Abilene High School (Kansas)

High school in Abilene, Kansas, United States

Abilene High School

Address

1300 North Cedar Street Abilene, Kansas 67410 United States
Coordinates	38°55′45″N 97°13′3″W / 38.92917°N 97.21750°W / 38.92917; -97.21750
Information
School type	Public, High School
School district	Abilene USD 435
CEEB code	170005
Principal	Benjamin Smith
Staff	30.40 (FTE)
Grades	9–12
Gender	coed
Enrollment	449 (2023–2024)
Student to teacher ratio	14.77
Color(s)	Orange Brown
Song	The Orange and Brown
Fight song	Go Northwestern Go
Athletics	Class 4A Div.1 District 15
Athletics conference	North Central Kansas
Mascot	Cowboys / Cowgirls
Rivals	Chapman
Website	www.abileneschools.org/5486

Abilene High School is a public secondary school in Abilene, Kansas, United States, serving grades 9–12. The school is operated by Abilene USD 435 school district. The current building serves students from the city itself as well as outlying areas covered by the nearby Chapman district.

Abilene is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in class 4A. Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs.

Extracurricular activities

The Cowboys compete as the dominant member the North Central Kansas League and are classified as a 4A Div. 1 school, the third-largest classification in Kansas according to the Kansas State High School Activities Association. Throughout its history, Abilene has won many state championships in various sports. Graduates have gone on to participate in Division I, Division II, and Division III athletics. The High School also offers music programs, such as band and choir. A majority of the students go on to state competitions and ensambles, generally receiving high ratings.

Athletics

Abilene High School participates in multiple sports for both boys and girls in the Fall, Winter, and Spring sports seasons. The boys teams are collectively referred to as the Cowboys while the girls are referred to as the Cowgirls. The Cowboys\Cowgirls mascot was chosen as a direct reflection of the history of Abilene as a cattle stop at the end of the Chisholm Trail, and the men who braved the long journey of the old days, and the women who welcomed them at the end of the trail.

Football

Since 1966, when AHS joined the North Central Kansas League (NCKL), the football team has won or shared a total of 11 league championships. The team also won two state championships in 1978 and again in 1987. The Cowboys football team and rival Chapman High School share a unique part of high school football history. The two teams first began playing each other competitively in 1892. According to sports records, this makes the rivalry one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River. It is the 8th oldest in the United States.

State championships

The Abilene Cowboys and Cowgirls have won a total of 30 recognized State Championships

State Championships
Season	Sport	Number of Championships	Year
Fall	Boys' Cross Country	1	1969
	Football	2	1978, 1987
	Girls' Cross Country	2	1985, 2008
	Girls' Tennis	3	1989, 1992, 1993
Winter	Boys' Basketball	1	1992
	Boys' Powerlifting*	3	2004, 2005, 2006
	Girls' Powerlifting*	5	2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
	Wrestling	4	1998, 1999, 2003, 2017
Spring	Boys' Golf	4	1949, 1963, 1985, 1986
	Boys' Tennis	1	1991
	Track And Field	4	1918, 1919, 1987, 2006
Total		29**

(*) Indicates sport and its associated championship is not officially sanctioned by KSHSAA
(**) Total number of team championships is 29 if the powerlifting championships are included.

Sports offered

Fall
- Football
- Volleyball
- Boys Cross Country
- Girls Cross Country
- Girls Tennis
Winter
- Boys Basketball
- Girls Basketball
- Wrestling
Spring
- Baseball
- Boys Golf
- Boys Tennis
- Softball
- Boys Track and Field
- Girls Track and Field