Sikeston High School
Encyclopedia
Sikeston High School, also known as SHS, is a public secondary school in Sikeston, Missouri
.
students until the U.S. Supreme Court delivered the landmark ruling of Brown v. Board of Education
in 1954 which declared segregation to be unconstitutional. The Lincoln School still stands in western Sikeston. The high school newspaper is known as The Bulldog Barker while the high school yearbook is known as The Growler.
in 1992. With improved lighting, sound and climate control, the Sikeston Field House has become a popular venue for non-athletic events as well. The Field House distinguishes itself with its large silver dome that is easily recognizable from the air.
serves the educational needs of most of the city's residents and some of the nearby areas including the cities of Morehouse
and Miner
.
, boys basketball
, and baseball
, sports in which they are among the state's leaders in playoff appearances.
Sikeston, Missouri
Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is geographically situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way of Interstate 55, Sikeston is close to the...
.
History
The Sikeston Public Schools system held its first four-year high school graduation commencement in 1904. In 1924, Sikeston built a segregated school to be used only by African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
students until the U.S. Supreme Court delivered the landmark ruling of Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
in 1954 which declared segregation to be unconstitutional. The Lincoln School still stands in western Sikeston. The high school newspaper is known as The Bulldog Barker while the high school yearbook is known as The Growler.
Buildings
The Sikeston Field House, the school's home gymansium, was completed in 1969 as a multi-purpose athletic facility with a seating capacity exceeding 3,000 persons. After a bond issue was voted on and passed by the city, the building was updated and remodeled into a more attractive, state-of-the-art sporting arenaArena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in 1992. With improved lighting, sound and climate control, the Sikeston Field House has become a popular venue for non-athletic events as well. The Field House distinguishes itself with its large silver dome that is easily recognizable from the air.
Academics
The Sikeston R-6 School DistrictSikeston School District
Sikeston School District is centered in Sikeston, Missouri. The district includes several elementary and intermediate grade schools and Sikeston High School. During the 2008-2009 school year, there was a total of 3,759 students and 346 certified staff members enrolled in the Sikeston R-6 School...
serves the educational needs of most of the city's residents and some of the nearby areas including the cities of Morehouse
Morehouse, Missouri
Morehouse is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,015 at the 2000 census.The is part of the Sikeston school system.-Geography:Morehouse is located at ....
and Miner
Miner, Missouri
Miner is a city in Mississippi and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. It borders the city of Sikeston to the east. The population was 1,056 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Miner is located at ....
.
Athletics
Sikeston High School has had a long history of excellence especially in footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, boys basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, sports in which they are among the state's leaders in playoff appearances.
Football
- In 1908, Sikeston High School played their first football game, 12 years before the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
was created. This was one of the first football teams west of the Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Along with their opponents the CharlestonCharleston, MissouriCharleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mississippi County and it is a home to a local correctional facility.-History:...
High School Blue Jays, they are believed to be the first two football teams in Southeast Missouri. The team played their game behind the old South Grade School near the intersection of Malone and School streets between Stoddard and Scott streets. The players played their games in heavy sweaters without pads and the occasional soft leather "helmet." - In 1911, Sikeston went undefeated with a record of 7-0 record by outscoring their opponents 178-0; the defense did not allow any opposing offense inside the 15-yard line during the entire season.
- In 1913, the Sikeston High School football team defeated the college of Cape Normal SchoolSoutheast Missouri State UniversitySoutheast Missouri State University, is a public, accredited university located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States, near the banks of the Mississippi River. The institution, having started as a normal school, has a traditional strength in teacher education...
by a score of 15-0. - In 1919, Sikeston beat Caruthersville by a score of 148-0. Leading scorer Pleas L. Malcolm, the future city postmaster and son of the former Sikeston mayor, scored 85 points in that single game.
- In the 1950s, the team had a stellar record of 89 wins, 6 losses, and 3 ties, outscoring opponents 2,604 to 578.
- In 1985, the Sikeston High School Bulldogs played their 100th football game against Charleston High School. The Bulldogs defeated the Blue Jays by a score of 20-19.
- In 2008, the Sikeston High School Bulldogs played their 100th season. They finished with a record of 5-5 and one win out of the state playoffs
- In 2009, the Sikeston High School Bulldogs completed their first 10-0 season in 33 years, clinched their first SEMO Conference championship since 1998, and broke their all-time single-season scoring record set in 1960 with 388 points on the season. The Bulldogs went on to finish the season in the semifinals of the playoffs losing 37-8 to Jefferson City Helias. The squad went deeper in the playoffs than any modern Bulldog team, finishing 13-1.
- In 2010, the Bulldogs football team finished 10-0 for the second straight year, which marked the first time that the school had back-to-back undefeated records since the 1954 and 1955 seasons. One of the season's highlights was a highly anticipated game against heated rival Cape Central, with both teams entering the game with identical 9-0 records. The Bulldogs defeated Cape Central 21-0 at Houck StadiumHouck StadiumHouck Stadium is a 11,015-seat multi-purpose stadium in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It opened in 1930 and was named after famous Missouri resident Louis Houck. Today it is home to the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks football team and Women's Soccer team.The stadium used to be open on...
before an overflow crowd of 11,000 fans. The team broke several more school records, eclipsing some that the previous year's team had set, and even shattered some state records on their way to another semifinal appearance before losing to WarrentonWarrenton-United States:*Warrenton, Georgia*Warrenton, Indiana *Warrenton, Missouri*Warrenton, North Carolina*Warrenton, Oregon*Warrenton, Texas*Warrenton, Virginia...
28-21. Sikeston finished its season with a final record of 13-1 for the second straight year.
Cheerleading
- The Sikeston High School Cheerleading Squad has competed at the state level multiple times. The squad has placed in the top three spots in the state in the past 12 years they have competed. They took home the first-place plaque in 1995, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
- The cheerleading squad competed in the 2009 UCA National High School Cheerleading Competition leaving with a top 25 finish in the large varsity division.
- The school's Red Pepper Organization, which supports school athletics and promotes school spirit, was started in 1928 and is one of the oldest high school organizations in the state of Missouri and west of the Mississippi River. The Red Pepper Organization carries on an 80-year tradition with a week of activities for "Greenies," girls who are not yet full Red Peppers. After several activities and requirements, the Greenies receive an official Red Pepper emblem.
Basketball
- The Sikeston High School boys' basketball team advanced to the Class 4 State Final Four in the "Show-Me Showdown" Tournament but eventually lost to St. Francis Borgia High School on March 11, 2006, by a score of 77-62. The basketball program has captured 20 district championships, which ranks among the most playoff appearances in state history. The Bulldogs faced the Borgia Knights once again in the state finals in March 2011. This time, the Bulldogs won 74-55 to capture their first ever state title. This was the first undefeated season in school history, as the Bulldogs finished with a record of 30-0.
Baseball
- The school's baseball team has a rich tradition of excellence, reaching the state playoffs 27 times, leaving only two other Missouri schools with more playoff appearances.
Volleyball
- The Sikeston High School Lady Bulldogs received first place in the Silver Bracket of the B.A. Sports/SEMO Classic Volleyball Tournament during the 2001-2002 season. They defeated the Zalma High School Lady Bulldogs in the tournament championship match.
Track And Field
- The Sikeston High School boys track and field team tied for 1st place with St. Clair High School at the 2009 Class 3 track and field state meet, to win its first athletic state championship in school history.
Alumni
- James WilderJames WilderJames Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
, a former NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player - Terry TeachoutTerry TeachoutTerry Teachout is a critic, biographer and blogger. He is the drama critic of The Wall Street Journal, the chief culture critic of Commentary, and the author of "Sightings," a column about the arts in America that appears biweekly in the Friday Wall Street Journal...
, author - Blake DeWittBlake DeWittBlake Robert DeWitt is an American professional baseball utility player with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
, plays second base and third base for the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... - Neal E. BoydNeal E. BoydNeal E. Boyd is an American pop opera singer. He is best known as the 2008 winner of America's Got Talent.-Early life:Neal E. Boyd, known worldwide as "The Voice of Missouri," grew up in Sikeston, Missouri...
, opera singer - Kenneth DementKenneth DementKenneth "Redneck" Dement is a former American football offensive tackle/defensive tackle. He played college football for Southeast Missouri State University. He was a 25th round selection selection by the New York Giants in the 1955 NFL Draft]]...
, a College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
football player and attorney - Brandon BarnesBrandon Barnes (linebacker)Brandon Edward Barnes is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Missouri....
, a former NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player