A quick look at the lists in the MaxPreps National High School Football Record Book for most team touchdowns in a season and for a single game shows that the two lists have this in common – absolutely nothing.
Not one team on the list of most touchdowns in a single high school game also populates the list of teams with most touchdowns in a single season. While this might seem to be quite ironic, there is actually a simple explanation.
Record Book: Most team touchdowns in a single game
All of the records for most touchdowns in a single game occurred prior to 1943 with most happening in the 1920s or earlier. This is because there was no mercy rule in place at that time, which allowed for a running clock.
Also, the rules back then provided that teams that gave up a touchdown could then kick off rather than receive the kickoff. The strategy being to pin the opponent deep in its own territory, although this obviously failed spectacularly in some cases.
Finally, games did not have a standard time for each quarter. Some games were 15 minutes quarters, others 12 and some 10.
As a result, the likelihood of any team breaking the record of 38 touchdowns in a single game by
Haven (Kan.) is extremely remote. In fact, the possibility of any team even joining the list of touchdowns in a single game is also unlikely to happen give today's rules.
The list of most team touchdowns in a single game is one of two new lists added to the MaxPreps National High School Record Book. The other is the list for most touchdowns in a single season.
Aledo went 16-0 in 2013 en route to the Class 4A Division 2 state title in Texas, scoring a national record 142 touchdowns along the way. (Photo: Robbie Rakestraw)
While the single-game TD list appears to be set in stone, the list for touchdowns in a season is constantly being re-written. Only one team,
Big Sandy (Texas) even played in the 20th century. Of the top 30 teams, 28 have joined the list since 2011.
Record Book: Most team touchdowns in a single season
Last year,
Freedom (Woodbridge, Va.) almost broke the record of 142, set by
Aledo (Texas) in 2013, finishing with 138.
The reason more and more teams are joining the single season touchdowns list is due to the high number of games played each season. Many states play at least 14 to crown a state champion with several playing as many as 16 games.
Additionally, high school offenses have become more potent, sometimes resulting in both opponents scoring close to double-digit touchdowns in a single game. There have already been a half dozen games this year in which teams combined for over 130 total points.
Aledo appears on the single-season team touchdown list the most with three appearances. In addition to the all-time record of 142 touchdowns, the Bearcats have also scored 123 touchdowns in 2016 and 121 in 2011.
