What’s the most iconic record in NFL history? Many would argue Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s 197 career touchdown receptions claim that title. Before Rice, Steve Largent held the record with 100 touchdowns—a number Rice nearly doubled, marking a 97 percent increase. This incredible margin set Rice’s record as the standout among NFL’s top passing, rushing, and receiving achievements.

Though Rice set other impressive records, like his 1,549 career receptions (a 65 percent increase over the previous record) and 22,895 career receiving yards (75 percent), none matched the scale of his touchdown milestone. Records, whether in track, swimming, or sports history, are often broken by fractions of a second or single points. Rice’s almost 100 percent improvement on Largent’s record set a high standard that other receivers have approached but have yet to surpass.

Historical records across sports show moments of phenomenal achievement: Dan Marino’s 48 touchdown passes in 1984, Wilt Chamberlain’s 4,029 points in 1962, and Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857 career points all set new standards. But which high school football record can claim the title of greatest?

Using percentage increase as a metric, MaxPreps analyzed the top records in its National High School Football Record Book to spotlight the most remarkable high school football feats.

Top 10 Greatest High School Football Records of All Time

1. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) – 151 Consecutive Wins
   • Previous Record: 72 straight wins by Hudson (Mich.)
   • Percent Increase: 110%
   • Notes: De La Salle’s 151-game win streak, which more than doubled the previous record, remains one of high school football’s most storied accomplishments. Beginning in 1997, the Spartans held this streak for over seven years.
2. Ken Hall, Sugar Land (Texas) – 11,232 Career Rushing Yards
   • Previous Record: 6,730 yards by W.C. “Dixie” Roberts of McMinnville (Tenn.)
   • Percent Increase: 66.9%
   • Notes: Ken Hall’s career total held strong for almost 60 years, eclipsing the previous record by nearly 67 percent. Though other players had high rushing totals, none matched Hall’s official mark.
3. Mike Kemp – 1,843 Receiving Yards in a Season
   • Previous Record: 1,326 yards by Kenneth Wallace
   • Percent Increase: 39%
   • Notes: In 1968, Mike Kemp set a new high school record for receiving yards in a season. It remained unrecognized in record books until MaxPreps added Kemp’s total to the national record book in 2022.
4. Hubert Bobo, Chauncey Dover (Ohio) – 890 Career Points
   • Previous Record: 644 points by Dick Todd of Crowell
   • Percent Increase: 38%
   • Notes: Although Ken Hall surpassed Bobo’s record by a slim margin, Bobo’s feat of scoring 890 points held as a national record for decades.
5. Chris Nessmith – 39 Touchdown Receptions
   • Previous Record: 30 by Brandon Greer
   • Percent Increase: 30%
   • Notes: Nessmith set his record during his senior year at New Life Christian (Millford, Ala.) in 1999, easily surpassing the prior mark by nine touchdowns.
6. J.K. McKay – 29 Touchdown Receptions
   • Previous Record: 23 by Scottie Jones
   • Percent Increase: 26%
   • Notes: McKay, alongside All-American quarterback Pat Haden, achieved this record at Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.), significantly raising the bar in high school receiving.
7. Josh Booty, Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.) – 11,700 Career Passing Yards
   • Previous Record: 9,332 passing yards by Chad Davis
   • Percent Increase: 25%
   • Notes: Booty became the first high school quarterback to surpass both 10,000 and 11,000 career passing yards, breaking Davis’s record by a large margin.
8. J.R. House – 14,457 Career Passing Yards
   • Previous Record: 11,700 passing yards by Josh Booty
   • Percent Increase: 23.56%
   • Notes: Five years after Booty set his record, House surpassed it with a nearly 24 percent increase.
9. Dick Todd – 105 Touchdowns Scored
   • Previous Record: 85 by W.C. “Dixie” Roberts of McMinnville
   • Percent Increase: 23.52%
   • Notes: In 1934, Todd’s 105 touchdowns set a new high school standard, breaking the prior record set in 1928.
10. John Zinser – 286 Points in a Season

• Previous Record: 232 points by George Brickey of Everett (Mass.)
• Percent Increase: 23.3%
• Notes: In 1920, Zinser scored 286 points in a single season, exceeding the previous high by more than 20 percent and earning his place in history.

These records highlight exceptional talent and dedication, each pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in high school football. Whether they stand or are eventually surpassed, they each mark extraordinary moments in sports history.