The first 10 years of the 21st century belong to De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), but the decade ended with Independence (Charlotte, N.C.) and Southlake Carroll (Texas) surpassing the Spartans for total wins during the 2000s.
Independence, behind All-American quarterback Chris Leak and coach Tom Knotts, won seven straight state championships and ended the decade with 148 wins. Knotts coached the Patriots all but one year during the decade and finished as the decade's winningest coach.
Southlake Carroll, meanwhile, won four state titles and secured 128 wins under coaches Todd Dodge and Hal Wasson. De La Salle started the decade with four straight national championships and had 125 wins in the decade.
MaxPreps breaks down the rest of the decade below.
Lamarcus Joyner, St. Thomas
File photo by Lou Novick
WR — Julio Jones,
Foley (Ala.), 2007
WR — A.J. Green,
Summerville (S.C.), 2006
WR — Percy Harvin,
Landstown (Virginia Beach, Va.), 2005
TE — Greg Olsen,
Wayne Hills (Wayne, N.J.), 2002
OL — Andrew Whitworth,
West Monroe (La.), 2000
OL — Michael Oher,
Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.), 2004
OL — Andre Smith,
Huffman (Birmingham, Ala.), 2005
OL — D.J. Fluker, Foley (Ala.), 2008
OL — Seantrell Henderson,
Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.), 2009
QB — Matthew Stafford,
Highland Park (Dallas), 2005
QB — Vince Young,
Madison (San Antonio), 2001
RB — Reggie Bush,
Helix (La Mesa, Calif.), 2002
RB — Adrian Peterson,
Palestine (Texas), 2003
RB — Maurice Jones-Drew,
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 2002
K — Graham Gano,
Tate (Cantonment, Fla.), 2004
Defense
DL — Haloti Ngata,
Highland (Salt Lake City), 2001
DL — Gerald McCoy,
Southeast (Oklahoma City), 2005
DL — Everson Griffen,
Agua Fria (Avondale, Ariz.), 2006
DL — Shaun Cody,
Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), 2000
LB — Ahmad Brooks,
Hylton (Woodbridge, Va.), 2001
LB — Derrick Johnson,
Waco (Texas), 2000
LB — Manti Te'o,
Punahou (Honolulu,), 2008
DB — Antonio Cromartie,
Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.), 2002
DB — Ted Ginn Jr.,
Glenville (Cleveland), 2003
DB — Patrick (Johnson) Patterson,
Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), 2007
DB — Lamarcus Joyner,
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 2009
P — Bryan Anger,
Camarillo (Calif.), 2006
Winningest Program
Independence (Charlotte, N.C.), 147-8
Winningest Coach
Tom Knotts, Independence (Charlotte, N.C.), 132-8
Leading rushers
11,045 — Michael Hart,
Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2000-03
10,895 — Kevin Parks Jr.,
West Rowan (Mt. Ulla, N.C.), 2006-09
10,292 — Traylon Shead,
Cayuga (Texas), 2006-09
10,242 — Toney Baker,
Ragsdale (Jamestown, N.C.), 2001-04
9,668 — Terrance Wilkes,
Wadley (Ala.), 2003-06
9,662 — Toby Gerhart,
Norco (Calif.), 2002-05
9,426 — Tyrell Sutton,
Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 2001-04
9,076 — Demetris Summers,
Lexington (S.C.), 1999-2002
9,027 — Jeremiah Young,
Steelton-Highspire (Steelton, Pa.), 2005-08
9,004 — T.A. McLendon,
Albemarle (N.C.), 1999-2001
Leading passers
17,364 — Ben Mauk,
Kenton (Ohio), 1999-2002
15,593 — Chris Leak, Independence (Charlotte), 1999-2002
13,711 — Stefan Loucks,
Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.), 2003-06
13,642 — Zach Lewis,
Clay County (Manchester, Ky.), 2005-08
13,201 — Rhett Lashlee,
Shiloh Christian (Springdale, Ark.), 1998-2001
12,575 — Ricky Bowling,
South Laurel (London, Ky.), 2005-08
12,559 — Dylan Favre,
St. Stanislaus (Bay St. Louis, Miss.), 2006-09
12,537 — Garrett Gilbert,
Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), 2006-08
12,532 — Graham Harrell,
Ennis (Texas), 2000-03
12,195 — Jake Schiff,
Evansville Mater Dei (Evansville, Ind.), 1998-2001
Leading scorers
1,246 — Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2000-03
1,076 — T.A. McLendon, Albemarle (N.C.), 1999-2001
960 — Terrance Wilkes, Wadley (Ala.), 2003-06
924 — Kevin Grady Jr.,
East Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids, Mich.), 2001-04
921 — Caleb Schaffitzel,
Fair Grove (Mo.), 2006-09
904 — Nick Zachery,
Sheridan (Ind.), 2006-08
890 — Traylon Shead, Cayuga (Texas), 2006-09
874 — Lorenzo Booker,
St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.), 1999-2001
847 — Levi Ferguson,
North Mahaska (New Sharon, Iowa), 2002-05
816 — Jacquizz Rodgers,
Lamar Consolidated (Rosenberg, Texas), 2004-07
Greatest Game
Lakeland (Fla.) 45, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 42, 2006
The
Raiders scored 35 points in the final six minutes, seven seconds of
the fourth quarter to force overtime in the Florida Class 5A state
championship. Lakeland (15-0), which was ranked No. 1 in the country by
some national ranking services, kicked a field goal on its possession in
overtime. St. Thomas Aquinas decided to go for the win on its
possession, but a fourth-down run fell inches short of the goal. Chris
Rainey ran 26 times for 276 yards and three touchdowns to help Lakeland
build a 35-14 lead. The Raiders rallied in the fourth and tied the game
at 42-42 with 44 seconds remaining.
Top 10 Teams
1. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 2001, 12-0
2. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 2003, 13-0
3.
Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas), 2005, 16-0
4. Lakeland (Fla.), 2005, 15-0
5. Carroll (Southlake, Texas), 2004, 16-0
6. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 2002, 12-0
7. Independence (Charlotte, N.C.), 2004, 15-0
8. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 2008, 15-0
9. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 2000, 13-0
10.
Northwestern (Miami,), 2007, 15-0
