By Jason Hickman
MaxPreps.com
Football: Some Records Not Meant to be Broken
You know what they say about records.
"Records are meant to be broken."
But in the case of some of high school football's greatest achievements, milestones, and performances, the old saying is wrong.
As the 2006 high school football season approaches (just 45 days from opening kickoff in Alaska), there are some marks that will never be broken. Chances are, they won't even be approached.
Here are the 10 greatest records in high school football history, as compiled by the National Federation of State High School Associations Record Book;
(1) Shelbyville Bedford County Training (Tenn.) - 52 consecutive shutouts
We're not quite sure who Shelbyville Bedford County Training was playing, but 52-straight shutouts would be impressive for an NFL team playing against Pop Warner squads. The Tennessee school kept the scoreboard clean for eight-consecutive seasons from 1942-1949.
(2) Clinch County High (Ga.) - 117 rushing yards allowed in 15-game season
If this record had been achieved in say, 1920, it wouldn't be completely shocking. But Clinch County held opponents to just 7.8 rushing yards per game in 2004. The Panthers shared the Class A title with Hawkinsville that season after playing to a 14-14 tie in the finals.
(3) Haven High (Kan.) - 256 points in a single game
Football in 1927 was almost a distant cousin to the sport we call football today. But make no mistake, 256 points in any sport is impressive, and that was the final tally for Haven High School in Kansas at the conclusion of a 1927 meeting against Sylvia. It's safe to say this record is in no jeopardy of being broken by any team at any level.
(4) Ben Mauk (Kenton, Ohio) - 19,628 total career yards (17,364 passing/2,264 rushing)
Right player. Right system. Right time. That's the only way to explain Ben Mauk's career record of nearly 20,000 total yards playing from 1999 to 2002. The Ohio gunslinger averaged well over 400 yards of total offense per game over his four-year career, including 528.5 per contest as a senior - PlayStation numbers. Mauk was coached by his father, Mike, at Kenton and did more than just put up big stats. The current Wake Forest signal caller led his team to back-to-back state titles as a junior and senior.
(5) T.A. McClendon (Albemarle, N.C.) - 178 career touchdowns
A legend in North Carolina, nobody in high school football history put the ball in the end zone with more regularity than Albemarle High's T.A. McClendon. Beginning his career as a defensive end, McClendon made the switch to running back during his freshman season and the rest is history. The former North Carolina State star piled up 107 touchdowns in his first three seasons, then followed with a national record 71 as a senior for a total of 178. Michigan Wolverine standout Kevin Grady is No. 2 on the career list with 151 touchdowns.
(6) Mogadore High (Ohio) - 98 pass attempts in a single game
Attempting 98 passes in a game is almost something you would have to see to believe. I didn't, but Mogadore's 1956 aerial assault against Atwater High is well-documented. The Wildcats connected on 38 of those passes, ninth all-time for completions in a game.
(7) Sandpoint High (Idaho) - 18 interceptions in a single game
Fortunately for the Bonners Ferry football staff, they didn't have to review the 18 interceptions they threw in a single game against Sandpoint on tape. The game occurred in 1928, long before coaches poured over film the day after games. 18 interceptions in a season would be hard to swallow, but we're guessing that the 18-pick performance by Bonners Ferry 78 years ago caused a "quarterback controversy" in the North Idaho community.
(8) Russell Gunter (Andalusia Straughn, Ala.) - 72 rushing attempts in a single game
Talk about going to the well once too often. Andalusia Straughn obviously made no effort to disguise their gameplan against Coffee Springs in 1986, going to running back Russell Gunter 72 times, or 1.5 rushing attempts per minute! Gunter rushed for 331 yards (4.59 yards per carry).
(9) Abram Booty (Evangel Christian, La.) - 5,867 career receiving yards
5,867 career receiving yards doesn't seem like an insurmountable total, but the fact that the next closest mark to Abram Booty's career record is over 1,100 yards in the rearview mirrors says volumes. Booty, the brother of former LSU Tiger, Josh, and current USC Trojan, John David, capped his four-year run at Evangel Christian in Shreveport with 2,084 receiving yards as a senior in 1996, the fourth-best single season effort in high school football history. Booty also owns the career receptions record with 302, and career touchdown receptions record with 83, giving the former LSU standout an impressive pass-catching triple crown.
(10) Seligman High (Ariz.) - 1,001 total yards in a single game
In 2004, Seligman High and Queen Creek Canyon State Academy engaged in the most prolific offensive shootout in high school football history. Okay, it was an eight-man game played on an 80-yard field, but the numbers are still out of this world. Seligman compiled a national record 1,001 total yards, outdoing QCCSA's total of 863 - 1,864 combined yards for those counting. Running back Vincent Alvarado racked up 10 touchdowns for Seligman in the 116-108 victory, including four on kickoff returns. In quite possibly the most incredible "losing effort" performance ever, QCCSA quarterback Garry Hall threw for 504 yards and six touchdowns, and rushed for 287 yards with five more scores on the ground.
Basketball: USA Basketball, Romar Select U-18 Team
USA Basketball and University of Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar announced their final 12-player roster for the 2006 FIBA Americas U-18 Championship for Men, set to tip-off tomorrow in San Antonio, Texas.
The team features four players who will take the floor as college freshmen next season, and eight who will be high school seniors.
"Our athleticism is our strength," Romar said. "I think that we've got pretty good team chemistry. Our guys don't mind giving up their bodies for the sake of the team, and I think we shoot the ball pretty well."
Seattle center Spencer Hawes, forwards DaJuan Summers and Stanley Robinson, and future Duke Blue Devil Lance Thomas are the roster veterans, having already completed their high school eligibility.
Thomas, a product of St. Benedict's Prep in New Jersey, will join two future Duke teammates, as 2007 seniors Taylor King and Nolan Smith also were named to the squad.
The United States opens play in the event Wednesday against Uruguay.
USA Basketball U-18 Roster
Chris Allen
6-4/190
Lawrenceville, Ga./Meadowcreek High
Michigan State University
Jerryd Bayless
6-4/193
Phoenix, Ariz./St. Mary's
Undecided
Michael Beasley
6-10/235
Frederick, Md./Oak Hill Academy
Undecided
Johnny Flynn
6-0/172
Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls High
Syracuse University
Donte Greene
6-10/217
Baltimore, Md./Towson Catholic
Syracuse University
Spencer Hawes
7-0/230
Seattle, Wash./Seattle Prep
University of Washington
Taylor King
6-7/218
Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei
Duke University
Stanley Robinson
6-9/220
Birmingham, Ala./Huffman High
University of Connecticut
Kyle Singler
6-9/210
Medford, Ore./South Medford High
Undecided
Nolan Smith
6-4/180
Washington, D.C./Oak Hill Academy
Duke University
DaJuan Summers
6-9/235
Baltimore, Md./McDonough School
Georgetown University
Lance Thomas
6-8/200
Scotch Plains, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep
Duke University
Before We Go: A pair of future Pac-10 quarterbacks had a field day in Oregon's Les Schwab Bowl Saturday, guiding the North squad to a 49-25 win over the South. Beaverton's Kevin Riley (California) and Westview's Cody Kempt (Oregon) combined to complete 30 of 53 pass attempts for 337 yards and five touchdowns.
Jason Hickman: jason@maxpreps.com
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