With the passing of legendary Pennsylvania high school football coach George Curry, who is fifth on the all-time wins list in America, we thought it was a good time update that list through the 2015 season.
Curry, who guided Berwick to six Pennsylvania state championships and three “mythical” national titles, retired at the end of the 2015 season with 455 victories.
The 2015 season welcomed a two new members to the exclusive 400 Wins Club — Dumore (Pennsylvania) High’s Jack Henzes and Philip Haywood of Belfry in Kentucky. Haywood became the 17th coach to reach 400 victories, plus he closed-out the season with his fifth Kentucky high school football state championship. The Pirates have now won three straight Class 3A titles. Henzes moved-up three spots from the 2014 to fourteen on the all-time list. Henzes will enter his 50th year as the Bucks head coach in 2016.
I talked with Henzes last season on the High School Football America Radio Show, just before he picked-up Win #400. You can listen to that interview below.
The 2016 season could see as many as four new members enter the 400 Club.
Good Counsel‘s (Maryland) enters the season one win shy of the milestone. Indiana’s Larry “Bud” Wright from Sheridan High School is five away from 400, followed by Harlan High‘s (Iowa) Curt Bladt needing six and C.J. Hamilton of Silver Lake in Kansas needing ten victories.
In all, nine of the seventeen coaches to reach the 400 win plateau will still be coaching during the 2016 season, including J.T. Curtis of John Curtis (Louisiana), who is second on the all-time list and 71 wins behind John McKissick of Summerville (South Carolina), who retired prior to last season.
Our all-time wins list was developed using the National Federation of State High School Associations‘ Football Record Book.
High School Football All-Time Coaching Wins (through 2015)
1. John McKissick – Summerville HS (South Carolina) 621-156-13
2. *J.T. Curtis – John Curtis (Louisiana) 550-61-6
3. Larry Campbell – Lincoln County HS (Georgia) 477-85-3
4. *Mike Smith – Hampton HS (Virginia) 464-83-2
5. George Curry – Berwick HS (Pennsylvania) 455-102-5
6. *Charles “Corky” Rogers – The Bolles School (Florida) 453-83-1
7. Al Fracassa – Brother Rice (Michigan) 431-117-7
8. *Dick Tighe – St. Edmond HS (Iowa) 430-160-8
9. *Robert Hyland – St. Mary’s Springs HS (Wisconsin) 426-105-2
10. G.A. Moore (Texas) 423-97-9
11. *Phil Danaher – Calallen HS (Texas) 418-106-4
11. *John Herrington – Harrison HS (Michigan) 418-96-1
13. Jack Holley – (North Carolina) 412-96-9
14. *Dick Henzes – Dunmore HS (Pennsylvania) 408-158-8
15. Pete Adkins (Missouri) 405-60-4
16. *Philip Haywood (Kentucky) 403-128
16. Robert Paroli (North Carolina) 403-220
18. *Bob Milloy – Good Counsel HS (Maryland) 399-118-1
18. Bob Ladouceur (California) 399-25-3
20. Gordon Wood (Texas) 396-91-15
21. *Larry “Bud” Wright – Sheridan HS (Indiana) 395-185-2
22. *Curt Bladt – Harlan HS (Iowa) 394-54
23. *C.J. Hamilton – Silver Lake HS (Kansas) 390-89
24. Willie Varner (South Carolina) 383-132-10
25. *Jim Roth – Southern Columbia HS (Pennsylvania) 381-62-2
26. *Jim France – Akron Manchester HS (Ohio) 375-107-3
27. *Jack Johnson – C.M. Russell HS (Montana) 374-131-1
28. Victor Paternostro – Pope John XXIII (New Jersey) 373-67-5
29. Jerry Brewer (Indiana) 368-105-2
30. Alton “Red” Franklin (Louisiana) 367-76-7
31. Howie Vogts (New York) 364-124-10
