Morgantown High School Explained

Morgantown High School
Streetaddress:109 Wilson Avenue
City:Morgantown
State:West Virginia
Zipcode:26501
Country:USA
Coordinates:39.6242°N -79.9564°W
Pushpin Map:West Virginia#USA
District:Monongalia County School District
Superintendent:Eddie Campbell
Principal:Paul Mihalko
Teaching Staff:106.50 (FTE)
Ratio:17.46
Type:Public high school
Grades:912
Campus Type:Small city[1]
Conference:Ohio Valley Athletic Conference
Rival:University High School
Team Name:Mohigans
Established:1883
Enrollment:1,859 (2022–23)[2]

Morgantown High School is a public high school in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. It is one of three secondary schools in the Monongalia County School District. Athletic teams compete as the Morgantown Mohigans in the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission as a member of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference.

In addition to sections of Morgantown, it serves Star City.[3] [4]

Background

The institution has existed since 1883, and has operated on its current campus since 1927. Students largely come from one of the three feeder schools, South Middle School, Suncrest Middle School, or St. Francis de Sales Central Catholic. As of the 2019–2020 school year, it had an enrollment of 1,851 students.[5]

Among the school's student activities are over 20 varsity sports.

Morgantown High offers 23 Advanced Placement classes.

Fine arts

The Morgantown High School Red & Blue Marching Band has performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in November 2009, the 2013 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, California, and the 2014 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C. In December 2016, the band represented West Virginia in the 75th Anniversary Commemoration Parade of Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Athletics

Morgantown High School is the home of the Mohigans, the name of a non-existent Native American tribe whose name is a combination of the words "Morgantown (MO) High (HIG) Annual (AN)", the name of the school's original yearbook, originally created by an ancestor of Puderbaugh's (a prominent family in Morgantown). The Native American mascot and logo were adopted because of the close relation to the name Mohican, an actual Native American tribe.[6]

In July 2020, a petition was launched to change the school mascot, logo, and majorette uniforms that include a variation of a traditional Native American headdress, on the grounds that it is an outdated caricature of Native American people. Counter-petitions, demanding the caricature remain, as well as petitions to change the MHS mascot to the Mothman, were also launched.[7]

Rivalry

Morgantown High School and University High School have had a football rivalry known as the "MoHawk Bowl" since 1947. Morgantown leads the series 58-13-3, and has won 3 in a row.

State championships

Morgantown High School's athletic programs are well represented at the state level. MHS has produced over 60 West Virginia State Championships in multiple sports.[8] [9]

State championshipsState runners-up
SportYear(s)Year(s)
Boys' cross country1959, 1960, 1985, 1989, 2016, 2017, 2019 1984
Girls' cross country2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2020, 20212001, 2003, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
Football1927, 1983, 2000, 2002, 2004, 20051971, 1998
Golf19761974, 2005
Girls' soccer2011, 2019 2001
Boys' basketball2016, 2022, 2023, 20241956, 2021
Girls' basketball1977, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016, 20231983, 1989, 2003, 2006, 2022, 2024
Boys' swimming2002, 2003
Girls' swimming2007, 2011, 20122004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022
Boys' tennis1996, 1997
Girls' tennis2019
Boys' track1940
Girls' track2000, 2012, 20172013, 2018, 2021, 2024
Boys' lacrosse1998, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 20231999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011,
Girls' lacrosse1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 20171998, 2012, 2015
Volleyball 20232024

Awards and recognition

Morgantown High School has been highly ranked in school rankings. According to Niche, in 2023 it was ranked the top public high school in West Virginia.[10]

In popular culture

Morgantown High School appears in the video game Fallout 76, set in West Virginia.[11] [12]

Notable alumni

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Morgantown High School in Morgantown, WV . U.S. News & World Report . 19 July 2023.
  2. Web site: Morgantown High School. National Center for Education Statistics. August 19, 2024.
  3. "Zoning Map." Star City. Retrieved on November 16, 2018.
  4. "Morgantown HS Overall Zone " and "Morgantown HS with Star City ." – Derived from the Monongalia County School District Mapping program. Monongalia County Schools. Retrieved on November 16, 2018.
  5. Web site: Reed. Scott. November 24, 2019. WVSSAC sets new reclassifications.
  6. Web site: Morgantown High School - Mohigan Facts - The Mohigan. 2006-12-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061013181048/http://boe.mono.k12.wv.us/mhs/academics/mascot.html . 2006-10-13.
  7. Web site: 2020-07-24. Petition created to change Morgantown High School's mascot from Mohigans. 2020-07-28. WBOY.com. en-US.
  8. Web site: WVSSAC.
  9. Web site: WV Lacrosse.
  10. Web site: 2023 Best Public High Schools in West Virginia . 2022-10-22 . Niche . en.
  11. Web site: Explore Morgantown High School . 2022-10-22 . Niche . en.
  12. Web site: Gorski. Sam. Rather. Joey. May 3, 2024. What Fallout 76 gets right, and wrong, about West Virginia. WBOY. August 9, 2024. en.