If there is one mystery among national high school football record holders, it's who owns the record for most points scored in a single game. For close to 20 years, it was believed to be John Cook of Beatrice (Neb.).
Cook scored 98 points in one game on 14 touchdowns and 14 extra point kicks. But recent research by Nebraska historian Stu Pospisil of the Omaha World Herald has determined Cook's record to be incorrect.
So who, then, holds the record? It's a question that may never be truly answered and here are the reasons why.
Due to the way the rules of high school football were constructed in the early 20th century, it made it easy for teams to run up high scores. Teams that were scored upon could elect to kick off to the opponent who had scored. When a weak team employed this strategy against a powerful team, lopsided scores were often the result.
The problem, though, is that information from those games was rarely reported. The write ups for the games often mentioned only the score. Since statistics were rarely kept in games prior to the 1930s, it's possible that there are many players with high individual scoring efforts that will never be known.
To that end, research on this story uncovered three players who scored 70 or more points in a game that had never previously been reported to a state record book. According to luckyshow.org, there are more than 1,000 games in high school history where a team scored at least 100 points. However the number of games which reported statistics is a fraction of that total.
With those things in mind, here's a look at the known top 10 single game scorers of all-time along with any other players who have scored at least 60 points in a game.
Thomas Tyner, Aloha
File photo by Jeff Napier
1. 98 — Leroy "Boney" Matthews, Roff (Okla.)
Date: Nov. 24, 1927
Game Score: Roff 142, Lehigh 0
Stats: 14 touchdowns, 14 extra points
Note: Before he became the state's all-time leading coaching wins leader in basketball with 922, Matthews was a standout quarterback at Roff. Unfortunately, no newspaper write up for the Lehigh game exists except for the score. The accounting of Matthews' performance reportedly appeared in Ripley's Believe it or Not in many major newspapers and was listed with 98 points. By Matthews' own account many years later, he scored 14 touchdowns and "13 or 14 extra points." While known in Oklahoma as a state record, Matthews' performance wasn't recognized on the national level until around 2001.
2. 96 — Everett Horner, Bozeman (Mont.)Date: Oct. 4, 1924
Game Score: Gallatin County (Bozeman, Mont.) 187, Sheridan 0
Stats: 16 touchdowns
Note: Horner's totals aren't listed anywhere in the record book at the national level or the state level and were only recently discovered during research for this story. Horner is clearly listed as scoring 16 touchdowns in the Oct. 10, 1924 edition of the Anaconda Standard. Horner's touchdown total would rank as the single-game record for touchdowns. It's possible that Horner scored even more points. Gallatin County scored 25 extra points, but the players who scored them are not listed in the story.
3. 90 — Elvin McCoy, Haven (Kan.)Date: Nov. 16, 1927
Game Score: Haven 256, Silvia 0
Stats: 13 touchdowns, 12 extra points
Note: Some accounts have McCoy scoring 92 points, but the generally accepted total is 90 points in the highest scoring game in high school history.
4. 88 — Don Wile, Salem (Ill.)Date: Oct. 8, 1943
Game Score: Salem 184, Fairfield (Ill.)
Stats: 13 touchdowns, 10 extra points
Note: The score of this game bounced back and forth from 184 to 188 and back to 184 in newspaper accounts over the week following the game. Wile's totals stayed consistent, however, with 88 total points.
5. 85 — John Cook, Beatrice (Neb.)Date: Nov. 2, 1912
Game Score: Beatrice 128, Tarkio (Mo.) 0
Stats: 12 touchdowns, 13 extra points
Note: Cook had been listed with 98 points in the National High School Record Book by Doug Huff in 2001, but recent research by Pospisil has shown the total to be incorrect. The Beatrice Daily Express has a play-by-play of the game and shows a total of 85 points, not 98.
5. 85 — Phil Dickens, Trousdale County (Hartsville, Tenn.), 1931Date: Sept. 25, 1931
Game Score: Trousdale County (Hartsville, Tenn.) 126, Westmoreland 0
Stats: 13 touchdowns, 7 extra points
Note: Dickens is listed in the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association record book with 96 points in a game, but an article from the Tennesseean in 1957 lists Dickens with 13 touchdowns and seven extra points for 85 points total. In fact, on the exact same day, Jan. 21, 1957, the Nashville Banner lists Dickens with 96 points and the Tennesseean has him with 85. Yet another article in the Knoxville Journal from 1935 lists Dickens with 93 points in a game. More than likely, the 85 points, which was documented by Hartsville historian J.C. McMurtry, is the most accurate.
7. 84 — Valentine "Rock" Grundman, DePaul College Prep (Chicago)Date: Oct. 14, 1916
Game Score: De Paul Academy 156, St. Charles 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 18 extra points
Note: De Paul was having difficulty finding opponents in 1916, but was able to convince St. Charles to play. De Paul ended up losing to Somerville (Mass.) in an interstate game at the end of the season for its only defeat.
8. 83 — Gordon Meadows, Worland (Wyo.)Date: Nov. 7, 1921
Game Score: Worland 109, Thermopolis 7
Stats: 12 touchdowns, 11 extra points
Note: Another performance not listed in any record books, Meadows is reported with 81 points and 83 points in different accounts. Newspaper accounts the day after the game list him with 83.
9. 82 — Alva Appleman, Moberly (Mo.)Date: Nov. 28, 1923
Game Score: Moberly 148, Montgomery City 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 16 extra points
Note: Not listed in the Missouri state record book, Appleman's mark was recently uncovered during research for this story. In some reports, Moberly's win is incorrectly listed as a 198-0 victory.
10. 80 — Frank Greene, Coronado (Calif.)Date: Oct. 11, 1929
Game Score: Coronado 108, Sweetwater 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 14 extra points
Note: Greene set the state record in California, which has lasted for 90 years. Later a police officer, Greene was killed in the line of duty almost 25 years to the day (Oct. 12, 1954) after his historic performance.
78 points
Erastus Tunk Simmons, Medina (Ohio)Date: Oct. 5, 1923
Game Score: Medina 165, Spencer 0
Stats: 12 touchdowns, 6 extra points
77 points
Ernie Perea, Los Lunas (N.M.)Date: Nov. 10, 1967
Game Score: Los Lunas 78, Fort Wingate 6
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 11 extra points
76 points
Eddie Byrge, Huntsville (Tenn.)Date: Oct. 26, 1968
Game Score: Huntsville 102, Sunbright 13
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 10 extra points (The TSSAA has Byrge listed with 78 points, but news reports directly after the game list Byrge with 76).
75 points
Jiggs Ray, Pilot Point (Texas)Date: Nov. 5, 1937
Game Score: Pilot Point 92, Tom Bean 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 9 extra points
72 points
Roland Locke, North Platte (Neb.)Date: Sept. 30, 1921
Game Score: North Platte 176, Cozad 0
Stats: 12 touchdowns
Don Pressly, West Frankfort (Ill.)Date: Nov. 16, 1928
Game Score: West Frankfort 98, Carbondale 0
Stats: 12 touchdowns
Ken Pearson, Hugo (Colo.)Date: Oct. 29, 1930
Game Score: Hugo 176, Vona 0
Stats: 12 touchdowns
Willie "Boogie" Hall, Tivoli (Defuniak Springs, Fla.)Date: Nov. 3, 1951
Game Score: Tivoli 108, Live Oak 0
Stats: 12 touchdowns
Don Gullett, McKell (South Shore, Ky.)Date: Nov. 8, 1968
Game Score: McKell 72, Wurtland 7
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 6 extra points (all of team's points)
Irwin Pinckney, Aberdeen (Wash.)Date: Oct. 17, 1914
Game Score: Aberdeen 114, Puyallup 0
Stats: 12 touchdowns
Harold Cummings, Clermont (Fla.)Date: Nov. 28, 1953
Game Score: Clermont 83, St. James (Orlando) 14
Stats: 12 touchdowns
71 points
Arthur Kurtz, Lorain (Ohio)Date: Sept. 27, 1913
Game Score: Lorain 144, Vermillion 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 11 extra points
Joe Golding, Eufaula (Okla.)Date: Nov. 17, 1939
Game Score: Eufaula 71, Haileyville 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns, 5 extra points (all of team's points)
68 points
Herbie Phelps, Old Kentucky Home (Bardstown, Ky.)Date: Oct. 26, 1962
Game Score: Old Kentucky Home 74, Aquinas Prep 6
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 8 extra points
66 points
Cecil Hardy, Flint Central (Mich.)Date: Sept. 25, 1914
Game Score: Flint Central 106, Lapeer 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns
Duke Christie, Escanaba (Mich.)Date: Nov. 6, 1920
Game Score: Escanaba 102, Ishpeming 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 6 extra points
Philo Grimes, Tulsa (Okla.)Date: Sept. 15, 1923
Game Score: Tulsa 152, Skiatook 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns
Tom Wallace, Saranac Lake (N.Y.)Date: Oct. 16, 1926
Game Score: Saranac Lake 101, Lake Placid 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns
Gilford Skenadore, West De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)Date: Oct. 30, 1926
Game Score: West DePere 126, Kewaunee 0
Stats: 8 touchdowns, 18 extra points
Eddie Baker, Centralia (Ill.)Date: Nov. 21, 1926
Game Score: Centralia 106, Shelton 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns
Wade Hildinger, Nash (Okla.)Date: Nov. 23, 1928
Game Score: Nash 165, Medford 0
Stats: 11 touchdowns
Billie Bird, Corbin (Ky.)Date: Oct. 23, 1959
Game Score: Corbin 75, Williamsburg 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 6 extra points
65 points
Ray Eckmann, Lincoln (Seattle)Date: Sept. 27, 1918
Game Score: Lincoln (Seattle) 107, Ballad 0
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 11 extra points
64 points
Carl Squires, University School (Hunting Valley, Ohio)Date: Oct. 20, 1894
Game Score: University School 100, Cleveland South 0
Stats: 9 touchdowns (worth 4 points each in 1894) and 14 "goals" (worth 2 points each)
Leonard Butler, Morris (Ill.)Date: Nov. 7, 1969
Game Score: Morris 76, Streator 6
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 2 extra points
Zach Davis, Sheehan (Wallingford, Conn.)Date: Oct. 28, 2016
Game Score: Sheehan 66, Law 20
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 2 two-point conversions
63 points
Rex Thomas, Sapulpa (Okla.)Date: Oct. 29, 1920
Game Score: Sapulpa 153, Guthrie 0
Stats: 7 touchdowns, 21 extra points
Buddy Lowe, St. Cloud (Fla.)Date: Nov. 17, 1944
Game Score: St. Cloud 81, St. James 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 3 extra points
62 points
Glen Dundore, Plainfield Central (Plainfield, Ill.)Date: 1921
Game Score: Unavailable
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 8 extra points
Howard Hamilton, Bellville (Ohio)Date: Nov. 11, 1939
Game Score: Bellville 68, Butler (Vandalia, Ohio) 7
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 8 extra points
Kenneth Moore, Calhoun (Ga.)Date: Oct. 16, 1948
Game Score: Calhoun 89, Acworth 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 2 extra points
Aaron Johnson, LIncoln Prep Academy (Mo.)Date: Nov. 2, 1985
Game Score: Lincoln Prep Academy 138, Northeast (Kansas City) 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 1 two-point conversion
Jeff Swisher, Sistersville (W.Va.) Date: Sept. 12, 1986
Game Score: Sisterville 76, Frontier (New Matamoras, Ohio) 8
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 4 two-point conversions
Chase VanSchoyck, North Central (Farmersburg, Ind.)Date: Oct. 4, 2013
Game Score: North Central (Farmersburg) 93, Riverton Parke 20
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 1 two-point conversion
Cliff Miller, Columbian (Tiffin, Ohio)Date: Oct. 23, 2014
Game Score: Columbian 83, Shelby 82
Stats: 10 touchdowns, 1 two-point conversion
61 points
George Secrest, Coshocton (Ohio)Date: Sept. 28, 1912
Game Score: Coshocton 150, Dresden 0
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 7 extra points
Tyler Martin, Mechanicsburg (Ohio)Date: Oct. 22, 1999
Game Score: Mechanicsburg 65, Ridgemont (Ridgeway, Ohio) 0
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 7 extra points
60 points
George Anderson, Denver South (Denver)Date: 1914
Game Score: Unavailable
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Herb Dunphy, Lansing Central (Mich.)Date: Oct. 6, 1917
Game Score: Lansing Central 110, Lapeer 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Gene Livingston, East (Salt Lake City)Date: Oct. 17, 1919
Game Score: East 118, Davis 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
John Zinser, Peoria (Ill.)Date: Oct. 23, 1920
Game Score: Peoria 62, Clinton 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Arthur Smith, Cozad (Neb.)Date: Nov. 12, 1921
Game Score: Cozad 201, Overton 7
Stats: 10 touchdowns (also threw 15 touchdown passes)
Albert Glenn, Elkins (W. Va.)Date: Nov. 25, 1922
Game Score: Elkins 79, Shinnston 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Harvey Pogue, Stigler (Okla.)Date: Nov. 9, 1923
Game Score: Stigler 154, Wilburton 6
Stats: 10 touchdowns
George Oehler, Staunton (Ill.)Date: Nov. 23, 1923
Game Score: Staunton 233, Gillespie 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Jim Hahn, Spur (Texas)Date: Nov. 7, 1930
Game Score: Spur 186, Lorenzo 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Jim Cryder, Morris (Ill.)Date: Oct. 28, 1949
Game Score: Morris 121, Gardner 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Joe Silva, Gustine (Calif.)Date: Nov. 7, 1952
Game Score: Gustine 74, LeGrand 0
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 6 extra points
Ken Blandford, Shawnee (Wolf Lake, Ill.)Date: Oct. 28, 1955
Game Score: Shawnee 85, Carbondale 6
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Jonas Lewis, Beaumont (Calif.)Date: Oct. 21, 1994
Game Score: Beaumont 69, West Valley (Hemet) 24
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Paul McCoy, Matewan (W.Va.)Date: Oct. 6, 2006
Game Score: Matewan 64, Burch 0
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Kendric Smith, Hughes (Ark.)Date: Oct. 13, 2006
Game Score: East Poinsett 73, Hughes 72
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Pierre Price, Illinois School for the Deaf (Jacksonville, Ill.)Date: Oct. 20, 2006
Game Score: Illinois School for the Deaf 66, Bunker Hill 6
Stats: 10 touchdowns
D.J. Foster, Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.)Date: Nov. 4, 2011
Game Score: Saguaro 81, Sunrise Mountain 48
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Thomas Tyner, Aloha (Beaverton, Ore.)Date: Sept. 14, 2012
Game Score: Aloha 84, Lakeridge (Lake Oswego) 63
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Daniel Quinn, Sand Creek (Colorado Springs, Colo.)Date: Sept. 19, 2014
Game Score: Sand Creek 66, Air Academy 62
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 6 extra points
Journey Brown, Meadville (Pa.)Date: Sept. 11, 2015
Game Score: Meadville 107, DuBois 90
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Bryce Hoisington, Vashon Island (Wash.)Date: Nov. 6, 2015
Game Score: Vashon Island 70, Coupeville 31
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Librado Cabrillo, Freer (Texas)Date: Oct. 7. 2016
Game Score: Freer 86, Three Rivers 61
Stats: 10 touchdowns
Noah West, Lawrence County (Louisa, Ky.)Date: Nov. 2, 2018
Game Score: Lawrence County 78, Western Hills (Frankfort, Ky.) 74
Stats: 7 touchdowns, 9 two-point conversions
Savone Tutt, Pamlico County (Bayboro, N.C.)Date: Sept. 27, 2019
Game Score: Pamlico County 72, Riverside (Williamston) 56
Stats: 9 touchdowns, 3 two-point conversions
Final note: Previous entries in the NFHS record book had Ricky Lanier of Williamston Hayes (N.C.) scoring 13 touchdowns in one game in 1966. However those touchdowns were combined rushing and passing. Another was Ralph Colsen of East Boston scoring 12 in 1928. However, Colsen had only seven touchdowns and the game was played in 1919. Sources of information include NFHS record book, luckyshow.org website, state association websites and newspapers.com.
