Ryan McGaha of Arkansas scored three defensive touchdowns in 2:22 but video review altered the story just a bit.
After reviewing the tape, it looks like Brock Harmon still holds the record for the three quickest pick-sixes in a high school football game. As highlighted by MaxPreps on Instagram,
Ryan McGaha of
Harding Academy (Searcy, Ark.) scored three defensive touchdowns in a span of 2 minutes, 22 seconds last week.
McGaha reported on social media that his three touchdowns were all interception returns. But a closer look at the video and Harding Academy's own stats reported to MaxPreps tell a different story.
Two of the "picks" were actually fumble recoveries of pitches from the quarterback to the trailing back on an option play. On both plays, McGaha broke into the backfield, grabbed the pitch and ran to the end zone.
McGaha, who also plays receiver, then completed the trio of scores with an interception return of 26 yards. The three touchdowns are his only this season.
The Arkansas senior had reportedly broke the "pick-six" record of Harmon of
Washington (Okla.), who had three interceptions for scores over the span of six minutes in 2013. Harmon remains the only player reported to have returned three interceptions for a touchdown in one quarter.
McGaha's performance is now a possible record in search of a category. While it is likely he has the three quickest defensive touchdowns ever, it's hard to know for sure. The national record for fumble returns for a touchdown in a game is three, but the record is not broken down by quarter.
The NFHS record book has a category for most interception returns for a touchdown by quarter, but not for a half or for a game. However, MaxPreps reported in 2012 that Ben Sukut of
Capistrano Valley Christian (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) returned four interceptions for touchdowns in a single half.
Then there is the case of
Cody (Wyo.), which defeated Jackson Hole 41-24 in the Wyoming Class 3A championship game last weekend. Cody built its margin of victory thanks to three pick-six touchdowns (by two different players) in the second half. The three interception returns totaled 248 yards. Cody won its seventh state title despite Jackson Hole holding the offensive yardage advantage of 581 to 281.
Cody celebrates a win in Wyoming's Class 3A state title game last weekend after snagging pick-sixes on three consecutive Jackson Hole possessions in the second half.
Photo courtesy of WHSAA
Foreign exchange students playing football isn't uncommon but a growing trend of late is the number of female foreign exchange students who are taking to the gridiron.
Tia Teigre of Norway is playing linebacker for
Aurora (Neb.), which will play Bennington in the Class B final tonight. Jasmin Vogel of Switzerland reportedly has played wide receiver for
Mills University Studies (Little Rock, Ark.) and last spring Martine Buijs of the Netherlands booted an extra point for
Canisteo-Greenwood (Canisteo, N.Y.).
Then there is the unique ability of
Shelbyville (Ill.) kicker
Vincent Thofte. The Swedish exchange student can kick equally well with both legs due to years of playing soccer in his home country, according to an interview with WCIA.com.
Thofte showcased his "switch-kicking" ability with right-footed field goals against Tuscola and Warrensburg-Latham and a left-footed field goal against Oblong-Palestine-Hutsonville.
So who is the greatest foreign exchange student football player of all time? That designation goes to Morten Andersen, the Denmark native who played one year at
Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) and earned honorable mention all-state honors while booting four field goals and 36 extra points.
A Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Andersen played 25 seasons in the NFL and finished as the league's all-time leading scorer (since passed) with 2,544 points.
Illinois rushing record could fall
The single season rushing yardage record in Illinois could fall Saturday when
Morton (Ill.) takes on undefeated Kankakee in the Class 5A semifinals.
Morton running back
Seth Glatz has 3,064 rushing yards heading into the game and needs just 262 yards to surpass Lexington's T.J. Linde for the state record. While that total seems imposing, Glatz is averaging 255 yards a game and has rushed for over 400 yards twice in the past three weeks. He's just the second Illinois running back to run for over 400 yards in a season twice in the same year.
Morton coach Tim Brilley won't be shy about getting Glatz the ball, considering the 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior has carried the ball 41 and 42 times in his last two outings.
Back to BenningtonWe mentioned that Aurora is playing
Bennington (Neb.) in the Class B final in Nebraska tonight. Bennington features running back
Dylan Mostek, who last week broke the Class B state record for rushing yards in a season.
Mostek ran for 251 yards in the semifinals and has 2,872 yards on the season. That total breaks the record of 2,740 yards held by Brendan Holbein of Cozad in 1991.
Mostek can now set his sights on the overall state record of 3,008 yards, set by Calvin Strong of Omaha North in 2013.
Michigan TD record in danger
Jared Smith of
Pewamo-Westphalia (Pewamo) holds the Michigan state record for touchdowns in a season with 53 but that record could fall in the coming weeks.
Jake Rueff and
Lawton play Lumen Christi Catholic in the Division 7 semifinals Saturday and he has 48 touchdowns on the season, including 46 on the ground. He can tie the record with five touchdowns Saturday. Rueff has scored at least five touchdowns in four different games this year.
