Wichita South High School
Encyclopedia
Wichita South High School, known locally as South, is a fully accredited high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

, serving students in grades 9-12, located in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...

, USA. It is also known as Wichita High School South. The school colors are blue and red and the enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year is 1,657 students.

History

South first opened its doors in 1959. South's floor plan
Floor plan
In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan, or floorplan, is a diagram, usually to scale, showing a view from above of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other physical features at one level of a structure....

 was modeled exactly after Southeast's floor plan and the similarities between the schools' designs can still be seen to this day. When South opened, their sports teams were known as the Colonels, though their colors were still red and blue. In the 1970s, the Wichita School board requested that South change their mascot name. The name Titans was chosen by students and the original Titan logo, that is still used by the school to this day, was drawn by a student. In the late 1970s, a $2 million football stadium was built. In 1985, South High athletic director C. Elmer Carpenter died and the football stadium was named in his honor. Also, in the 1980s, Sims Elementary, which was situated just a few hundred feet from the eastern end of the school, closed. South began using the old elementary school for the language arts department.

The school went up to 2004 without any major changes. In 2003, the school board approved a construction project to connect the main building of South to the "Sim Building" (as students and faculty called it), the project also added two new hallways and 20 new classrooms. The project began in early and was finally completed a year later in 2005. Also added to the school, from the same bond issue, was a baseball field that opened for play in 2007.

In 2005, South high alum and former South soccer player Tim Millsapp was killed in action in the Iraq War and the soccer field was named in his honor.

In 2008, another bond issue was passed by the Wichita School Board to create "equal athletic facility opportunities" for all Wichita High Schools. South's share of the bond issue was $10 million, which was used to put a new floor on the gym, buy new equipment for the schools weight room, improvements to the school's tennis court, and renovations to Carpenter Stadium including putting in Fieldturf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...

 on the field and new goal posts, as well as resurfacing the track.

On October 24, 2011, the Wichita School Board approved a $14.2 million bond issue to build a new 2,400-seat gym, a new practice room for the wrestling team, a walking track, and new locker rooms, as well as a new swimming pool, music suite, new pottery studio, art space, digital photography classrooms, a culinary arts room and a room devoted to its new fire science program that started in the 2011–2012 school year.

Student demographics

Wichita South's 2008-2009 enrollment was 1,617 students. South's ethnic diversity during the 2008-09 school year: 55.6% of students are white, 19.6% are African-American, 13.9% are Hispanic, 2.7% are Asian, 4.1% are American Indian, and 4.2% are multi ethnic. As 2008, 59% of South's students, due to a low-income family, qualified for reduced lunches. The student-teacher ratio is 22:1. South teachers had an average of 7 years of teaching experience as of 2008. Additionally, South High employed 114 certified classroom teachers, 61 of which hold Masters degrees. The drop-out rate in 2007 was 7%, compared to a district average of 4%. The graduation rate for 2007 was 67.7%, compared to a district average of 76.4%.

Alma Mater

Hail to thee our Alma Mater


Hail to thee South High


We will sing and laud her praises


Ever to the sky


Lift the chorus


Spread it onward


Over hill and vale


Hail to thee our Alma Mater


Hail to South all hail

Athletics

South is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association
Kansas State High School Activities Association
The Kansas State High School Activities Association is the organization which oversees interscholastic competition in the state of Kansas at the high school level. It oversees both athletic and non-athletic competition, and sponsors championships in several sports and activities.The KSHSAA was...

 and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 6A division and the Greater Wichita Athletic League
Greater Wichita Athletic League
The Greater Wichita Athletic League, more commonly known around the state simply as The City League, is a league of member schools of the Kansas State High School Activities Association...

 and are known as the Titans. Throughout its history, South has won 22 state championships in in 7 of its 19 varsity sports, the majority of which from the Boys Basketball team and Women's gymnastics team.

Home Fields

Field Sports using Field Surface Notes
Carpenter Stadium Football, Track, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer Fieldturf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...

 
Named for fomer South AD who died during his tenure, also used by Southeast, East, and North football teams
Tim Milsap Field Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer Grass Only used during the annual soccer tournament, The Titan Classic, named for South High alumni who was killed in the Iraq War
South High Gymnasium Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Wrestling, Volleyball N/A New Gym being built, will be finished in 2013
South Field Baseball Grass Opened in 2007
Seneca Bowl Boys Bowling, Girls Bowling N/A Public Bowling alley used by school for practice and home meets

Rivalry With West

South's Primary rival is West
Wichita West High School
Wichita West High School, known locally as West, is a fully accredited high school located in Wichita, Kansas, serving students in grades 9-12. The high school is located close to downtown Wichita, and is near U.S. Route 54...

. The rivalry is widely known across Wichita among fans and local media as one of the most fiercest and bitter high school rivalries in the area. The origin of the rivalry is unknown. During South and West sporting events, fights often occur during the event between the two teams and even in the stands, and in the parking lots after the events. Extra security is often present by the Wichita Police Department at the request of the Wichita School Board.

Basketball

South High fielded the most dominant high school basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 team in Kansas for almost 30 years, winning 15 state championships in that period of time, including 4 straight in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981. Coach Steve Eck led South High to 10 consecutive Wichita City League titles from 1986 to 1996.
Early success

South has won 3 city championships. Only 1 city championship season resulted in a state appearance and that was the 1971 team. South waited another 16 years before winning its next City League championship in 1987, and they also won another city championship in 1991.
Mid to late 1990's/Losing streak

The school's football team began to fall off after some success in the early 90's. The team eventually lost 50 straight games between 1996 and 2001. The Senior class of 2001 went their entire high school career without a varsity win, an uncommon occurrence in high school sports. The streak finally came to an end in October 2001 against North
Wichita North High School
Wichita North High School, known locally as North, is a fully accredited high school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. Wichita North was founded in 1929 on the site where the United States government sent Company 'A' of the 10th Division to the forks of the Arkansas...

. South finished the season with a 1-8 record.
2003-2008 Seasons

South then improved to 2-7 in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, South improved their record to 3-6 and was one win away from making its first appearance in the State playoffs since 1971.
2009-Present

In 2009 South hired a new coach, Cory Brack. In his first season South finished the season with their best record since the 2005 season their first winning season since 1996 by finishing the season 5-4. This season led to Brack being named City League coach of the year. Brock was soaked by the cooler after the Titans defeated Campus 12-9 qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 1971. South went on to lose in the 1st round of the State Playoffs 46-14 to Wichita Heights
Wichita Heights High School
Wichita Heights High School, known locally as Heights, is a coeducational secondary school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the USD 259 public school system. The school principal is Mr. Bruce Deterding, who replaced Mr. Mark Christian after...

. South failed to follow up that season and dropped to a 1-8 record in 2010. On October 21, 2011, South defeated Campus 30-14 and the win, along with a win the previous week against Wichita North
Wichita North High School
Wichita North High School, known locally as North, is a fully accredited high school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. Wichita North was founded in 1929 on the site where the United States government sent Company 'A' of the 10th Division to the forks of the Arkansas...

, gave South it's 2nd playoff appearence in 3 seasons under Brack and only its 3rd appearence in the previous 40 years. On November 4, The Titans lost to Garden City
Garden City High School (Kansas)
Garden City High School is a fully accredited high school, serving students in grades 9–12, located in Garden City, Kansas, USA. The current principal is James Mireles. Garden City High School is the only high school within the city limits of Garden City, KS...

 in the first round of the state playoffs 35-7 finishing the season with a 4-6 record. In only his 3rd season as South's head coach, Brack has more wins then the 5 coaches that preceded him. Under Brack South has a win percentage of .370, a vast improvement compared to the .124 win percentage of the previous 11 seasons for South.

Wrestling

South's wrestling team has consistently been one of the top high school wrestling programs in Kansas since it first opened its doors. South has won 11 City League Championships, 2 state championships, multiple 2nd place finishes including most recently in 2006, 50 individual state champions, and 1 legendary coach. South's former head wrestling coach, David Nigg, is one the all-time winningest wrestling coaches in Kansas history and 2nd all time in Wichita behind his own high school wrestling coach. Nigg demoted himself to a junior varsity coach and gave the head-coaching job to one of his former wrestlers, Mike Church. After 2007, Mike Church took a coaching position at Heights
Wichita Heights High School
Wichita Heights High School, known locally as Heights, is a coeducational secondary school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the USD 259 public school system. The school principal is Mr. Bruce Deterding, who replaced Mr. Mark Christian after...

 and Mike Atlee took over as the new wrestling coach at Wichita South, and Nigg went to coach with his former wrestler Eric Prichard at Northwest
Wichita Northwest High School
Wichita Northwest High School, known locally as Northwest, is a fully accredited public high school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA that serves over 1500 students in grades 9-12.-History:The school opened in 1978...

. Nigg has since retired from teaching and continues to coach at Northwest.

Gymnastics

South's Women's gymanstics team was one of winningest programs in the city from the time South opened its doors to when the GWAL ended gymnastics after the 1996/1997 school year, winning 11 city titles. The boys gymnastics team was also dominate winning 13 city titles over the course of 14 years, including the last city title awarded for the sport in 1980. (GWAL eliminated gymnastics after the 1979/1980 school year.)

City championships

  • Note: 2 Sports (Swimming, Golf) have never won a City League championship for boys and girls both

City Championships
Season Sport Number of Championships Year
Fall Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

, Girls
11 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993
Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

, Boys
13 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980
Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 
3 1971, 1987, 1991
Soccer, Boys 5 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1994
Cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...

, Boys
3 1969, 1978, 1999
Cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...

, Girls
1 1987
Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

 
9 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
Winter Wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...

 
7 1970, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998
Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, Boys
12 1977, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, Girls
4 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978
Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...

, Boys
2 2000, 2002
Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...

, Girls
1 2004
Spring Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 
7 1968, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991
Softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

 
2 1990, 1991
Track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

, Boys
9 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1986
Track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

, Girls
5 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1988
Soccer, Girls 5 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992
Total 91

State championships

State Championships
Season Sport Number of Championships Year
Fall Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

, Girls
5 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1988
Winter Wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...

 
2 1975, 1978
Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, Boys
10 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996
Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, Girls
1 1978
Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...

, Boys
1 2006
Spring Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 
2 1968, 1980
Softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

 
1 1990
Total 22

Notable alumni

  • Robert Courtney
    Robert Courtney
    Robert Ray Courtney is a former pharmacist who owned and operated Research Medical Tower Pharmacy in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2002 he was convicted of pharmaceutical fraud and sentenced to federal prison.-Early life and education:...

    , pharmacist
    Pharmacist
    Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...

     who diluted cancer drugs.
  • Ted Gilmore
    Ted Gilmore
    Ted Gilmore is the current Wide Receivers Coach for USC. He is a former Assistant Head Coach , Wide Receivers Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.-Early life:...

    , Played college football at Wyoming
    Wyoming Cowboys football
    The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles...

     Current Wide Receivers coach at USC.
  • Don Johnson
    Don Johnson
    Donnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...

    , actor, star of television show Miami Vice
    Miami Vice
    Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...

    .
  • Allen Lyday, former NFL player (Houston Oilers
    Tennessee Titans
    The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...

    ).
  • Lawrence Pete
    Lawrence Pete
    Lawrence Pete is a former American football nose tackle. He played five in the NFL for the Detroit Lions who selected him with the 115th pick in the 1989 NFL Draft...

    , former NFL player (Detroit Lions
    Detroit Lions
    The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

    ).
  • Ricki Williams-Ellison, head women's bowling coach for Delaware State University
    Delaware State University
    Delaware State University , is an American historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware, and there are two satellite campuses located in Wilmington, Delaware, and Georgetown, Delaware...

    .


See also

  • Greater Wichita Athletic League
    Greater Wichita Athletic League
    The Greater Wichita Athletic League, more commonly known around the state simply as The City League, is a league of member schools of the Kansas State High School Activities Association...


Wichita Public High Schools
  • Wichita East High School
  • Wichita Heights High School
    Wichita Heights High School
    Wichita Heights High School, known locally as Heights, is a coeducational secondary school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the USD 259 public school system. The school principal is Mr. Bruce Deterding, who replaced Mr. Mark Christian after...

  • Wichita North High School
    Wichita North High School
    Wichita North High School, known locally as North, is a fully accredited high school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. Wichita North was founded in 1929 on the site where the United States government sent Company 'A' of the 10th Division to the forks of the Arkansas...

  • Wichita Northeast Magnet High School
    Wichita Northeast Magnet High School
    Wichita Northeast Magnet High School, known locally as Northeast, is a magnet high school located in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is in the Wichita School District. The current principal is Gil Alvarez. Wichita Northeast Magnet High School is the first magnet high school in Kansas. The magnet...

  • Wichita Northwest High School
    Wichita Northwest High School
    Wichita Northwest High School, known locally as Northwest, is a fully accredited public high school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA that serves over 1500 students in grades 9-12.-History:The school opened in 1978...

  • Wichita Southeast High School
  • Wichita West High School
    Wichita West High School
    Wichita West High School, known locally as West, is a fully accredited high school located in Wichita, Kansas, serving students in grades 9-12. The high school is located close to downtown Wichita, and is near U.S. Route 54...


Wichita Private High Schools
  • Bishop Carroll Catholic High School
    Bishop Carroll Catholic High School
    Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, sometimes called Carroll or BC, is a private high school located in Wichita, Kansas. Along with Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School, it is one of two Catholic high schools in the city. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wichita. Bishop Carroll graduates...

  • Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School
    Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School
    Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School, sometimes called Kapaun, is a private, four year, co-educational, secondary school operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wichita. The mission of the school is to form the total person in the image of Jesus Christ...


External links


State
Map
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK