Lafayette High School (Louisiana)

Gifted and Talented

Lafayette High School is the only secondary school in the Lafayette Parish Public Schools system to provide this program, serving as the magnet school concept for grades 9-12 in Lafayette Parish. Students identified and accepted into the Gifted and Talented program within Lafayette Parish can attend Lafayette High School to participate in the program rather than attending the school close to their home. Gifted courses are offered in the core subjects of mathematics, science, social studies, and English using college preparatory materials with an emphasis on incorporating analytical thinking skills into the academic curriculum. Gifted courses allow for accelerated growth and learning while requiring more dedication and hard work from students. Students no longer have the option of the enrichment-only program at this level.

Academy of Health Careers

As one of the "Schools of Choice" for the Lafayette Parish School System, Lafayette High gives students who are interested in working in the medical field an opportunity to join the Academy of Health Careers, where they are exposed to the basics of medicine and have the opportunity to participate in internships in local medical facilities. Jennifer Morrow is the current program director. Carmon Simon (Alabama Graduate) (roll tide) is assistant to the director.

Programs for the handicapped

Lafayette Parish Public Schools provides programs and resources to support hearing impaired, visually impaired, and mentally challenged students. Lafayette High School is the location of the high school consortium within Lafayette Parish. These programs allow handicapped students to participate and learn in a school environment. The goal of the program is to empower students to lead vocationally, personally, and socially satisfying productive lives leading to their highest level of independence.

Services for visually impaired students include providing instruction in Braille; the use of Low Vision aids; and the use of large print materials. These methods are utilized in conjunction with the Louisiana Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired. The program also provides direct and consultative support to all classroom teachers and staff involved with one of our students.

The hearing impaired consortium has special education staff that includes teachers for the hearing impaired, audiologists, speech and language pathologists, and interpreters/transliterators. Services include special education instruction which addresses the needs of the hearing impaired, auditory training/monitoring, speech/language therapy, interpreting/transliterating and/or C-Print captioning. These services may be addressed in a variety of different settings from the regular classroom to a special education classroom. In addition, sign language classes are offered at night for family and friends of the deaf/hard of hearing students.

French Immersion

This program is generally for those who speak primarily French or has a very excellent French background. Students learn different subjects solely in French, such as mathematics, social studies, and the sciences. Most students in French Immersion have been in the program since elementary school.

Clubs

Lafayette High has 46 clubs from which students can choose.

The Quiz Bowl team won the Cajun Quiz Bowl Tournament in 1998, made playoffs at the NAQT National Quiz Bowl Tournament in 2009, and won the National Beta Club State Quiz Bowl Tournament in 2009 and 2010.

The Science Bowl team won the Louisiana Regional Science Bowl Tournament in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010, becoming the first Louisiana school in the competition's history to win three consecutive tournaments.

The Lion's Den

Lafayette High School's gymnasium (also known as "The Lion's Den") was built in the 1960s and has gone under numerous renovations. It serves as the home court for LHS's boys basketball, girls basketball and volleyball teams. The gym is also upoooool gym in Louisiana. However, there has been instances where crowds for playoff games overflow onto the stairs and the aisles on the upper decks. The seating is divided into four sections, with two sections on the ground floor and two sections upstairs on opposite ends. There are four concrete staircases you can take to get to the 2nd level, with a divider for people going up and coming down.

In 2006, the wooden seating was torn out and replaced by green, hard plastic stands on both sides that spell "LHS" on the bottom levels when closed. In 2011, the old court was replaced with a wood-laminate college-grade court. The inside of the free throw line, the 3 point line, and the baseline are colored black, along with a lion symbol at midcourt.

Girls Basketball

The Lady Lions were the 1947 class 2A State Runner-Up, losing to Haynesville. It would be 61 years until they would make it back to the state finals. Coach Casey Delhomme took over the struggling program and quickly turned it around; going 25–8 in 2006 and had his team averaging 51 points a game while only giving up 38. The Lady Lions lost in the second round of the playoffs on the road to the eventual state runner-up, Southwood.

The 2008-09 season was a good one for the 2nd ranked Lady Lions, going 23–4 and only giving up 36 points a game. During their playoff run, they shocked Ponchatoula High 50–49 in the state semis; a team who had beaten them by 44 points earlier in the season. The girls basketball team made it all the way to the 5A State Championship game and lost to Archbishop Chapelle. Head coach Casey Delhomme was named 5A Girls Basketball Coach Of The Year.

This was also the first time in school history that the girls had won the district championship. They have now won 36 straight district games since 2008; winning their district undefeated 4 years in a row.

In the 2011-12 season, coach Cade Methvin saw his Lady Lions finish the regular season 30–0 (and 12–0 in District). This was the first undefeated regular season in school history for basketball (boys or girls). The Lions won their first game of the season against St. Martinville High 52–6 and their last game of the regular season 74–54 over 6th-ranked Ville Platte High (2A). They played an undefeated Southwood team (36–0) for the 5A State Championship and beat them, 39–32 to win their first girls basketball State Title in school history. Lafayette High is one of only 5 girls basketball teams in LHSAA history to win the state championship undefeated, and the only one who played an unbeaten team in the state title game. The Lady Lions finished the season ranked 32th in the nation and 1st in Louisiana.

Head coach Cade Methvin was named 5A Girls Basketball Coach Of The Year in the 2011–12 season.

Notable seasons:

Lafayette High Lady Lions Girls Basketball Records:

Boys Basketball

In 2008, the men's basketball team coached by Clifton Brown won the 5A State Championship 75–55 over H. L. Bourgeois High School. This was the first basketball championship win in school history. Lafayette High was State Runner-Up three times in class 3A (1963, 1966, 1969).

Notable seasons:

Baseball

In 2010 and 2011, Lafayette High's baseball team was State Runner-Up in class 5A. In 1981 and 1982 they were also State Runner-Up in class 4A.

Boys Soccer

From 2002−12, the Lafayette High soccer team made it to the semi-finals 6 times, was a 3-time state runner-up and 1-time state champion. In 2004, the soccer team won the Division I state championship by defeating Jesuit (New Orleans) 1−0 in the final. It was the first team championship for LHS in any sport. The men's soccer program was state runner-ups in 2010, 2005, 2003, and 1998 as well as semi-finalists in 1997, 1996, 1991 and 1990.

In 2012 they were ranked as high as 28th in the nation on the ESPN Fab 50 National Rankings.

LHS is overall a 1-time State Champion, 4 time State Runner-Up, and 10-time Semi-Finalist.

Girls Soccer

In 2006, the women's soccer became the first female athletic team to win a state title for Lafayette High, defeating Barbe High 1–0 for the Division I title. This was the middle year of three consecutive trips to the state finals, bookended by shootout losses in 2005 and 2007. (Source: LAPrepSoccer and LHSAA)

In 2012 they were ranked as high as 34th in the nation on the ESPN Fab 50 National Rankings.

Lafayette High Girls Soccer completed their 2012-2013 season with a 2–1 victory over St. Scholastica in the LHSAA Division I state finals.

Lafayette High Girls Soccer competed in the 2013-2014 LHSAA Division I state finals, unfortunately lost 0-1 in double overtime.

Softball

In 2001, the women's softball team was 5A State Runner-Up, losing to Denham Springs 2–1.

Football

Although Lafayette High's football team has never made it to the state finals, they have made the playoffs 18 times in school history. They were also 4-5A District Champions in 1991 (stripped of district championship due to ineligible player) and 3–5A District Champions in 2006.

Notable seasons:

Track and Field

Below are the school records in various Track and Field events:

Bowling

In 2009, the girl's varsity bowling team made it to the State Finals for the third year in a row, and defeated Denham Springs High School (which was had been the State Champion for four years running) in the semi-finals, and St. Scholastica in the finals in order to win the state championship. In 2010, the girl's varsity bowling team returned to the State Finals and Defeated St. Michael's to win the State Championship Title, again. In 2011, the girl's varsity bowling team returned to the State Finals and faced St. Louis and was defeated becoming the State Runner Up. In 2012, the girl's varsity bowling team returned to the State Finals to again face St. Louis and regained the State Title in a Tie Breaker.

Records

Wrestling

In wrestling, Lafayette High has been to the finals 28 times; winning 15 State Championships and being State Runner-Up 13 times. Wrestling State Champions: Arthur Cormier, 138 lbs Div. II (1976); Mike Lambert, 126 lbs Div. II (1976); Marc Comeaux, 98 lbs (1988), 125 lbs (1990) ; Chris Menard, 119 lbs Outstanding Wrestler at State Tournament (1990); Mark Revere, 171 lbs (1991); Shane Colomb, 152 lbs (1993); Tony Morrow, 160 lbs Outstanding Wrestler at State Tournament (1994); Eddie Webb, 135 lbs (1998), 145 lbs (1999); Kenton Rivas, 103 lbs (2001), 112 lbs (2002); Sheridan Moran, 135 lbs (2004); John Colosimo, 119 lbs (2005) - Outstanding Wrestler; Andre Broussard, 112 lbs (2006) - Outstanding Wrestler

Swimming

Both the men's and women's swim teams are highly successful and among the best programs in the state. The women's team was runner up at the 1998 Division I state championships and finished third in 1997. LHS has dominated at the regional level since splitting from the Baton Rouge region in 1995, winning numerous team championships. Multiple LHS swimmers have won state championships in individual and relay events. Diane Tennison (class of 1999) and Kendra Trahan (class of 2000) were Swimming World All-Americans. LHS alumni have gone on to successful collegiate swimming careers at schools including Stanford, Virginia Tech, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Volleyball

The Lady Lions volleyball program has been district champions 11 times and State Runner-Up twice.

Notable seasons:

Band

The Lafayette High School Band program consists of the marching band and colorguard, the concert bands, the jazz band, and the percussion ensemble. The band performs at an exceptional level and provides national recognition to Lafayette High School. The average grade point average of the students in the Lafayette High School band is above the state and national average with many students receiving academic and music scholarships to attend some of the best colleges in the United States. The band is under the direction of Scotty Walker and assistant director Ronnie Gleason.

Mighty Lion Marching Band

The Mighty Lion Marching Band has been one of the largest marching bands (by headcount) in the state of Louisiana throughout the last ten years. The marching band has been Grand Champion at the Louisiana Showcase of Bands for the last several years. The marching band competed at the BOA Atlanta Super Regionals in 2013, placing ninth with their show, Rhapsody. In 2008, The Mighty Lion Marching band competed in BOA Grand Nationals and earned their way into Finals. They placed 12th with a score of 84.65.

The marching band is supported by the Booster Club, which consists of many dedicated band parents.

Notable alumni