Fuquay-Varina High School

Fuquay-Varina High School (FVHS) is a public high school in Fuquay-Varina North Carolina. It had an enrollment of 1813 students in grades 9-12, during the 2007-2008 academic year. The current principal is Edward McFarland, who took that position in 2006. FVHS was named a "School of Distinction" in 2003, 2004, and 2005, under the North Carolina ABCs of Public Education; in four of the last five years, it has been recognized as a "High Growth" school in the same program.

History

The present Fuquay-Varina High School campus opened in 1975; the former campus, built in 1925, has since been used as Fuquay-Varina Middle School. Prior to racial integration in the 1960s, the all-white school at this location was called Fuquay Springs High School; the name change was made at the time of the merger with Fuquay Consolidated High School. During the three decades on the current campus, the enrollment of FVHS has more than doubled, reflecting growth in southern Wake County. Major campus expansion projects were completed in 1993 and 2001.

Athletics

Fuquay-Varina High School is a member of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, and competes at the 4A level, which is the highest classification, based on enrollment. The athletic teams, nicknamed the "Bengals" (short for Bengal Tigers) wear Tennessee orange, white, and black. Traditional rivals include Clayton High School, Harnett Central High School, Apex High School, and Cary High School, while newer rivalries with Middle Creek High School (which opened in 2002) and Holly Springs High School (which opened in 2007) are likely to eventually become more important. FVHS competes in the Tri-Eight 4A conference, along with Apex, Cary, Middle Creek, Athens Drive High School, Green Hope High School, Lee Senior High School, and Panther Creek High School. Fuquay-Varina was a 2A football power in the 1970s and 1980s, under long-time head coach Graham Myrick. The 1985 Bengal football team played in the 2A state championship game, and won a school-record 14 games. After moving up to the 3A classification in 1993, FVHS won four consecutive conference championships in football under coach Philip Howard. After this time, FVHS went nine years without a winning season in football. In 2004, veteran coach David Riggs took over the program; as a young coach, Riggs had led Raleigh's Broughton High School to a state championship in 1970. Following a 2-9 season in 2004, Riggs' Bengal teams won at least a share of the Tri-Eight championship for three consecutive seasons, with records of 7-6, 11-3, and 11-2. Following Riggs' retirement after the 2007 season, Ryan Habich was promoted to head coach. While the football team draws the largest crowds, other FVHS teams have also enjoyed great success. Under Milton Senter, one of the winningest coaches in NCHSAA history, the baseball team has won numerous conference championships, as well as the 2002 state 4A championship. Other FVHS athletic teams that have won state titles in the last fifteen years include the men's golf team (3A, in 1997), women's cross-country team (3A, in 1996), and the wrestling team (3A, in 2000 and 2001).

Sources

*School web http://fvhs.wcpss.net/
*Wake County Public School System (http://www.wcpss.net/school-directory/428.html)
*Wake County Public School System (http://www.wcpss.net/school-directory/results/abcs-428.html)
*NCHSAA conferences (http://www.nchsaa.org/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=23)
*NCHSAA baseball champions (http://www.nchsaa.org/intranet/downloadManagerControl.php?mode=getFile&elementID=5871&type=5&atomID=7180)
*NCHSAA women's golf champions (http://www.nchsaa.org/intranet/downloadManagerControl.php?mode=getFile&elementID=5207&type=5&atomID=6534)
*Football results (http://gobiggreen.net/2007%20NC/4A%20Conferences/Tri-Seven%204A.htm)
*More football results from (Raleigh) News & Observer archives, available to subscribers only