Judson High School
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| Judson High School | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Converse, Texas USA |
|
| Information | |
| School district | Judson Independent School District |
| Principal | Don Pittman |
| Enrollment |
4,674 (as of 2005) |
| Type | Free public |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Athletics conference | District 26-5A |
| Mascot | Rockets |
| Color(s) | Red and Grey |
| Established | 1959 |
| Homepage | Judson High School |
Judson High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in Converse, Texas. It was established in 1959 and is part of the Judson Independent School District. The school was named after Moses Judson, who served on the Bexar County School Board from 1918 to 1939. His nephew Jack Judson was on the board when the decision was made to name the new rural high school Judson.
Judson High consists of two campuses, the Red Campus, for juniors and seniors, and the Gray Campus, for freshmen and sophomores. Judson High School also has a Performing Arts Center, located in between the Red and Gray campuses, for band, choir, orchestra, and drama classes. The school enrollment is about 3,546. The mascot of Judson High School is the Rocket. The school colors are red and gray hence the name of the two campuses.
The school is part of District 27-5A, breaking up arguably the toughest district inSouth Texas, 26-5A.
Judson was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 1999-2000. [1]
In 2005, it was split into Karen Wagner High School.
Contents |
[edit] Athletics
Playing in the highest classification of the University Interscholastic League, the Judson Rocket football program became a perennial power in the late 1970s under coach Jerry Sanders. Under his successor Frank Arnold, Judson won its first of six state championships in 1983. Arnold was succeeded by his former defensive coordinator D. W. Rutledge in 1984. Rutledge coached the Rockets until 2000 amassing a record of 197-32-5. In honor of him, the football stadium is named after him. Jim Rackley, a longtime assistant to Arnold and Rutledge for 16 years, took over the program after the 2000 season. Rackley has led the team to the state playoffs in five of his seven seasons as head coach, including the state championship in 2002, a semi-finals appearance in 2004, and the state finals in 2005 and 2007.
Since 1983 Judson Rocket football teams have appeared in 12 state championship games, winning titles in 1983, '88, '92, '93, '95, and 2002.
The following highlights the Rockets' state championship game performances:
1983 Judson defeats Midland Lee 25-21
1988 Judson defeats Dallas Carter 1-0 (due to Carter violation of UIL rules)
1990 Marshall defeats Judson 21-19
1991 Fort Bend Dulles defeats Judson 27-26
1992 Judson defeats Euless Trinity 52-0
1993 Judson defeats Plano 36-13
1995 Judson defeats Odessa Permian 31-28
1996 Lewisville defeats Judson 58-34
1999 Duncanville defeats Judson 24-21
2002 Judson defeats Midland 33-32
2005 Euless Trinity defeats Judson 28-14
2007 Euless Trinity defeats Judson 13-10
The Rockets' success is based on using primarily a rushing attack with a swarming defense.
Notable past rushers include Chris Pryor, Chris Samuels, Jerod Douglas, Kyle Fox, and Chauncey Campbell. Of this list, Chris Pryor and Jerod Douglas were the most successful running backs for the storied Judson program. Chris Pryor set the Texas 5A single season rushing record in leading the Rockets to their first title. In the early nineties, as a junior, Jerod Douglas broke the same single season rushing record in leading the Rockets to the first of back-to-back titles.
The Rockets' legacy is centered around the expression "Rocket Pride" which has created a certain mystique within Texas high school football circles given the football program's results - similar to Odessa Permian's "Mojo" slogan. Rocket Pride has been and continues to be something particularly special in the student, alumni, and fan community - serving as a rallying cry against opponents.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Eric Brown, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans player
- Jerod Douglas, Baylor Bears; player and second highest career rusher
- Derwin Gray, Indianapolis Colts player, evangelist
- Chris Samuels, San Diego Chargers player
- Corey Sears, Houston Texans player
