Pocatello High School

Coordinates: 42°51′47″N 112°27′14″W / 42.863°N 112.454°W / 42.863; -112.454

Pocatello High School is a four-year public high school in Pocatello, Idaho, locally known as "Poky." It is the oldest of the three traditional high schools of the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District, and serves the southwest portion. The school colors are red and blue and the mascot is an Indian;^[3] the city's namesake, Chief Pocatello, was the leader of the Shoshone people.

History

The school was constructed in late spring and summer of 1892, even before the official founding of the township, costing $18, 281. According to the Bannock County Historical Society, the school was originally called West Side School, holding all grades in the same school. Pocatello High School was the most impressive building in the area during the early 1900s and on many occasions the school served as a town square where concerts and athletic contests were held. Two presidents of the United States spoke on the grounds of Pocatello High School, President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 and William Howard Taft in 1908.^[4]

In 1914, a fire started in the boiler room and the high school burnt completely to the ground. The school was rebuilt in exactly the same location. In 1939, the old school was remodeled and additions were made including a new gymnasium currently known as "the pit." In 1996 major renovations were added to the school which took three years to complete. These renovations included new floors, lights, sidewalks, heating system, and windows.^[5] A new gymnasium known as "the palace" was built between 2004 and 2006.

Achievements

In 1989, Pocatello High School received the Presidential Excellence award, one of only 165 awards given in the nation.^[6]

Athletics

Pocatello competes in athletics in IHSAA Class 4A in the Great Basin (East) Conference with Century and Preston. PHS traditionally competed with the largest schools in the state in Class 5A (formerly A-1); a drop in enrollment caused a change to Class 4A.

• In 2000, the boys basketball team successfully defended the A-1 (now 5A) state championship.^[7]
• The PHS football team won the state 4A title in November 2006.
  • Four A-1 (now 5A) state titles in football were won in six-season span (1989, 1990, 1992, 1994).^[8]
• The 2012 baseball team won the state 4A championship, its first.^[9]

Rivalries

Pocatello High School has intra-city rivalries with and Highland (1963) and Century (1999). The annual football game between Pocatello and Highland is known as the "Black and Blue Bowl." A tradition of rivalry between the schools is to paint the large rock outside of the other schools.

State titles

Boys

• Football (5): fall 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994: (4A) 2006 (official with introduction of playoffs, fall 1979)^[10]
  • (unofficial poll titles - 0) (poll introduced in 1963, through 1978)
• Cross Country (2): fall 1980; (4A) 2011^[11] (introduced in 1964)
• Basketball (8): 1929, 1936, 1942, 1957, 1962, 1969, 1999, 2000^[7]
• Wrestling (7): 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1990, 1991, 1992^[12] (introduced in 1958)
• Baseball (1): (4A) 2012^[9] (records not kept by IHSAA, state tourney introduced in 1971)
• Track (2): 1958; (4A) 2009^[13]
• Golf (3): 1957, 1962, 1990^[14] (introduced in 1956)

Girls

• Cross Country (2): fall 1995, 1996^[11] (introduced in 1974)
• Volleyball (1): fall 1990^[15] (introduced in 1976)
• Track (5): 1975, 1982, 1994, 1995, 1996^[16] (introduced in 1971)

Controversy

In October, 2013, a former girls' basketball coach, Laraine Cook was fired over a Facebook photo where her fiance, Tom Harrison, a football coach at Pocatello High School, holds her breast.^[17] Cook told local Pocatello ABC affiliate that she was fired and not Harrison because she was the one who posted the photo.^[18]

Notable alumni

• Kent Hadley, former professional baseball player (Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees)
• Cassie Jo Stoddart. murdered by two of her high school classmates

References

External links

• Official website
• Pocatello/Chubbuck School District #25