Positioned in the state of Virginia, Hampton High is known for its impressive football and basketball teams. In the 1980s, the football team won 10 straight state championships, along with two national titles. They are ranked as the #8th best high school for the sport in the country. But the basketball team is known for being the ones to beat – particularly the girls’ team.
They’ve won the last seven district titles and hold the VHSL Group AAA State Champion title. Their talented athletics teams have collectively won 35 state championships since 1936. NFL players Robert Banks, Elton Brown, and Ronald Curry are a few of the pro athletes to call Hampton their alma mater.
Highland High School
Set in Salt Lake City, Highland's athletic programs are far superior to many other schools in the country. Perhaps the most well-known team at Highland is the rugby union team, who have a 418-10 record. The rugby team was coached by Larry Gelwix from 1976-2011, and he helped lead them to 20 national high school championships.
Finally, Mark Numbers was brought on board in 2013 and has been leading the charge ever since. In 2008, the movie Forever Strong was released, which documented the Highland rugby team’s accomplishments. Several NFL players and other notable names in sports attended, including Marcus Mailei, Haloti Ngada, and retired Miami Dolphins player Nate Orchard.
Arlington Memorial High School
Located in Vermont, Arlington Memorial High School was ranked as one of the best schools in America by the U.S. News & World Report. But as impressive as their academic programs may be, the real star of the show at this school are the boys’ and girls’ various sports teams.
Since 1971, the basketball teams at Arlington Memorial have won 18 state championships. The soccer and softball teams aren’t far behind, with the soccer teams winning 16 of their own, and the softball team earning nine between 1983 and 2001. The girls’ soccer team’s record for their regular season in 2017 was an impressive 14-0.
James A. Garfield High School
The James A. Garfield High School in Seattle is host to the Garfield Bulldogs. The school has been around since the early 1930s and is known for its exceptional athletic programs. The boys’ basketball team has won 14 state championships, more than any other high school in the state’s history.
The girls’ basketball has won three of their own and was coached by Joyce Walker, the third woman to join the Harlem Globetrotters, for several years. Aside from basketball, Washington also has great football and swimming programs. Olympic gold medalist Debbie Armstrong, along with NBA players Deandre Coleman and Will Conroy, are a few of the notable former Bulldogs.
Woodrow Wilson High School
Woodrow Wilson, as controversial as the name may be in and around the Washington D.C. area, is known for having one of the best high school baseball teams in the state. By 2008, the Woodrow Wilson Tigers had won 16 DCIAA championships in a row. Eddie Saah coached the team successfully for 17 years when he retired at the end of that year.
The WW ultimate frisbee team is ranked #8th in the country. The varsity softball team has won several of its own DCIAA championships, including three consecutive titles between 2007 and 2009. Most of the notable alumni to graduate from this school in D.C. are politicians, as well as baseball player Emmanuel Burriss.