Top 100 Teams This Century

[BDGiant93]

On 5/26/2025 at 11:39 AM, Komets2727 said:

Rod Woodson head and shoulders ahead of Banks. 3 sport high school athlete, NFL hall of famer, nuff said

Did you ever see James Banks play in high school? GO FUEL!

[23andCounting]

On 5/27/2025 at 12:42 PM, BDGiant93 said:

Did you ever see James Banks play in high school? GO FUEL!

No, but I did see John Goodman, Sewlyn Lymon, and Rod Smith. Arguably the three best I've ever seen in person. This "in person" question really comes down to which part of the state you reside. 

[Titan32]

@hhpatriot04  I haven't read this whole thread, but it seems like your results overlook the second-best team each season. Said another way, the second-best team in year 20xx might still be a top-25 historical team, right?  I mean that would have to happen, I would think.  If someone has asked this already, I apologize.

[BDGiant93]

15 hours ago, 23andCounting said:

No, but I did see John Goodman, Sewlyn Lymon, and Rod Smith. Arguably the three best I've ever seen in person. This "in person" question really comes down to which part of the state you reside. 

Fair enough

[temptation]

15 hours ago, 23andCounting said:

No, but I did see John Goodman, Sewlyn Lymon, and Rod Smith. Arguably the three best I've ever seen in person. This "in person" question really comes down to which part of the state you reside. 

James Hardy?

[23andCounting]

2 hours ago, temptation said:

James Hardy?

The only thing I remember about James Hardy is that his team ended the nations longest losing streak by defeating the defending 3A state state runner-up in Week 1 of the following season. Not sure I've ever seen him in person. The three players I mentioned were men among boys out there on the field. There are other players for sure, but those guys just stick out. Put the ball in their hands and it's lights out for the 11 guys trying to tackle them. 

2002: Dwenger loses to Roncalli 24-21 for the state championship in a game that could have gone either way. Elmhurst ends the season on a 64 game losing streak and has a small article featuring them in USA Today. 

2003: Dwenger opens up against Elmhurst and loses 27-23 shocking football fans everywhere. 

[Komets2727]

On 5/27/2025 at 12:42 PM, BDGiant93 said:

Did you ever see James Banks play in high school? GO FUEL!

I did. Did you ever see Rod Woodson play?

[Komets2727]

On 5/27/2025 at 11:13 AM, temptation said:

With all of the advancements in training and equipment, I would love to see Woodson in the modern era.

I would to. Olympic quality speed, best player to ever come out of the state of Indiana

[temptation]

10 hours ago, Komets2727 said:

I would to. Olympic quality speed, best player to ever come out of the state of Indiana

Zero disagreement here even though I never saw him play in high school and am supposedly an “Indy guy”.

[First_Backer_Inside]

On 5/28/2025 at 9:18 PM, 23andCounting said:

No, but I did see John Goodman, Sewlyn Lymon, and Rod Smith. Arguably the three best I've ever seen in person. This "in person" question really comes down to which part of the state you reside. 

Probably gotta put Jaylon Smith in this group. If you're a Fort Wayne guy you had to have seen him play once in person I would think. I'm not a Fort Wayne guy and unfortunately had to see him in person way more than i wanted to lol (one time on the opposite sidelines was enough)

[23andCounting]

23 hours ago, First_Backer_Inside said:

Probably gotta put Jaylon Smith in this group. If you're a Fort Wayne guy you had to have seen him play once in person I would think. I'm not a Fort Wayne guy and unfortunately had to see him in person way more than i wanted to lol (one time on the opposite sidelines was enough)

He never really stood out to me the way some of those other guys did. Mainly because he played defense instead of offense. I might have seen him three or four times in person. I watched the Ritter game on television. Had I been there "in person," then he'd be on my list. He was showcased as a running back that game.............and it was brutal. All that being said, he could make a strong case for #2 all time out of Fort Wayne. The guys I mentioned, "in person," were OUTSTANDING high school football players. They just don't have the resume of a Rod Woodson, Jonney Bright, Jaylon Smith, Vaughn Dunbar, Lamar Smith, Jason Fabini, Jessie Bates, Tyler Eifort, or an Anthony Spencer. 

[psaboy]

I saw Woodson and Banks play, Woodson was a O & D phenom, I would say Woodson. 

[Sparty]

In person I’ve seen….

1. Smith

2. Smardzija

[23andCounting]

28 minutes ago, Sparty said:

In person I’ve seen….

1. Smith

2. Smardzija

I saw Smardzija one time. It was the last game of his high school career. He was held to zero catches by a feisty 5'7" defensive back. Certainly not the performance we came to know from him at Notre Dame. 

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

I saw Smardzija one time. It was the last game of his high school career. He was held to zero catches by a feisty 5'7" defensive back. Certainly not the performance we came to know from him at Notre Dame. 

In the state finals vs BD?  Or was that JS’s Jr. season?

If so, didn’t Banks follow him all over the field?

[23andCounting]

3 hours ago, Sparty said:

In the state finals vs BD?  Or was that JS’s Jr. season?

If so, didn’t Banks follow him all over the field?

That was his Junior season. His senior season they bowed out to Snider at Spuller Stadium.