Vista Ridge High School

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Vista Ridge High School
Location
200 South Vista Ridge Blvd.
Cedar Park, TX 78613

United States
Information
Type Public School
Motto "Preparing our students to be the best for the world."
Established 2003
Principal Paul Johnson
Grades 9-12
Campus Suburban
Color(s)                Red, Black & Silver
Athletics conference UIL (Conference 4A)
Mascot Rangers
Website

Vista Ridge High School (VRHS) is a high school in Cedar Park, Texas. The school was established in 2003 to serve as the 3rd high school in the Leander Independent School District, graduating its Alpha class June 2007. The school was built due to the rapid growth in the area, and continues to grow with the recent construction of its auditorium and John Gupton Stadium. Vista Ridge a part of the 4A UIL Conference as of the 2010-2011 school year.

Contents

[edit] Feeds

The following middle schools feed into VRHS:

[edit] Academics

[edit] Science

  • Vista Ridge won the Sweepstakes Award at the Austin Regional Science Fair in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013

2011-2012 school year

  • Eighteen students advanced to the ExxonMobil State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio

2010-2011 2009-2010 2008-2009

2007-08 school year

  • Twenty-five students advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio.
  • Vivian Lee '08 (individual) and Rachel Sullivan '09 and Emily Wagoner '09 (team) advanced to Intel ISEF in Atlanta, Georgia after winning Best of Fair at Regionals. Vivian won 2nd in her category while at the Intel ISEF, along with other various prizes

2006-07 school year

  • Eleven students advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio. Vivian Lee (class of 2008) won Honorable Mention in Microbiology, Nicole Noack (class of 2009) won a meteorology special award, and Erik Bilansky (class of 2007) won a special award.
  • Erik Bilansky (class of 2008) advanced to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Albuquerque, New Mexico after winning Best of Fair at Regionals. (May 13–19)

2005-06 school year

  • Fourteen students advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio. Patrick Lavin (class of 2007) won 1st place in his category, Vivian Lee (class of 2008) won 3rd place in Microbiology, and another Jessica Guest (class of 2008) was granted a scholarship.

2004-05 school year

  • Nine students advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio. Jessica Guest (class of 2008) received a special award.
  • Megan Pendleton (class of 2007) advanced to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona.

2003-04 school year (when the school only had freshmen students)

  • Megan Pendleton (class of 2007) and Patrick Lavin (class of 2007) advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair at Texas Tech University.

[edit] Extra-Curricular

[edit] Athletics

Football

The Vista Ridge Rangers football team competes in UIL District 25-4A since 2009. Coach Rodney Vincent came to the school and led the Rangers to a 1-9-0 season in 2009. In 2010, the Rangers finished the season with an 8-3-0 (3-2-0) and were bi-district champions for the first time in school history after defeating Austin Travis 41-6. The rangers lost in Round 2 of playoffs to Alamo heights 52-24, thus ending their season. 2010 was also the first year the Rangers made a post-season debut. 2011 proved disastrous as the Rangers finished 3-7-0 (2-4-0), eliminating them from playoffs. In 2012, the Rangers made history, multiple times breaking many records. They finished the season 8-4-0 (3-3-0). They started the season with a 6-0 record, the best winning streak in school history. They shutout 4 opponents (making 8 total in school history) in games against Bastrop 30-0, LBJ 39-0, McCallum 55-0, and the fourth shutout coming in a playoff game against Austin Travis 82-0. 2012 marked the second season of making it to playoffs defeating Austin Travis once again in post-season 82-0 (previously beat them 42-6 in 2010 playoffs) to become bi-district champions. The Rangers went on to play the then #10 SA Brennan Bears. After starting the game off with 3 turnovers on the first 3 possessions which led to 16 points for Brennan, the Rangers say themselves down 16-0 before shutting the Bears out for 2 1/2 quarters and leading the Bears 28-24 late in the fourth quarter. After a kick-off return for the Bears with less than 2 minutes leading 31-28. The Rangers lost the game with a final score of 31-28. The 82-0 score was the largest scoring game in post-season by any Texas High School football team in UIL history. The Vista Ridge Rangers play their home varsity games at John Gupton Stadium (also shared by the 2012 UIL 4A Divison II State Champions Cedar Park Timberwolves). District 25-4A is known as one of the toughest football districts in Texas High School football (also known as the SEC of Texas High School Football) bringing home a State Championship every year since 2006 (Lake Travis winning 5 consecutive from 2006-2011 before moving up to 5A football; Cedar Park won its first State Championship in 2012)

State Champions

2008-09 school year:

  • Vista Ridge's athletic teams entered University Interscholastic League (UIL) 5A competition for the first time in the 2008-09 school year, due to the bi-annual realignment. Vista Ridge entered the very competitive district 16-5A and the most competitive region in the state, region 2-5A.
  • The girl's cross country running team were district 16-5A champions in their first year in 5A competition. and the boy's Cross Country team were placed 3rd. The girls and boys teams both advanced to the Region 2-5A meet, where the girl's and boy's team both placed 4th, just missing out on advancing to the UIL Conference 5A State Cross Country Championships by one place. However, the Cross Country team still advanced three individual runners to the UIL state championships with Ashley Isham (class of 2010), Amanda Russell (class of 2010), and Zach Ornelas (class of 2009), who all had top 5 finishes. Following the UIL state meet, the Lady Rangers advanced to Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in Portland, Oregon, where they took 18th place in the nation. In addition to the girls team qualifying, Isham, Russell, and Ornelas also qualified as individuals with top 5 finishes. Isham and Russell also qualified for nationals in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in San Diego, to become the first Vista Ridge athletes to compete at Foot Locker Nationals.
  • The Ranger varsity football team won their first game of the year in the season opener against 5A Austin Bowie, winning 30-28.
  • The Ranger Boys golf team won the UIL District 16-5A Title by 4 strokes and advanced to Regionals for the third straight year. Coach P.C. Edwards fielded a deep team that had 9 players competing for the 5 varsity spots. This year's District Championship team was led by Jason Pearce (class of 2010) who placed 2nd in the district's individual competition. Pearce shot 75-73 to take 2nd overall. Blake Stasiunas (class of 2012) fired a 76-73 to place 4th and join Pearce on the All-District Team. Also contributing to the team's success was George Barber (Class of 2009) with scores of 83-70, Cody Wing (class of 2010) with scores of 82-77, and Chad Cobian (class of 2010) with scores of 83-77.

2007-08 school year:

  • The Ranger girls cross country running team reached the UIL Conference 4A State Cross Country Championships for the second year in a row. The girls team was led by state medalist sophomore Ashley Isham (class of 2010) who medaled (3rd place) at state for the second year in a row. The Ranger girls finished in sixth place at state after defending their UIL District 25-4A and UIL Region IV-4A team tiles from 2006-07. The boys team did not qualify for state, but were represented individually by junior Zachary Ornelas (class of 2009), who finished in seventh place at state after winning the UIL District 25-4A Championship and taking third place at the UIL Region IV-4A Championships. The boys team did defend their UIL District 25-4A title from 2006-07.
  • The Ranger boys golf team placed 2nd in District competition and advanced to the UIL Region IV-4A Championship for the second consecutive year. Two members, sophomores Chad Cobian and Jason Pearce, were named to the All Regional Team. Coach P.C. Edwards fielded a young team that was in contention for a second consecutive State Championship birth before eventually finishing in 4th place in the Region. With 4 sophomores and a freshman, the team had no upperclassmen and Pearce was the only team member with prior varsity experience. The individual scores at the regional tournament were Chad Cobian (Class of 2010) 75-78=153; Jason Pearce (Class of 2010) 79-75=154; Stephan Schlotzhauer (Class of 2010) 76-79=155; Eric Allen (Class of 2011) 82-74=156; and George Barber (Class of 2010) 82-78=160.
  • The Ranger boys and girls track and field teams advanced a total 17 athletes to the UIL Conference 4A State Track & Field Championships, led by two-time state champion, sophomore distance runner Ashley Isham (class of 2010), who won the girls 1600 meter and 3200 meter state titles to become the first Vista Ridge track athlete to win a state title and first Leander ISD athlete since 1986. Isham also won the prestigious Texas Relays 3200 meters in 10:37.17 and the Jesuit Sheaner Relays Elite girls 1600 meters in 4:59.28. Junior distance runner Zackary Ornelas (class of 2009) also medaled, earning a silver in the boys 3200 meter run with a 3200 meter season best of 9:08.57. The Lady Rangers placed fourth in the team standings at the UIL State Championships, and for the second year in a row, claimed the UIL Region IV-4A and the UIL District 25-4A team championships. The Ranger boys track team placed 2nd in the team standings at the UIL Region IV-4A and the UIL District 25-4A.

2006-07 school year:

  • The Ranger boys and girls cross country running teams both reached the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Conference 4A State Cross Country Championships. The girls team finished in fourth place at state after winning the UIL District 25-4A and UIL Region IV-4A team tiles. The girls were led by state medalist freshman Ashley Isham (class of 2010). The boys team finished in seventh place at state after winning the UIL District 25-4A Championship and taking second place at the UIL Region IV-4A Championships. The boys were led by state medalists senior Travis Fort (class of 2007) and senior Javier Perez (class of 2007). Chase Kaufman also contributed to the success of the team.
  • The Ranger boys golf team advanced to the UIL Conference 4A State Championship in the spring of 2007. Coach Brady Mayo's team was led by team captains senior Daniel Wood (Class of 2007) and senior Michael Smith(Class of 2007) the team would go on to place 4th with the help of junior Alex Spicer (Class of 2008) sophomore Preston Hardin (Class 2009), and freshman Jason Pearce (Class of 2010). Smith and Wood tied for 3rd individually. Smith won the 3rd place medal in a playoff. Earlier in the season, the Rangers set a new school record at 284 when Hardin fired a 67 to go along with Wood's 69, Pearce's 73, and Smith's 75. Hardin's 67 is the record low individual score as well. Wood and Smith both moved on to play D1 college golf.
  • Ranger swimming program sent both their boy and girls teams to the UIL Conference 4A State Championships, where the boys took 15th and the girls took 4th. The boys were led by Alex Morales, who won 3 state medals (100 Fly, 400 Free Relay, and 200 Medley Relay). The girls were led by Danae Welch, who won 4 state medals (200 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay, 100 Breast, and 200 Individual Medley).
  • The Lady Rangers volleyball team reached the UIL Conference 4A State Finals, where they placed 2nd.
  • The Ranger wrestling program was led by senior Carrie Clark (class of 2007), in winning her second UIL Conference 4A State Championship in the 185 lb division, sophomore Bryan Osorio (class of 2009) took 2nd in the 112 lb division, and junior Chris Bowling (class of 2008) took 6th in the 171 lb division.
  • The Lady Ranger track and field team advanced seven athletes to the UIL Conference 4A State Championships, led by two-time state medalist, distance runner freshman Ashley Isham (class of 2010). The Lady Rangers also won the UIL Region IV-4A and the UIL District 25-4A team championships.

[edit] Band

  • 13 All-State Band Members
  • 8 Consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Award
  • 64 All-Region (Region 26) Band Members in 2008 (highest in Region)
  • Consistent top ten placement at TCGC, until 2013 the schools first year without a competitive color guard program (Winterguard)
  • Award-winning Percussion Section
  • Texas UIL State Marching Band Contest, Class 4A, tied for 6th Place in 2007
  • Texas UIL State Marching Band Contest, Class 5A, 21st in 2008
  • 2011-2012 First Year ALL Bands (Wind Ensemble, Symphonic, and Concert) Received Sweepstakes at the UIL Concert and sightreading contest.
  • 2007: "Doorways," 7th at 4A State Marching Contest
  • 2008: "Ray of Light" 21st at 5A State Marching Contest
  • 2009: "On the Move"
  • 2010: "No Strings Attached"
  • 2011: "Through the Air"
  • 2012: "Rhapsody"
  • 2013: "Arabian Nights"

[edit] Choir

  • 2012-2013- 3 TMEA All-State participants

[edit] Theater

2011-12 school year

2010-11 school year

2009-10 school year;

2008-09 school year;

2007-2008 school year:

2006-2007 school year:

  • Fall play: Auntie Mame
  • Senior-directed plays: Wings, Laundry & Bourbon, Plaza Suite, Barefoot in the Park, Balkan Woman, Talking With...., I Hate Mothers etc.
  • Musical: Fiddler on the Roof
  • One-act play: Ondine

2005-2006 school year:

2004-2005 school year:

2003-2004 school year:

[edit] Other clubs/organizations

[edit] External links