Waco High School
Encyclopedia
Waco High School is a Texas
UIL
Class 4A public high school located on N. 42 Street in Waco, Texas
. As of August 2009, enrollment was 1902 with 139 teachers. The ethnicity is roughly 44.95% African American
, 36.91% Hispanic
, 17.19% White American
and 0.95% Other
. The school mascot is the lion
. The school colors are scarlet, white, and gray.
) and Richfield High School
, which was located on the former Rich Field
, a World War I air base. The newly constituted high school was renamed Waco High School.
When the schools were merged the school board agreed to take one thing from each school to form the “new” Waco High. The lion mascot from Jefferson Moore High, the school colors (scarlet, white, and gray) and the campus of Richfield High, and finally the name “Waco High” from the historic Waco High School Tigers.
With the merger, Waco High was classified as a Texas Class 5-A school.
In 1991, Waco High's longest streak in the 5-A playoffs was 5 rounds deep to the semi-finals. Waco High lost to the famed Odessa Permian Panthers
before a sell-out crowd, 37-8 at Ratliff Stadium
in Odessa, Texas
. During the playoffs that year, Waco High beat Austin Crockett
, Conroe McCullough (now The Woodlands
), Richardson Berkner, and Dallas Carter
.
In 2006 Waco High was classified a Texas 4-A school and placed in District 16-4A by the UIL. 16-4A contained arch-rivals from 13-5A Copperas Cove, Brownwood, Killeen, and inner-city schools Waco University and Waco Midway. The Waco High football team won the District 16-4A Championship defeating every team in the district. Waco High made a run through the playoffs defeating Corsicana, Dallas Hillcrest, Whitehouse, Brownwood, Frenship and into the 4-A D-II State Championship game held in San Antonio
at the Alamodome
. The team lost to La Marque
36-14.
In 2007 Waco High won the 16-4A District Championship un-defeated. Their only loss on the year was in non-district to Euless Trinity
. Waco High lost in the first round of the playoffs in four over-times to Ennis.
2008 made bi-district playoffs and lost to Lancaster. After this Coach Johnny Tusa retired after a long career.
In 2009 Waco ISD hired offensive coordinator from Cy-Creek, Danny Ramsey to lead the team and converting a long time traditional power running team to a triple spread option. In 2009 the team went 2-8 and tied its worst record ever.
. His career at Waco High began in 1913. He was one of the best known, and one of the most successful high school coaches in America. His teams at Waco High played in seven state championship games, including six consecutive 1922-27. Waco High was state champion in 1922, 1925, 1926 and 1927, and runner up 1923, 1924 and 1939.
In 1927, Waco High had one of the most dominant seasons in Texas high school football
history. The Tigers scored an average of 56 points per game (a record that would stand until 1975, when Big Sandy High School
scored 824 points for the season) while giving up only 2.4 points to their opponents. On two occasions Waco High scored more than 100 points, once in a playoff game versus Houston Jefferson Davis HS. Roy Needham, Jefferson Davis' coach, said “Waco could have beaten a good college team” that day.
During that same 1927 season, Waco High was recognized as the mythical national high school champions
after defeating Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School
of Chardon, Ohio
in a postseason game by the score of 44-12.
Waco High was again crowned with the honor in 1948.
The Waco ISD Stadium replaced the historic 10,000-seat Paul Tyson Stadium. Located behind Waco High School on Lake Air Drive, Tyson Stadium is still in use today for football games and track events.
Waco ISD Stadium is located at the corner of New Road and Bagby Avenue. The address is 1401 S. New Road, Waco, Texas 76711. It is approximately one-half mile from I35. When traveling to the complex, it is recommended to use the New Road exit from I35 or the Bagby Avenue exit from Loop 340 (Highway 6).
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
UIL
University Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
Class 4A public high school located on N. 42 Street in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. As of August 2009, enrollment was 1902 with 139 teachers. The ethnicity is roughly 44.95% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 36.91% Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
, 17.19% White American
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
and 0.95% Other
Other
The Other or Constitutive Other is a key concept in continental philosophy; it opposes the Same. The Other refers, or attempts to refer, to that which is Other than the initial concept being considered...
. The school mascot is the lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
. The school colors are scarlet, white, and gray.
History
Waco High School was originally located in downtown Waco. And, later at another location on the corner of North 19th and College Drive. In 1986, Waco High School was consolidated with Jefferson Moore High School (which was located in the building that houses A.J. Moore AcademyA.J. Moore Academy
Alfred James Moore Academy is a magnet high school in the Waco ISD district in Waco, TX. A.J. Moore is designed to prepare students for success in post secondary education and in the workplace. Students are prepared to excel academically, physically and socially...
) and Richfield High School
Richfield High School (Waco)
Richfield High School is a school formerly located in the southwestern region of Waco, Texas. The school was built in 1960/1961 and opened in September 1961. It is situated on the site of a World War I airfield, Rich Field. In 1986 Richfield was consolidated with Waco High School and...
, which was located on the former Rich Field
Rich Field
Rich Field is a defunct military airfield near Waco, Texas, used for flying training during World War I. It was named in honor of 2nd Lt. C. Perry Rich of the Philippine Scouts. He had been instructed to fly by Lt. Frank P. Lahm in May 1913, then crashed his Wright Model C into Manila Bay on...
, a World War I air base. The newly constituted high school was renamed Waco High School.
When the schools were merged the school board agreed to take one thing from each school to form the “new” Waco High. The lion mascot from Jefferson Moore High, the school colors (scarlet, white, and gray) and the campus of Richfield High, and finally the name “Waco High” from the historic Waco High School Tigers.
With the merger, Waco High was classified as a Texas Class 5-A school.
Athletics
In football the Lions under coach Johnny Tusa, have made the playoffs in the years 1986-88, 1990–92, 1994–2002, 2004–2005, and 2006.In 1991, Waco High's longest streak in the 5-A playoffs was 5 rounds deep to the semi-finals. Waco High lost to the famed Odessa Permian Panthers
Permian High School
Permian High School is a public high school located in Odessa, Texas and is part of the Ector County Independent School District. It was the subject of the book Friday Night Lights which in turn inspired a movie and TV series of the same name.-History:...
before a sell-out crowd, 37-8 at Ratliff Stadium
Ratliff Stadium
Ratliff Stadium is a stadium in Odessa, Texas. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field for the city's two public high schools, Odessa and Permian High Schools.The stadium opened in 1982 and holds 19,302 people...
in Odessa, Texas
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
. During the playoffs that year, Waco High beat Austin Crockett
David Crockett High School (Austin, Texas)
Crockett High School is a public high school located in South Austin, Texas. The school opened in 1968 and is part of the Austin Independent School District . It was named after U.S. frontiersman Davy Crockett....
, Conroe McCullough (now The Woodlands
The Woodlands High School
The Woodlands High School is a public high school in The Woodlands CDP, unincorporated Montgomery County, Texas, United States and is a part of the Conroe Independent School District...
), Richardson Berkner, and Dallas Carter
David W. Carter High School
David Wendel Carter High School is a public school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas . David W. Carter High School, which covers grades 9-12, is a part of the Dallas Independent School District....
.
In 2006 Waco High was classified a Texas 4-A school and placed in District 16-4A by the UIL. 16-4A contained arch-rivals from 13-5A Copperas Cove, Brownwood, Killeen, and inner-city schools Waco University and Waco Midway. The Waco High football team won the District 16-4A Championship defeating every team in the district. Waco High made a run through the playoffs defeating Corsicana, Dallas Hillcrest, Whitehouse, Brownwood, Frenship and into the 4-A D-II State Championship game held in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
at the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
. The team lost to La Marque
La Marque High School
La Marque High School is a public high school in La Marque, Texas, United States. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the La Marque Independent School District.The school serves sections of La Marque, Texas City and Tiki Island...
36-14.
In 2007 Waco High won the 16-4A District Championship un-defeated. Their only loss on the year was in non-district to Euless Trinity
Trinity High School (Euless, Texas)
Trinity High School is a public high school in Euless, Texas. It administers grade levels 10–12 and is a part of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District....
. Waco High lost in the first round of the playoffs in four over-times to Ennis.
2008 made bi-district playoffs and lost to Lancaster. After this Coach Johnny Tusa retired after a long career.
In 2009 Waco ISD hired offensive coordinator from Cy-Creek, Danny Ramsey to lead the team and converting a long time traditional power running team to a triple spread option. In 2009 the team went 2-8 and tied its worst record ever.
Paul Tyson era
The “old” Waco High Tigers were known for their famous coach Paul TysonPaul Tyson
Paul Leighton Tyson was an American football coach. He is one of the most successful high school football coaches of all time, winning four Texas state championships and one mythical national championship in the 1920s...
. His career at Waco High began in 1913. He was one of the best known, and one of the most successful high school coaches in America. His teams at Waco High played in seven state championship games, including six consecutive 1922-27. Waco High was state champion in 1922, 1925, 1926 and 1927, and runner up 1923, 1924 and 1939.
In 1927, Waco High had one of the most dominant seasons in Texas high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
history. The Tigers scored an average of 56 points per game (a record that would stand until 1975, when Big Sandy High School
Big Sandy High School
Big Sandy High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in the Big Sandy Independent School District in Upshur County, Texas. It is located in Big Sandy, Texas.-Athletics:The Big Sandy Wildcats compete in these sports -...
scored 824 points for the season) while giving up only 2.4 points to their opponents. On two occasions Waco High scored more than 100 points, once in a playoff game versus Houston Jefferson Davis HS. Roy Needham, Jefferson Davis' coach, said “Waco could have beaten a good college team” that day.
During that same 1927 season, Waco High was recognized as the mythical national high school champions
High School Football National Championship
The High School Football National Championship is a national championship honor awarded to the best high school football team in the United States of America based on rankings from USA Today and the National Prep Poll. There have been some efforts over the years at organizing a single-game playoff...
after defeating Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin is a coeducational, Catholic high school in Chardon, Ohio, sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.-Background:...
of Chardon, Ohio
Chardon, Ohio
Chardon is a city in Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,148 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Geauga County.-History:Chardon is named after Peter Chardon Brooks, who donated land to build the historic Chardon Square....
in a postseason game by the score of 44-12.
Waco High was again crowned with the honor in 1948.
Facilities
Waco ISD Stadium was built durings the year of 2000. The first game played at the stadium was Waco High vs Waco University High, September 8, 2000. Waco High won the game 22-0 in front of a crowd estimated at 14,000.The Waco ISD Stadium replaced the historic 10,000-seat Paul Tyson Stadium. Located behind Waco High School on Lake Air Drive, Tyson Stadium is still in use today for football games and track events.
Waco ISD Stadium is located at the corner of New Road and Bagby Avenue. The address is 1401 S. New Road, Waco, Texas 76711. It is approximately one-half mile from I35. When traveling to the complex, it is recommended to use the New Road exit from I35 or the Bagby Avenue exit from Loop 340 (Highway 6).
Notable alumni
- Joe BartonJoe BartonJoseph Linus "Joe" Barton is a Republican politician, representing in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus...
, United States Congressman - T. Berry BrazeltonT. Berry BrazeltonThomas Berry Brazelton is a noted pediatrician and author in the United States. Major hospitals throughout the world use the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale . Many parents know him as the host of a cable television program What Every Baby Knows, and as author of a syndicated...
, pediatrician, author and developer of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment ScaleNeonatal Behavioral Assessment ScaleThe Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale was developed in 1973 by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and his colleagues. It evaluates a wide range of 38 behaviors to build a behavioral profile of an infant up to 2 months old. This approach was innovative for recognizing that a baby is a highly-developed... - Shannon ElizabethShannon ElizabethShannon Elizabeth is an American actress and former fashion model. Elizabeth is well known for her roles in comedy films such as Scary Movie, American Pie, and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. She is also well known for her work in horror films such as Thirteen Ghosts, Cursed, and Night of the Demons...
, actress - Hi-FiveHi-FiveHi-Five is an American R&B quintet based out of Waco, Texas, who had a #1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 in the early 1990s with "I Like the Way ". Hi-Five was formed in 1990, and consisted of the late Tony Thompson, Roderick "Pooh" Clark, Marcus Sanders, Russell Neal, and Toriano Easley...
, R&B group - Derrick JohnsonDerrick Johnson-Kansas City Chiefs:Johnson started every game for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2005, becoming the first Chiefs linebacker in 20 years to start all 16 games of his rookie campaign. He was subsequently awarded the Mack Lee Hill Award by the Chiefs...
, former University of Texas footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, currently playing for the NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... - Ann RichardsAnn RichardsDorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
, Governor of Texas. - Hank ThomsponHank Thompson (music)Henry William Thompson , known professionally as Hank Thompson, was an American country music entertainer whose career spanned seven decades...
, honky-tonk musician and member of the Country Music and Nashville SongwriterNashville Songwriters Hall of FameThe Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
halls of fame - James "Froggy" Williams, College Football Hall of Famer.
- Jimmy Hammond, Awarded the Bronze Star Medal for service During Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- Margin Hooks, former NFL wide receiver for the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
.