Last week on Thursday, USA Today posted a story online that listed the top 25 high school football winning streaks across the United States. A local school was included on the list.
The Conway Springs Cardinals won 62 consecutive games from 2001 to 2005. That streak ties the Cardinals for 22nd on the list. Maine-Endwell in New York also won 62 games from 2011 to 2015.
Kansas is well-represented on the list. Smith Center placed fifth with 79 wins, and St. Mary’s-Colgan in Pittsburg tied for 16th with 66 wins. In fact, Kansas is the only state with three teams on the list. California, Tennessee and Michigan each had two teams. Only 20 states are represented.
During their streak, the Cardinals turned in four straight championship seasons – all undefeated – as they claimed the Class 3A title in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The streak ended late in the 2005 season, as rival Garden Plain downed Conway Springs 35-7 in district play.
The Cardinals have been one of Kansas’ winningest football teams over the last quarter-century. The current run of success includes seven 3A titles. Former head coach Mark Bliss brought in the single wing offense and changed Conway Springs’ fortunes, with the Cardinals winning their first State football championship in 1998. Greg Rosenhagen was the head coach in 2004, when the Cardinals won the last of the four consecutive titles and fifth overall. Lelin George was at the helm when Conway Springs won the title in 2008. Current head coach Matt Biehler was at the helm for the Cardinals’ most recent title, in 2011. Conway Springs was undefeated when it won its first five State titles.
Biehler and current assistant coach Gregg Hullinger were on the staff as assistants when Conway Springs won its first State championship, and consistency among the coaching staff has been a key part of the Cardinals’ success over the past 25 years.
Longest high school football winning streaks
1 De La Salle (Calif.) 151 games 1992-2003 2 Independence (N.C.) 109 games 2000-2007 3 Sims (S.C.) 92 games (92-0-4) 1945-1954 4 South Panola (Miss.) 89 games 2003-2008 5 Smith Center (Kan.) 79 games 2004-2009 6 Bedford Co. Training (Tenn.) 78 games (78-0-4) 1943-1950 7 Maryville (Tenn.) 74 games 2004-2008 8 Hudson (Mich.) 72 games 1968-1975 9 (tie). Caledonia (Mich.) 71 games 2015-2021 9 (tie). Jefferson City (Mo.) 71 games 1958-1966 9 (tie). Edgewood Acacemy (Ala.) 71 games 2010-2015 12 Kimberly (Wisc.) 70 games 2013-2017 13 (tie). Animas (N.M.) 69 games 1984-1990 13 (tie). Ithaca (Mich.) 69 games 2010-2014 15 Celina (Texas) 68 games 1998-2002 16 (tie). St. Mary’s-Colgan (Kan.) 66 games 1999-2004 16 (tie). Clairton (Pa.) 66 games 2009-2013 18 Pittsfield (Ill.) 64 games 1966-1973 19 (tie). Barton (Ark.) 63 games 1985-1990 19 (tie). Paulsboro (N.J.) 63 games 1992-1997 19 (tie). Blue Ridge (Ariz.) 63 games 1994-1998 22 (tie). Conway Springs (Kan.) 62 games 2001-2005 22 (tie). Maine-Endwell (N.Y.) 62 games 2011-2015 24 Central Catholic (Calif.) 61 games 2001-2005 25 Bloomington South (Ind.) 60 games 1967-1973