Judson High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in Converse, Texas. It was established in 1959 and is part of the Judson Independent School District. The school as well as the District were named after Moses Judson, who served on the Bexar County School Board from 1918 to 1939. His nephew Jack Judson was on the board when the decision was made to name the new rural high school Judson.
For a portion of its history up through 2010, Judson High School used a dual campus system wherein juniors and seniors attended the "Red Campus" and freshmen and sophomores attended the "Gray Campus." Previous to this dual campus system, Judson also had an atypical structure because it only housed grades 10-12 with the middle schools supporting grades 7-9. These structural departures from a typical high school system were due to efforts to accommodate the area's rapid population growth.
However, a single new school building now houses all the facilities with the exception of the agriculture facilities. The numerous original buildings which constituted the Red Campus were razed in 2011 to make way for the new athletic fields and tennis courts. The Gray Campus has been re-purposed into the Judson Middle School. The Performing Arts Center (PAC), which was constructed in 1998, houses the band, choir, orchestra, and drama classes. The PAC facility has a recital hall that seats 216 individuals, while the auditorium has 840 seats. The PAC facility is physically connected to Judson High School via vestibule.
The school newspaper is "The Fuel" and the yearbook is "The Rocket."
Judson was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 1999-2000.
Up until 2005, Judson was the sole high school within the Judson Independent School District (JISD). In 2005, the new Karen Wagner High School was launched which drew students from Judson. In addition, JISD added a new high school, Veteran Memorial High School.With Judson, Wagner, and Veteran Memorial, there are currently three main high schools in the JISD.
Athletics
Playing in the highest classification of the University Interscholastic League, the Judson Rocket athletic program has experienced significant state championship success - particularly in football and track and field.
Football
The Judson Rocket football program emerged as a perennial power in the 1977 season under coach Jerry Sanders. Under his successor Frank Arnold, Judson won its first state championship. Arnold was succeeded by his former defensive coordinator D.W. Rutledge in 1984. D.W. Rutledge coached the Rockets until 2000 amassing a record of 198-31-5 and winning four state titles. In honor of D.W. Rutledge, the football stadium is named after him. Jim Rackley, a longtime assistant to Arnold and Rutledge for sixteen years, took over the program after the 2000 season. Rackley led the team to the state playoffs in nine of his eleven seasons and made three title appearances while winning one state championship. Mark Smith, formerly of Kerrville Tivy High School where he coached Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, assumed head coaching duties at Judson from 2012 through 2013. Sean McAuliffe, an alumnus of Judson High School and its football program, replaced Mark Smith as head coach starting with the 2014 season.
Judson has made it to the playoffs 38 times over 55 total seasons: 1966-1967, 1971, 1977-1979, 1982-1998, 2000-2002, 2004-2005, and 2007-2016. Judson currently competes at the 6A level, and among 6A high schools, this ranks in the top ten all-time in Texas.
Judson has advanced to the state semifinal level 18 times: 1982-1983, 1988-1996, 1998, 2002, 2004-2005, 2007, and 2014-2015.
Of these trips, Judson has made it to the state title game 11 times: 1983, 1988, 1990, 1992-1993, 1995-1996, 1998, 2002, 2005, and 2007. From these opportunities, Judson has claimed six state titles by winning in 1983, 1988, 1992-1993, 1995, and 2002.
Judson holds the all-time Texas state record with 40 consecutive winning seasons from 1977 through 2016. Plano Senior High School held the record for consecutive winning seasons at 36 years, which was broken by Judson--a streak that is still active. During the streak, Judson has won approximately 81 percent of its games; the worst of those seasons being a 7-5 record, and the worst regular season record being 6-4 (this has happened 4 times).
The following list details Judson's season records during the current streak (head coach noted in parentheses):
- 1977 10-1 (Sanders)
- 1978 10-2 (Sanders)
- 1979 10-1 (Sanders)
- 1980 6-4 (Arnold)
- 1981 7-3 (Arnold)
- 1982 14-1 (Arnold) State semifinalist losing to Beaumont Westbrook 12-27
- 1983 15-1 (Arnold) State champion defeating Midland Lee 25-21
- 1984 11-2-1 (Rutledge) State quarterfinalist losing to San Antonio Madison 16-19
- 1985 12-2 (Rutledge) State quarterfinalist losing to San Antonio Holmes 29-30
- 1986 12-1 (Rutledge) State quarterfinalist losing to Austin Reagan 15-18
- 1987 9-1-1 (Rutledge)
- 1988 15-1 (Rutledge) State champion defeating Dallas Carter 1-0
- 1989 14-1 (Rutledge) State semifinalist losing to Aldine 14-48
- 1990 14-2 (Rutledge) State finalist losing to Marshall 19-21
- 1991 11-3 (Rutledge) State semifinalist losing to Fort Bend Dulles 26-27
- 1992 14-1 (Rutledge) State champion defeating Euless Trinity 52-0
- 1993 13-0-2 (Rutledge) State champion defeating Plano 36-13
- 1994 10-3-1 (Rutledge) State semifinalist losing to Katy 19-42
- 1995 14-1 (Rutledge) State champion defeating Odessa Permian 31-28
- 1996 13-2 (Rutledge) State finalist losing to Lewisville 34-58
- 1997 7-4 (Rutledge)
- 1998 14-1 (Rutledge) State finalist losing to Duncanville 21-24
- 1999 7-3 (Rutledge)
- 2000 8-3 (Rutledge)
- 2001 9-3 (Rackley)
- 2002 14-1 (Rackley) State champion defeating Midland 33-32
- 2003 6-4 (Rackley)
- 2004 13-1 (Rackley) State semifinalist losing to Spring Westfield 14-28
- 2005 10-5 (Rackley) State finalist losing to Euless Trinity 14-28
- 2006 6-4 (Rackley)
- 2007 11-5 (Rackley) State finalist losing to Euless Trinity 10-13
- 2008 8-3 (Rackley)
- 2009 9-3 (Rackley)
- 2010 7-5 (Rackley)
- 2011 8-3 (Rackley)
- 2012 8-4 (Smith)
- 2013 11-3 (Smith) State quarterfinalist losing to San Antonio Madison 29-33
- 2014 10-5 (McAuliffe) State semifinalist losing to Cypress Ranch 31-38
- 2015 13-2 (McAuliffe) State semifinalist losing to Galena Park North Shore 17-23
- 2016 9-3 (McAuliffe)
Totals 422-98-5 for an ~81% winning percentage during the streak.
Since the program's inception, Judson's record is 475-192-10 for an ~71% winning percentage.
Track and Field
The Judson Rocket track program has experienced significant recent success. The Judson boys team won the 2013 Texas 5A boys state track meet. The Judson girls team is a recent state champion having won consecutive Texas 5A/6A girls state track meets in 2014 and 2015.
Basketball
The Judson Rocket boys basketball program has been a perennial contender under coach Michael Wacker. Judson has been to the UIL state tournament three times: 1992-1993, 2000-2001, and 2013-2014. In all three instances, Judson would lose to the eventual state champion. In 1993, Judson lost in the 5A boys state championship game to Fort Worth Dunbar. In 2001, Judson lost in the 5A boys semifinals game to Sugar Land Willowridge. Most recently, in 2014, Judson lost in the 5A boys state championship game to Galena Park North Shore while finishing with a Judson all-time best season record of 37-2.
The Judson Rocket girls basketball program has been to the UIL state tournament once in 2017. Judson would lose in the 6A semifinals to eventual state champion Duncanville.
Wrestling
The wrestling program has also achieved recent excellence and has garnered an individual state title in the 140Â lbs. weight class through Aaron Walker (2010-5th, 2011-1st, 2012-1st).
Notable alumni
Judson has primarily produced successful athletes and personnel related to football.
Athletes and Personnel
- Mike Azzaro, American professional polo player
- Eric Brown, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans player
- Phillip Gaines, Kansas City Chiefs player (active)
- Derwin Gray, Indianapolis Colts player and evangelist
- Otis Grigsby, Miami Dolphins player Minnesota Vikings player
- Rob Housler, Arizona Cardinals player (active)
- Mike Jinks, Bowling Green State University head football coach
- Corey Sears, Houston Texans player
- Jarveon Williams, Cincinnati Bengals player
Other
- Bert Richardson, incoming 2015 judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; San Antonio lawyer
References
External links
- Judson High School Website
- Judson Independent School District Website
- Judson Football Season-by-Season