Chelsea High School (Michigan)
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Chelsea High School is a public institution located in Chelsea, Michigan. Chelsea High School is home of the Bulldogs, and its colors are Blue and Gold. The current enrollment of Chelsea High School is approximately 1,065.
[edit] Athletics
Chelsea High has two main rivals: Dexter High School in all sports and Tecumseh High School in football, but Dexter spoiled Chelsea's undeafeted 2007 basketball season thanks to the help of Johnny Benjamin's game winner in overtime. Chelsea is a member of the Southeastern Conference and the Michigan High School Athletic Association MHSAA SEC. It is a Class B school (one of the largest in the state, nonetheless) and competes in Division 2 in all sports except for ice hockey, football and men's and women's tennis (all are Division 3).
Chelsea has had a lot of success in Athletics, including the Varsity Football team. The football team has won the White Dvision five of the past six years and has won the SEC outright in five of those years (dating back to 1999 when the old SEC was around). The Bulldogs have beaten rival Dexter ten years in a row and has gone 10-3 against the Tecumseh Indians in those years. The Bulldog football team, coached by Brad Bush, is 77-34 in the past decade and has won five playoff games since then. Many Bulldog football alumni have graduated to play in college, including Alexander Underwood (Purdue University), Stanely Knickerbocker (University of Michigan), Steven Knickerbocker (University of Michigan), Joe Tripodi (Northwestern University) and Tony Scheffler (Western Michigan University, second round pick to the Denver Broncos in the 2006 NFL Draft).
Chelsea has also enjoyed success in many other sports. The men's soccer team has won the SEC White in four of the past five years and has also captured two district championships during that span. The women's basketball team dominated the SEC from 2000-2003 thanks to CHS alum Ali Mann, the Mid-American Conference MVP in the 2006 MAC tournament for the Bowling Green State Falcons. Also, the CHS Cross Country teams typically finish within the top ten in Division 2. Runner Ian Girard placed 5th in his division in the 2005 Cross Country state finals. Current runner Brendan Smith has also enjoyed stellar success, he placed 17th in the michigan finals in 2006. The women's swimming program also enjoyed lots of success in 2003, 2004, and 2005, including top ten finishes in '03 and '04 (their success is often overshadowed by the success of rival Dexter, a perennial power in Division 2, and by the success of Pioneer, a team that has won six consecutive Division 1 state championships and is consistently a national powerhouse)
The Chelsea High School hockey team has also emerged from the shadow of Dexter, as it finished 17-7-3 in 2006, and finished second in the SEC to Saline, who was the Division 3 State runner-up. The Volleyball team also returned to the state semifinals in 2006, as they also did in 2004 and 2003.
The Varsity softball team has also enjoyed success in the past few years, including back-to-back State Championships in 2002 and 2003 and a resturn to the State semifinals in 2004.
In addition, Chelsea won Class B State Championships in Softball in 1982 and 1985 and were the State Runner-up in 1984 coached by Charles Waller. Waller returned to coach Girls basketball from 1992-99 with a record of 110-69. The Bulldogs advanced to the Class B District championship five times with three titles (1994, 95, 99). In 1994 and 1995, CHS had back to back 20-4 District championship Regional finalist seasons. Waller had three all-state performers, Courtney Thompson - 1993-94 (Was an All-American at Spring Arbor), Annie Terpstra - 1993, 94, 95 (All-MIAA selection at Adrian) and Kasie Ruhlig - 1996.
[edit] Recent News
On December 6th, 2006, HAZMAT forces were called into the school at approxamatley 10:00 A.M.. A small amount of Mercury was broken on the floor of a science room, causing what students interviewed on the scene to be "a big deal for nothing." Students in the area of the exposed Mercury were quarantined and the school was put on lockdown until 1:15 P.M.
A channel 4 helicopter and newsvan were dispatched to the scene along with a firetruck. The Chelsea police force also could be found at the incident.
