Fuquay-Varina High School - Athletics

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-Nine 4A conference, along with Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, 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 Phillip Howard. Under Howard the FVHS team held the record for the most combined points scored in a North Carolina High School football game with their 83 to 56 point victory over future NFL quarterback David Garrard's Southern Durham team. Howard was also named one of the coaches of the NC All star game in 1996. 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. . 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; in his first season, Habich led the Bengals to an 11-2 record, and the #1 seed in the 4A East playoffs. While the football team draws the largest crowds, other FVHS teams have also enjoyed great success. Under Coach Terry Hicks, the men's basketball team won the 1993 Conference Tourney Championship, the schools only conference tournament title. The last coach to mention is one of the winningest coaches in North Carolina history, Milton Senter, one of the most winning coaches in NCHSAA history with over 500 victories, 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).

Fuquay-Varina High School is known among the area for its large crowds and lively atmosphere, particularly during varsity football games. The "Orange Crush", the name of the school's student section, was one of the first of its kind in the area. The "OC", as it is also known as today was founded by former student-athlete Trevor Smith in the fall of 2003 just before the start of the basketball season. Originally, the plan was to start a student section at the games to create an exciting atmosphere. That season the FVHS Varsity basketball team went undefeated at home while winning just one road game. The original shirts were all printed on campus by Trevor in a screen-printing class and distributed to classmates. They were a slight variation of the shirts today. At the time, students were encouraged to put their graduating class on the back of the shirt as well as a last name or nickname. Their shirts today, which bear the name and a paw print in the middle, can be commonly seen among the town, worn not only by high school students but many other residents, as the culture has become an iconic part of the town.