Las Cruces High School
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2011) |
Las Cruces High School
 | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
1755 El Paseo Rd. , 88005 | |
| Coordinates | 32°17′30″N 106°46′05″W / 32.2916°N 106.7680°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, high school |
| Founded | 1918 (as Las Cruces Union High School), 1954 (consolidation of Las Cruces Public Schools) |
| School district | Las Cruces Public Schools |
| Principal | Jed Hendee |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 2,300 (September 2009) |
| Language | English |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Red , Blue |
| Mascot | Bulldawgs |
| Communities served | south and west Las Cruces, Mesilla, Talaveras, Mesilla Park, University Park, Tortugas |
| Feeder schools | Lynn Middle School , Zia Middle School |
| Rival schools | Mayfield High School, Oñate High School, Centennial High School |
| Athletic conference | NMAA, 6A Dist. 3 |
| Website | http://lascruces.lcps.k12.nm.us/ |
Las Cruces High School is the oldest high school in the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico. LCHS opened in 1954 and serves approximately 2,300 students from grades 9-12.[1]
History
Although the school's official history dates only to the formation of Las Cruces Public Schools in 1954, LCHS is considered the successor to the former Las Cruces Union High School (1918), which was located at the corner of Alameda and Picacho Avenues near downtown Las Cruces. LCHS inherited the Bulldog mascot and school colors from the former school, which served as a unified high school for the several smaller school districts that existed in the area before being consolidated to form LCPS. The present campus on El Paseo Road opened in 1956, at which point the old LCUHS building was converted to house Alameda Junior High School. AJHS itself closed its doors in the early 1980s and the old building sat vacant for several years before being extensively renovated to house the Third Judicial District Court. The New Mexico Activities Association considers LCUHS and LCHS to be the same school and credits LCHS with all state titles won by the previous school.
 |
 |
 |
The current campus has undergone numerous renovations and expansions since opening its doors in 1956. Among the more recent additions to the campus a vocational arts building was constructed in 1993, a new classroom wing and central hallway ("D" wing) were built in 1997, the music wing was renovated and a new band facility added between 1996 and 1998, the cafeteria was renovated and a commons area added in 2000, and another new classroom wing opened in 2002. Beginning in the summer of 2013 the campus is undergoing a massive multi-year "extreme makeover" which will see many of the current campus buildings demolished and replaced with new facilities.[2] In the fall of 2015 the first phase of construction was completed.[3]
Rivalry
|
LCHS has a long-standing rivalry with Mayfield, the city's second-oldest public high school, with the annual football clash between the schools routinely attracting more than 20,000 fans. LCHS and MHS have combined to win 13 of the past 19 New Mexico state championships in football, with the annual year-end game between the schools almost invariably determining the district title. With only two exceptions (1997 and 2004), either LCHS or MHS has played in the state championship game every year since 1995. In 2002 and 2013 LCHS and MHS played each other in the state championship game, and the schools also met in the state playoff semifinals in 2008, with the Bulldawgs victorious on all three occasions. Mayfield leads the overall series 27-22-1, but LCHS has won 6 of the past 8 meetings. The Mayfield-Las Cruces high school football rivalry was voted the 9th best in the nation by rivals.com in 2008. The documentary film Cruces Divided is based on this rivalry.[4]
Athletics
LCHS competes in the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA), as a class 6A school in District 3. In 2014, NMAA realigned the state's schools in to six classifications and adjusted district boundaries.[5] In addition to Las Cruces High School, the schools in District 3-6A include: Oñate High School, Mayfield High School, Gadsden High School, Hobbs High School, and Carlsbad High School (New Mexico.
 |
 |
 |
 |
State championships
| State championships | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
| Fall | Boys cross country | 1 | 1972 |
| Football | 9 (8 official + 1 unofficial) | 2013, 2012, 2008, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1975, 1959, 1925*† | |
| Marching band | 3 | 1986, 1984, 1979 | |
| Boys soccer | 3 | 2013, 2007, 2004 | |
| Girls soccer | 2 | 2005, 2003 | |
| Girls volleyball | 5 | 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1995 | |
| Winter | Boys basketball | 8 | 2013, 1976, 1975, 1961, 1960, 1959, 1945*, 1941* |
| Co-Ed cheerleading | 3 | 2014, 2013, 2012 | |
| Girls swimming & diving | 1 | 1983 | |
| Wrestling | 2 | 1966, 1964 | |
| Spring | Baseball | 5 | 1963, 1962, 1961, 1957, 1952* |
| Softball | 1 | 2013 | |
| Boys track and field | 1 | 1962 | |
| Boys tennis | 2 | 1996, 1995 | |
| Girls tennis | 2 | 1997, 1996 | |
| Total | 48 | ||
(*) Las Cruces Union High School
(†) Not officially recognized by NMAA, which does not recognize any state football titles before 1950.[6]
Notable alumni
- Rich Beem, professional golfer, 2002 PGA Champion
- Chuck Franco, current First Gentleman of New Mexico
- Jerry Hinsley, former Major League pitcher
- Joseph Benavidez, UFC Flyweight Fighter
- David Krummenacker, Professional Track Athlete
- Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Author
References
- ^ "About LCHS". Las Cruces High School.
- ^ "Las Cruces High School Renovations". Las Cruces Public Schools.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVYRa_krgg8
- ^ http://www.crucesdivided.com/
- ^ http://www.nmact.org/file/Section_4.pdf
- ^ "New Mexico State Football Champions" (PDF). New Mexico Activities Association.