| New Bedford High School | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
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230 Hathaway Blvd. , Massachusetts 02740 United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1827[1] |
| School district | New Bedford Public Schools |
| Principal | Joyce Cardoza |
| Staff | 201.57 (FTE)[2] |
| Number of students | 2,893 (2023-2024)[2] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 14.35[2] |
| Colors | Red & white |
| Athletics | MIAA - Division 1 |
| Athletics conference | Big 3 |
| Nickname | Whalers |
| Rivals | Brockton High School,B.M.C. Durfee High School |
| Communities served | New Bedford,Acushnet |
| Website | nbhs |
New Bedford High School (NBHS) is a publichigh school inNew Bedford, Massachusetts, United States. It is located at 230 Hathaway Boulevard in the West End and was established in 1827 (though the current building was built in 1972). It also serves students fromAcushnet, Massachusetts.
Its current enrollment is approximately 2,000 students, and it is one of the largest schools in the state.[3] It is a part of theNew Bedford Public Schools school district, being one of the district's three high schools.[4] (The other two areTrinity Day Academy andWhaling City High School.[4])
NBHS has a history of several extracurricular programs. These includebasketball,volleyball,baseball, soccer, football,wrestling,track and field, and aJunior Reserve Officers' Training Corps training program. The school's athletic teams are known as the "Whalers".
The school is the 3rd physical site of NBHS since being established as one of the first High Schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1827.[5] The current school was built in 1972.[6]
The high school servesAcushnet as its district, along withFairhaven High School and Academy of theFairhaven School District, takes Acushnet students for secondary school.[7]
The school's athletic teams are named theWhalers, in honor of the city's whaling history. The New Bedford High School teams wear red and white, and compete in theMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association'sDivision I. Their fight song, "On, New Bedford" is sung to the tune of "On, Wisconsin!"
The boys' basketball program at New Bedford High School has long been one of the most successful in the state. Ed Rodrigues coached the varsity team for 27 years (1980–2007). During his tenure as head coach, the Whalers were one of the state's top-performing teams year after year and made numerous appearances in the state tournament, winning back-to-backDivision 1 State titles in 1993 and 1994. His teams also won two additionalEastern Massachusetts Finals and two additionalSouth Sectional titles. There were only two losing seasons in his career.[8] On February 21, 2007, Rodrigues coached his final game at New Bedford High School. The Whalers lost to the visitingSt. Raphael Academy Saints ofPawtucket, Rhode Island 69–66. Rodrigues ended his tenure at the school with a career record of 435–157.[9] He continues to be a teacher at the school, is still heavily involved with the basketball program and the entire athletic department, and is currently an assistant men's basketball coach atUMass Dartmouth. In 2009, New Bedford High School's basketball court was officially dedicated in Rodrigues' name.[10]
Long-time boys' assistant/junior varsity coach Tom Tarpey took over as head coach at the start of the 2007–08 season.[11] In his first season, the Whalers went 11–9 in the regular season and made the state tournament. They lost in the first round of theDivision I South Sectional on the road to theFramingham Flyers 69–62.[12] The following season (2008–09), the boys finished with a record of 8-12 and did not qualify for the tournament.[13] They also did not qualify in 2009–10 with a 7–13 record.[14] With the experience of the underclassmen, plus the brief addition of a highly toutedprospect transferred fromDivision III State champions theWareham Vikings, a huge turnaround occurred in the 2010–11 season. The Whalers returned to prominence and finished the regular season with a record of 16–3,[15] earning the 3rd seed in theDivision I South Sectional tournament. They lost in the sectional semifinals to theNewton North Tigers 67–44.[16]
In the 2007–08 school year, the girls' basketball team captured theDivision I South Sectional title by defeating theSandwich High Blue Knights 65–62 atUMass Boston,[17] giving them the opportunity to compete in theEastern Massachusetts Finals at theTD Banknorth Garden inBoston; they lost to theDivision I North championAndover High Golden Warriors 66–34.[18] Head coach Mickey Gonsalves was namedDivision 1 Girls' Basketball Coach of the Year by theBoston Globe.[19] In the 2010–11 season, the Lady Whalers completed an undefeated regular season at 20-0 when they defeated the visitingBarnstable Red Raiders 63–44.[20] They earned the top seed in theDivision I South Sectional tournament and won their secondSouth Sectional title by defeating theMansfield Hornets 47–46 at the nowTD Garden.[21] The Lady Whalers lost in theEastern Mass Finals toNorth Sectional champion Andover 54–46, also at the Garden.[22]
Basketball Accomplishments
In the 2009–10 school year, the girls' volleyball team completed an undefeated season (23–0), culminating in the state championship forDivision I.[23] Junior outside hitter Maura Manley led the state with 408 kills on the season and received numerous honors, including a nomination for theGatorade Player of the Year in Massachusetts and aMaxPreps/AVCA Player of the Week nod.[24] At the end of the season, the team was the number 1 team in the state and 48th in the nation according toMaxPreps.com and was ranked 50th on the site's "final Xcellent 50 High School Girls' Volleyball National Rankings".[25][26] 26-year head coach Neil Macedo was inducted into the 2009 Massachusetts Girls' Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.[27] Only one senior, Kiana Raposo, was featured on this squad. The following year's team was heavily favored to repeat as state champions but were defeated in theDivision I South Sectional final by rejuvenated 13-timeDivision 1 state champion powerhouse and archrivalBarnstable High School.[28]Dartmouth College-bound Maura Manley was namedGatorade Massachusetts Volleyball Player of the Year for the 2010–2011 school year.[29]
Volleyball Accomplishments
The school's baseball team won 3 State Championships in Division 1 in the 1990s.[30] In 1858 New Bedford High School fielded a team making them the first high school or secondary school in the country to do so.[citation needed]
NBHS won in 1993, 1994, and 1998.[30]
The school has an award-winning marching band, winning several regional and state championships. On January 20, 1997, the marching band had the honor of performing in theinaugural parade during thesecond inauguration of Bill Clinton inWashington.[citation needed] The school fight song,On, New Bedford!, is sung to the tune ofOn, Wisconsin!, which is primarily performed during football games and the annualpep rally. New Bedford High School also has a very prominent show choir, who like the band, competes in regional and New England competitions.[citation needed] New Bedford High School also has an award-winning jazz band and jazz combo that play in local events and regional festivals.[citation needed]
In 2010–11 school year, the football team upset football powerhouseBrockton High School 23–21,[31] followed by a 21-7 Thanksgiving Day victory over Fall River'sB.M.C. Durfee High School,[32] to earn its firstBig Three Conference title since 1999 and earn a spot in theDivision I Eastern Massachusetts Super Bowl for the first time since 2001. They lost in the semifinals toCatholic Conference championSt. John's Prep by a score of 35–7.[33] Head coach Dennis Golden was namedNew England Patriots High School Coach of the Week following the victory over Brockton.[34] In the following season, the Whalers finished the regular season at 5-5 overall and 1–1 in theBig Three. Although they were defeated by Brockton 38-9 for the conference title, a conference by-law states that the playoff representative must have a record of .500 or better. On Thanksgiving, New Bedford defeated Durfee 18-16 while Brockton lost toBridgewater-Raynham Regional High School 14–8 to finish the season at 5–6, giving the Whalers the right to represent the Big Three in theDivision I Super Bowl for a second consecutive year. They will face the Bay State Conference's Carey Division championNeedham High School in the semifinals on Tuesday, November 29.[needs update] Traditionally, New Bedford High School has had an intense rivalry with Durfee, with theirThanksgiving Day match-up, as the highlight of the season.[citation needed]
In 2013, New Bedford Whalers head coach Dennis Golden stepped down from the position. He compiled a record of 43-59-1, including 2 Big Three Conference titles and 6 straight wins against rival Durfee during his 10 years as head coach.[35][36] Golden's offensive coordinator Mark DeBrito will take over as head coach for the 2014 Whalers football season.
Football Accomplishments
In 2010, the Whalers' boys' soccer team played against powerhouse theLudlow Lions in theDivision I State final, their first since 1978. They lost to Ludlow by a score of 4–1.[37] Head coach John Macaroco was named aCoach of the Year by the Boston Globe.[38]In 2025, the Whalers had a breakout season scoring 50 goals, winning 13 games, and becoming the number 5 team in Division 1 unfortunately falling to Winchester in the MIAA Round of 32.
The wrestling team won the Big 3 Championship in 2016, as well as the D1S sectional, and placed 4th in the Division 1 state tournament.[citation needed]
New Bedford High School has had a long and storied history in the sport of Track and Field as there are records of teams participating as early as the 1920s. The first boys State Class A (now Division I) title was captured in the 1964 spring season.
Track and Field Accomplishments (as of 2024)
Cross Country
Under Coach Al Boucher, New Bedford was a dominant cross country program in the late 1950s through the mid 1960s.
Cross Country Accomplishments (as of 2024)
New Bedford High School is also home of theWhalerJROTC. New Bedford'sJROTC program is notable for being the longest in continuous operation since inception.[39] TheArmy JROTC at New Bedford has received many awards[citation needed].
New Bedford High School also has a mixed show choir "Pure Energy." They have won many awards, the most recent being the 2009 Grand Champions at the New England Show Choir Classic. The group varies between 40 and 50 members.[citation needed]The school is also the home of another show choir "Charisma". This group is made up of only females and consists of about 30 members. They have recently won Copper Trophy award at the New England Show Choir Classic and in the past have won Grand Champion in their division.[citation needed]A majority of the choir members also participate in the school's award-winning drama club.[citation needed]
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41°38′21.37″N70°56′14.14″W / 41.6392694°N 70.9372611°W /41.6392694; -70.9372611
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