The 1970s were the domain of three-time national champion Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), as well as some of the greatest running backs in high school football history.
How good were the running backs during the 1970s? Consider that future Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett and NFL single season record holder Eric Dickerson don't make our All-Decade Team because of the likes of Billy Sims, Earl Campbell and Herschel Walker
Archbishop Moeller, meanwhile, holds two of the top three spots on our Top 10 teams list and appears three times on the list.
That's just a sampling of MaxPreps' look at the decade that was the 1970s.
We break down the rest of the decade below.
Archbishop Moeller players have a legacy of winning to live up to as the Cincinnati power had three teams among the best of the 1970s.
Photo by Michael Noyes
WR — Dave Logan,
Wheat Ridge (Colo.), 1971
WR — Stan Rome,
Valdosta (Ga.), 1973
WR — John McKay Jr.,
Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.), 1970
TE — Ken McAfee,
Brockton (Mass.), 1973
OL — Anthony Munoz,
Chaffey (Ontario, Calif.), 1975
OL — Marvin Powell,
Seventy-First (Fayetteville, N.C.), 1972
OL — Terry Albritton,
Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.), 1971
OL — Don Mosebar,
Mt. Whitney (Visalia, Calif.), 1978
OL — Curt Marsh,
Snohomish (Wash.), 1976
QB — Joe Montana,
Ringgold (Monongahela, Pa.), 1973
QB — John Elway,
Granada Hills Charter (Calif.), 1978
RB — Herschel Walker,
Johnson County (Wrightsville, Ga.), 1979
RB — Billy Sims,
Hooks (Texas), 1974
RB — Earl Campbell,
Tyler (Texas), 1973
K — Matt Bahr,
Neshaminy (Langhorne, Pa.), 1974
DL — Wilson Whitley,
Brenham (Texas), 1972
DL — George Achica,
Hill (San Jose, Calif.), 1978
DL — Bruce Clark,
New Castle (Pa.), 1975
DL — Gary Jeter, Cathedral Latin (Cleveland), 1972
LB — Bob Crable,
Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 1977
LB — Scot Brantley,
Forest (Ocala, Fla.), 1975
LB — Wilber Marshall,
Astronaut (Titusville, Fla.), 1979
LB — Tom Cousineau,
St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 1974
DB — Ronnie Lott,
Eisenhower (Rialto, Calif.), 1976
DB — Marcus Allen,
Lincoln (San Diego), 1977
DB — Quinn Buckner,
Thornridge (Dolton, Ill.), 1971
DB — Kenny Easley,
Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), 1976
Winningest Coach
Keith Richardson, Clinton (S.C.), 113-14
Leading Rushers
7,738 — Billy Sims, Hooks (Texas), 1972-74
7,656 — Steve Tate,
Luther (Okla.), 1973-76
7,582 — David Overstreet,
Big Sandy (Texas), 1973-76
7,260 — Mark Fincher,
Jayton (Texas), 1972-75
7,260 — Bobby Mitchell, Big Sandy (Texas), 1970-73
6,850 — Donald Moore,
Splendora (Texas), 1976-79
6,683 — Jesse Dorsey,
White County (Cleveland, Ga.), 1970-72
6,200 — Sonny Collins,
Madisonville-North Hopkins (Madisonville, Ky.), 1968-71
6,137 — Herschel Walker, Johnson County (Wrightsville, Ga.), 1976-79
5,877 — Eric Dickerson,
Sealy (Texas), 1976-78
Leading Passers
8,804 — Ron Cuccia,
Wilson (Los Angeles), 1975-77
7,633 — Pat Haden,
Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.), 1968-70
7,089 — Ernie Lewis,
Elizabethtown (Ky.), 1967-70
6,842 — Corky Prater,
Lewis County (Vanceburg, Ky.), 1971-74
6,221 — Josh Hellstrom,
P.K. Yonge (Gainesville, Fla.), 1972-75
Leading Scorers
668 — Donald Moore, Splendora (Texas), 1977-79
620 — David Overstreet, Big Sandy (Texas), 1973-76
566 — Jamie Jordan,
Grapeland (Texas), 1971-74
554 — Steve Tate, Luther (Okla.), 1973-76
522 — Earnest (Bubba) Bean,
Kirbyville (Texas), 1969-71
522 — Dan Lato,
Forest Park (Crystal Falls, Mich.), 1976-78
516 — Billy Sims, Hooks (Texas), 1972-74
516 — Alan Barbee,
Bronte (Texas), 1971-74
516 — Herschel Walker, Johnson County (Wrightsville), 1977-79
Greatest Game
John Tyler (Texas) 21, Reagan (Austin, Texas) 14, 1973
One
of the top programs in the nation over the past seven seasons, Austin
Reagan had been named national champion by National Sports News Service
in 1967, 1968 and 1970. Facing Tyler and future NFL Hall of Famer Earl
Campbell, Austin Reagan, now called Northeast, took the 14-7 halftime lead in a game played in
the Houston Astrodome (played there for the first time). Behind the
running of Campbell, who had 32 carries for 164 yards, Tyler rallied for
two touchdowns in the second half, including the game-winner from
1-yard out with 51 seconds remaining.
Top 10 Teams
1. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 1976, 12-0
2. Valdosta (Ga.), 1971, 13-0
3. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 1977, 12-0
4.
Warner Robins (Ga.), 1976, 13-0
5.
Tennessee (Bristol, Tenn.), 1972, 13-0
6.
Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 1973, 13-0
7.
Loyola (Los Angeles), 1975, 13-0
8. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 1979, 12-0
9.
Annandale (Va.), 1978, 14-0
10. Permian (Odessa, Texas), 1972, 14-0
Comments or questions? Contact Kevin Askeland at kevinaskeland65@gmail.com.
