the only loss of the season coming at the hands of Tennessee power Dobyns-Bennett. Jefferson’s only loss in 1956 also came against Dobyns-Bennett. Tracy Callis earned all-state honors at running back, rushing for 759 yards and 16 touchdowns. Carlston Waskey also made all-state at center. Callis went on to become one of the nation’s prominent American boxing historians.

Season Log
Pulaski, 13-0
Groveton, 28-0
Grundy, 34-0
William Fleming, 32-7
Dobyns-Bennett, 25-40
EC Glass, 32-20
Andrew Lewis, 26-0
Danville, 47-0
Covington, 27-0

45. Roosevelt (Honolulu, Hawaii), 11-0
Known as the Territory of Hawaii in 1957, the islands didn’t become the 50th state until 1959. However, the school was named after former United States president Theodore Roosevelt and it dominated football on the islands for most of the 1950s. By the time Roosevelt defeated Punahou 19-12 in the final game of the season, it had won 22 straight games and three straight Honolulu Interscholastic League titles. Milton Kam led the Rough Rider offense, rushing for 688 yards in seven league games with 75 points. He was a repeat selection on the Hawaii all-star team, joining end Joe Meyer, tackle Faatautau Salanoa, guard Francois Wallace and center Tom Price.

Season Log
Waialua, 46-0
Baldwin, 20-0
St. Anthony, 34-6
St. Louis, 21-6
Iolani, 32-14
Kamehameha, 48-18
McKinley, 32-7
Punahou, 28-0
Farrington, 48-0
Kaimuki, 46-0
Punahou, 19-12

46. Salesianum (Wilmington, Del.), 9-0
Under coach Dim Montero, the Sallies began a streak of 29 straight wins during the 1957 season. Salesianum allowed just eight points on the season while posting seven shutouts. Montero posted a record of 70 wins, 10 losses and three ties in his 10 years at the school. Quarterback Ted Kempski and end Tommy Hall made the national All-Catholic All-America football team, making Salesianum the only team to have two players on the team. Kempski threw for 1,265 yards with Hall catching 30 passes for 573 yards. Kempski went on to become one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the Wing-T, writing five books about the subject. After playing at the University of Delaware, he spent over 40 years at the school as an assistant coach and assistant to the AD. He helped lead the Blue Hens to three national championships.

Season Log
Reading Central Catholic, 27-0
Conrad, 27-0
Malvern Prep, 28-0
Wilmington, 27-0
St. John’s DC, 9-2
St. Matthew, 22-0
Cardinal Dougherty, 28-0
DuPont, 14-6
Howard, 35-0

47. Swampscott (Mass.), 8-0
Big Blue won the first of back-to-back Class B state championships in Massachusetts in 1957. Running backs George Blais and Bill Carlyn were among the leading scorers in the state with Carlyn scoring 91 points and Blais adding 84.

Season Log
Woburn, 25-6
Cambridge Latin, 44-7
Danvers, 31-6
Winthrop, 19-12
Amesbury, 27-0
Saugus, 19-6
Revere, 32-0
Rindge, 27-6
Marblehead, 27-0

48. Helias (Jefferson City, Mo.), 9-0
The Crusaders rang up seven straight shutouts to start the season and allowed only 13 points on the season. Helias defeated a Pete Adkins-coached Centralia (which was 8-0) in the final game of the season. The game for Adkins was his last at Centralia before moving on to a legendary career at Jefferson City. The 13 points allowed is still the sixth fewest points allowed in a season in Missouri history. Helias was only in its second year of existence, graduating its first class in 1957. Jack Butler, receiver, earned third team all-state honors.

Season Log
Houston, 26-0
Missouri Military Academy, 26-0
Moberly, 52-0
Boonville, 15-0
Mexico, 13-0
Douglas (Columbia), 43-0
Fulton, 32-0
Missouri School for Deaf, 25-7
Centralia, 7-6

49. Garfield (Seattle, Wash.), 7-0-1,
Clover Park was the No. 1 team in the state rankings heading into its Thanksgiving Day matchup with Garfield, but it was the Bulldogs who pulled out the 6-0 win and vaulted from No. 3 in the rankings to No. 1, finishing one point ahead of Ellensburg in the final poll. Garfield also won the city championship for the third time in four years and placed seven players on the Seattle Times’ All-City team.

Season Log
West Seattle, 6-0
Roosevelt, 0-0
Lincoln, 12-0
Cleveland, 14-0
Franklin, 19-7
Queen Anne, 31-7
Ballard, 20-14
Clover Park, 6-0

50. (tie) Fort Hill (Md.), 10-0
The Sentinels have had one of the top football programs in Maryland since the team first began play in 1936. While the Sentinels rarely lost more than one game per season during its first two decades, the 1957 team posted the school’s best record to date. The Sentinels posted eight players on the All-City first team with four more earning honorable mention.

Season Log
La Salle, 13-6
Frederick, 20-0
Martinsburg, 41-13
Beall, 46-0
Handley, 17-0
Westminster, 34-14
Northwestern, 36-0
South Hagerstown, 40-0
North Hagerstown, 67-6
Allegany, 28-6

50 (tie). Oak Ridge (Tenn.), 8-2
After winning the state championship in the Litkenhous ratings in 1956, Oak Ridge slipped to No. 3 in 1957 behind Chattanooga Central and Dobyns-Bennett. The Wildcats placed two players on the All-East Tennessee team, including end Mike Simmons and 1958 All-American running back Jackie Pope. The No. 3 finish set the stage for a spectacular 1958 season in which the Wildcats finished No. 1 in the nation.

Season Log
Clinton, 48-6
Isaac Litton, 61-12
Chattanooga Central, 0-8
Fulton, 45-0
Knoxville East, 27-0
Knoxville South, 40-0
McMinn County, 44-6
Young, 48-0
Johnson City, 13-27
Cookeville, 48-0

Note: After further research, Anderson (Austin) was added at No. 34.