Highland High School (Pocatello, Idaho)
Highland High School is a four-year public secondary school in Pocatello, Idaho,[4] part of the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District#25. The school colors are red, black, and white and its mascot is a ram.[4]
Highland High School | |
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Location | |
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1800 Bench Road , 83201 United States | |
Information | |
Type | Public, four-year[1] |
Established | 1963 |
School district | Pocatello/Chubbuck School District#25 |
Principal | Brad Wallace[2] |
Faculty | 69.96 (FTE)[3] |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 1,574 (2018–19)[3] |
Student to teacher ratio | 22.50[3] |
Color(s) | Black, White, & Red[4] |
Athletics | IHSAA Class 5A |
Athletics conference | High Country (5A) |
Mascot | Ram[5] |
Rivals | Pocatello, Century |
Yearbook | Highlander |
Website | www |
History
Opened 58 years ago in 1963, Highland was the second of the three traditional public high schools in Pocatello, and serves the northern portion of the school district, including portions of Pocatello, Chubbuck, and Tyhee.[6][7] It was originally going to be called "Gate City", one of Pocatello's historical nicknames. Students voiced their dislike for the name and a vote was held, and the winning name was "Highland".[7] The campus is in an elevated area on Bench Road, northeast of the city center; the elevation is 4,740 ft (1,445 m) above sea level, about 270 feet (80 m) above rival Pocatello High.
There is another Highland High School in the state, at Craigmont in Lewis County in north central Idaho. A small school in Class 1A, it is usually distinguished by the name Highland-Craigmont to avoid confusion.
Traditions
Since its founding, Highland has been the rival of Pocatello High.[8] The "Black and Blue Bowl", the annual rivalry football game, received national attention across the years, most recently being named the best rivalry game in the state of Idaho in 2009 by ESPN.[8] The rivalry's intensity was expectedly diminished with the addition of the city's third high school, Century, which opened 22 years ago in 1999.[9]
Highland has three fight songs and the official one is the "Highland High School Fight Song."[10] The more commonly sung fight song is called "Loyalty," the lyrics to which are printed on the back of student activity cards.[10] The last is called "Ram Power," .[10]
Athletics
Highland competes in athletics in IHSAA Class 5A, with the largest schools in the state. It is currently a member of the High Country Conference (5A), with Idaho Falls, Skyline, Hillcrest, and Madison. Intra-city rivals Pocatello and Century are in Class 4A; Pocatello was in the top classification until the arrival of Century in 1999. Highland's enrollment in 2011 was among the lowest in 5A.[11][12] In its early years, Highland was a member of the Southern Idaho Conference, which spanned from Caldwell in the west to Idaho Falls in the east (the current SIC is limited to southwest Idaho, in both 5A and 4A).
Over its history, the Highland football program has been one of the best in the state and last won the 5A state championship in 2014.[13][14][15] The Rams have won a total of ten official state championships, the first in 1984.[16] Prior to the introduction of the A-1 (now 5A) playoffs in 1979, Highland won three unofficial state titles in the writers' poll, in 1972,[17][18] 1973,[19] and 1976,[20] and were runners-up twice, in 1970[21] and 1975,[22][23] behind only undefeated Borah of Boise both years.
The boys' cross country team won nine state titles in ten years from 1981–90, with streaks of five and four consecutive titles.
State titles
Boys
- Football (11): fall 1984, 1987, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2008,[13] 2014, 2017[15] (official with introduction of playoffs, fall 1979)
- Cross Country (9): fall 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990[24]
- Basketball (4): 1970, 1981, 1990, 1996, 2016[25]
- Track (2): 1994, 1995[26]
- Golf (3): 1979, 1982, 2009[27]
Girls
National honors
Cross-country
Highland High School was awarded the 1984 National Cross Country Championship through the XC Legacy series published through Milesplit.us in an effort to begin filling in the national rankings from 1980–1988. This was the first national championship in cross country for coach Bob Conley, who also earned nine state championships in a 10-year stretch (1981–1990).[31] On Bob Conley: "He stands at the top of the list, as the greatest cross country coach in Idaho prep history".[32] Of the 1984 team: "Let it be known as well that the first national championship cross country program out of Idaho came from Pocatello."[32]
Marching band
The school band was invited to Florida to play in the BCS Championship game halftime show in January 2009.[33]
Student activities
Highland has over 40 student organizations.[34] School-funded sports teams at Highland include: football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, girls volleyball, wrestling, baseball, softball, golf, tennis, cross country, track, debate and the marching band.[35]
Notable alumni
- Chris Abernathy: union electrician and member of the Idaho House of Representatives
- Wil Carter (2006): professional basketball player for EiffelTowers of the Dutch Basketball League since 2012
- Merril Hoge (1983): NFL running back (1987–1994), played at Idaho State
- Taysom Hill (2009): football player for New Orleans Saints; starting quarterback at BYU in 2013, 2014, and 2016
- Bryan Johnson (1996): NFL running back (2000–2006), played at Boise State
- Dirk Koetter (1977): football coach since 1983, head coach of Boise State (1998–2000) and Arizona State (2001–2006),
head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL - Steve Kragthorpe (1983): football coach since 1990; head coach of Tulsa (2003–2006) and Louisville (2007–2009)
- Fred S. Martin (1968): member of the Idaho State Senate since 2012
Notable faculty
- Edgar J. Malepeai: taught U.S. government at Highland before becoming Idaho State Senator for the 30th district and minority leader
References
- http://www.d25.k12.id.us/Schools.aspx
- http://www.gohighlandrams.com/admin.html
- "HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- "Idaho High School Activities Association" (PDF). IHSAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-09-27. Retrieved 2006-01-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "School District 25 High School Boundaries Archived 2011-12-19 at the Wayback Machine." Pocatello/Chubbuck School District. Retrieved on February 22, 2012.
- http://www.gohighlandrams.com/weAreHighland.html
- Tennis, Mark (August 25, 2009). "Best rivalry games in each state". ESPN. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- Lee, Greg (September 28, 2006). "CdA-Lake City one of the state's last great rivalries". Spokesman-Review. p. C4.
- http://www.gohighlandrams.com/schoolInfo.html
- "Special meeting" (PDF). Pocatello/Chubbuck School District #25. September 7, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- Taylor, Jake (September 7, 2011). "School board petitions to keep Highland HS 5A". KIFI-TV. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- "Past state football tournament results". IHSAA. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Idaho high school football - state champions
- "2014 5A state football tournament". IHSAA. bracket. November 21, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- "School Reference".
- "Borah out to prove its No. 1 ranking Saturday". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 16, 1972. p. 17.
- "Saturday football: Idaho S.I.C." Spokesman-Review. November 20, 1972. p. 15.
- "How top teams fared: high schools". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 12, 1973. p. 18.
- "Idaho grid poll: final standings". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. November 10, 1976. p. 17.
- "AP grid poll: Idaho high schools". Spokane Daily Chronicle. November 13, 1970. p. 14.
- "Borah's top rank on line against Highland". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 1975. p. 3B.
- "Borah turns on Highland, wins SIC". Lewiston Morning Tribune. November 15, 1975. p. 2B.
- idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine Cross Country champions through 2011
- idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Basketball champions - through 2012
- idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Track champions - through 2011
- idhsaa.org Archived 2014-03-21 at the Wayback Machine - Golf champions - through 2012
- idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine Soccer & Volleyball champions - through 2011
- idhsaa.org Archived 2012-10-01 at the Wayback Machine - Girls Basketball champions - through 2012
- idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Girls Track champions - through 2012
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2009-08-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-04-21. Retrieved 2009-08-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "HHS band relishes bowl gig". Idaho State Journal. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
- http://www.gohighlandrams.com/organizations.html
- http://www.gohighlandrams.com/sports.html