Who's a member of the inaugural Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame?
The Sac-Joaquin Section announced the inaugural class for its Hall of Fame on April 20, 2010. The list of 55 athletes, coaches, administrators, officials and media are among the best in the Section. There will be an Induction Banquet at Arco Arena in October, 2010.  Viking basketball coach Jim Boyd is one of the honorees.

Jim Boyd, Vanden coach from 1965-1997 is the winningest boys basketball coach in Sac-Joaquin Section history. His teams went 614-257 in a 32-year period. His Vikings won seven Section championships in three different divisions (1973 D2 title, D3 titles in 1979, 1982, 1986 and D4 titles in 1991, 1994 and 1995). Vanden, led by Boyd, won the Division III state championship in 1986. The Vikings were state runner-up in 1990. His teams were also Section runners-up six times.

What Vanden team has won ten straight league championships?
The 2001 Vanden girls basketball team started a streak that has not been not been matched by any other local girls or boys basketball team.  The Viking girls have strung together ten consecutive league basketball crowns.  What is even more impressive is that the streak has been with three different head coaches leading the team.  Vanden won titles under Toney Smith in 2001, Bill Mosley in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and Allison Johnson in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Did you know that Vanden was first in the State Decathlon in 2009?   That's the California State Academic Decathlon.  No, it's not really an athletic event - but it is still impressive! It shows that Vanden students are well rounded...with the brains for academics and the brawn for athletics. The 2009 Vanden academic decathlon team captured first place at the California state competition on March 19, 2009.   The Vanden team was second in 2008, first in 2007 and third in the state in 2006. Twice before the Vikings were also second in the state.  Vanden won the 2010 North Bay Region Academic Decathlon on February 6, 2010, earning the school the regional title for the second year and eighth consecutive Solano County Academic Decathlon title.

Imagine your parents as teachers when you were at Vanden?
Ariel Lewis (Class of 08) didn't have to imagine.  Her parents, Stan and Marilyn Lewis are both teachers at Vanden.  Stan was also Ariel's tennis coach at Vanden.  Ariel was league champion and Sac-Joaquin Section Division III runner-up as a Vanden freshman in 2005.  She was even better as sophomore in 2006, ending the season as both league and section champion with a perfect 30 - 0 record.  Ariel finished her fantastic tennis career with the Vikings by winning the section singles title in her senior year.  She also led Vanden to the Solano County Athletic Conference team title.  In four years at Vanden, Ariel won a phenomenal 109 of 111 singles matches.  Ariel has continued her tennis career at Oberlin College.

What Vanden grad played in the World Baseball Classic in 2006?
Matt Ceriani (Class of 94) played for the Italian team in the World Baseball Classic.  Matt's grandfather immigrated to the United States from Italy.  Since playing baseball at the University of Mississippi, Matt has been a member of several professional baseball teams.  Matt's younger brother Ryan Ceriani (Class of 97) has also had some interesting baseball travels.  Ryan played baseball for San Jose City College, UC Davis, the Solano Steelheads and the Bonn Capitals in Germany.  Steve Ceriani (Matt and Ryan's father) was an Industrial Arts teacher and coach at Vanden in the 70's.

Can Vanden girls play football?   
Many young ladies have played in the annual girls Powder Puff Football game at Vanden.  But Makyla Woods (Class of 07) was actually a member of the 2005 Vanden High varsity football team.  As a kicker Makyla was two for two on PAT's (Point After Touchdown) for the Vikings as a junior in the fall of 2005.  She is the daughter of former Vanden football coach Rich Woods.

Ever wonder who become a coach?
Sean Murphy (Class of 97) a member of the State Championship 1995 Vanden football team is a coach for the Viking football team.

Will Mosley (Class of 95) was a sports editor in college at Sac State, played semi-pro baseball, and coached basketball and baseball teams at Fairfield High

Eddie Wilson (Class of 95) coached El Camino High basketball teams two years in Sacramento.  He is now a teacher and the varsity basketball coach at Fairfield High.

Rod Hammond (Class of 93) coached basketball teams at Rodriguez High in Fairfield and Wood High School in Vacaville.  Rod's father Chuck Hammond is the former Mayor of Fairfield.  Rod played basketball and baseball at Vanden.

LeVon Haynes (Class of 90) the current Vikings head football coach led the Vanden varsity football team to the playoffs in 2005, his first season as head coach.  In the summer of 2006 Haynes coached the East all star team in the annual East-West Charity High School Football Classic.  LeVon is a former Viking football and basketball player.

Ron Beverly, Jr. (Class of 86) followed his father Ron Beverly, Sr. (Class of 65)  into the coaching ranks.  After his college days at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Ron Beverly, Jr. coached football teams at Fairfield High and Vallejo High.

Larry Hogue (Class of 78) is teaching Vikings how to run fast, jump high and throw far as Vanden's head track & field coach and as an assistant football coach.  Larry was a leader on both football and track teams when he was a student at Vanden.

Nancy Bratcher Morin (Class of 77) is a teacher and coach at Golden West Middle School.  Nancy was an outstanding Viking basketball player.

Joe Campisi (Class of 76) is a martial arts instructor.  He is one of the owners and coaches at Sparta Tae Kwon Do in Walnut Creek, CA.   Joe was a member of Viking football and track teams.

Andy San Juan (Class of 76) is a Vanden teacher.  Andy has coached teams at both Vanden and Vacaville Christian High School.  Andy played football, basketball and track for the Vikings.  His daughter is currently an athlete at Vanden.

Dave Lukens (Class of 74) is defensive coordinator for the Iowa Wesleyan College football  team. Dave has been teaching and coaching in Iowa for over 30 years.  Dave played football, basketball and baseball for the Vikings. 

Arthur Beauchamp (Class of 73) coached Vacaville's Wood High School cross country team.  In his younger days, Arthur ran with the Vanden cross country and track teams.

Rich Geske (Class of 72) former Viking basketball and track athlete, coaches high school basketball and track in Prescott, Arizona.  In 1996 Rich led the Prescott High Badgers to the Arizona 4A High School State Championship playoffs. 

Joe Lukawski (Class of 71) was an outstanding center for the UC Davis football team and was selected as a member the UC Davis All-Decade Team of the 70's.  He has been a teacher and coach in the Sacramento area.

Charles Wilbur (Class of 67) played baseball at Solano College and Cal Poly. He later coached high school and college teams to state and national baseball championships.  Charles is now a baseball scout with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Jack Jabbour (Class of 65) coached junior high school football, girls & boys basketball, baseball, and track teams for 30 years in Colorado.  He led a summer baseball all-star team to the Colorado State championship.

Rhonda Prybyloski Lee (Class of 65) has been an English teacher and coach for the Medford, Oregon school district the past twenty years.

Ron Beverly, Sr. (Class of 65) was the first Vanden graduate to return to his high school alma mater as a coach.  Ron was a very successful coach of Viking football and track teams in the 70's and 80's.  He coached one season at the University of the Pacific and then moved to Solano College were he was an outstanding head football coach from 1988 - 1999.  In 2005 Ron Beverly, Sr. and former Vanden coach Ed Serpas were inducted into the Solano College Athletic Hall of Fame.

What QB started on three different varsity football teams?
Ryan Myers (Class of 05) was a quarterback on three different varsity football teams as his family moved across America.  Then in 2005 as a freshman football player at Tulane University in New Orleans he had to move again when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.  After redshirting at Tulane, Ryan is now a member of the Colgate University football team.  Here is Ryan's Colgate player profile.

Who caught Barry Bonds home run balls 660 and 661?
Larry Ellison (Class of 69) was in the right place at the right time - twice in one week.  Larry is a computer sales guy in Fairfield not to be confused with the other computer guy (billionaire Larry Ellison, the founder and CEO of Oracle).  Vanden's Ellison attends San Francisco Giants baseball games in his kayak on the bay.  Sometimes great moments in sports occur outside of the arena of play.  Read an online story about Barry Bonds, Larry Ellison and great Moments in the History of Coincidence here.  Then check out a photo of Giant player Barry Bonds, Larry Ellison, Larry's son Jeremy and Hall of Fame great Willie Mays.  For the 2006 season Larry replaced his old inflatable kayak with a faster orange kayak made of Kevlar.  What's really cool is the 12-inch Fujitsu tablet personal computer housed in a water-tight case and mounted on the kayak.  Larry will be able to watch Giants games as he drifts in the bay with SlingBox - a wireless unit that plugs into his kayak computer.  Say hey, Barry.  Splash another one into the bay!

What Vanden team was always the away team even at practice?
The 2005 Vanden swim team is perhaps the most unusual Viking sports team ever.  A swim team you wonder...but Vanden doesn't have a pool?  That's right the Viking swimmers had neither a head coach or a Vanden swimming pool.   These dedicated Vanden athletes competed at dual meets with Dixon's team and practiced with the Vacaville Swim Club. 

What Vanden grad was named Gatorade National Player of the Year?
Angelica Selden (Class of 04) was selected Gatorade's National Softball Player of the Year in 2004.  Angelica was featured in "Faces in the Crowd" in Sports Illustrated (May, 2004) after pitching 10 consecutive no-hitters (a national high school softball record) and seven perfect games during her senior season for the Vikings.  In 2005, as a freshmen Angelica threw every pitch for UCLA at the Women's College World Series and was second team All-American.  She was first team All- American as a sophomore leading the Bruins to the World Series again.  Click here for Angelica's UCLA Bruins bio.

Do you remember Vanden's Cinderella Coed Championship team?
"Cinderella stories are nice, but the normal outcome is that midnight usually strikes before the ultimate goal, a championship, is reached.  Not this time."  In 2004 Vanden was Capital Valley Conference coed team tennis runner-up.  They went on to beat four league champions to win the Sac-Joaquin Section Coed Team Tennis Championship.  The next year Vanden went to sections once more and repeated as Sac-Joaquin Section Coed Team Tennis Champions for 2005. 

Wow she's got game... in basketball, softball and baseball.                   Dominisha Britton (Class of 04) was a two sport star at Vanden setting the Viking all time scoring record for girls basketball with 1,503 points.  She was a member of the Morgan State University Bears basketball and softball teams.  In 2004 Dominisha was a member of the first USA Women's National Baseball Team, that toured Japan and Canada for the Women's World Series and World Cup tournaments.  Dominisha helped the USA capture the first Women's World Baseball Cup in Canada and was named Best Female Pitcher in the World.

Name the grad and his granddad who left Vanden the same year?    Sean McBride (Class of 03) was a Viking cross country runner.  Sean's grandfather, Richard Grogenberger was a Vanden teacher, who taught in the Travis School District for 32 years.  He retired in 2003 at the same time that his grandson, Sean McBride graduated from Vanden.  Grogenberger was active duty in the Army for five years,  and then in the Army Reserve, retiring as a Lt. Colonel.  Sean will also be in the Army, after he completes his studies at West Point Military Academy.

Who was on an NCAA national championship basketball team?
Ronniel Herron (Class of 99) experienced the magic of March Madness up close and personal.  Ronniel was a walk-on member of the basketball team at Syracuse University in New York.  Ronniel played for the Syracuse Orangemen team that raced through the NCAA Basketball Tournament, beating Kansas for the national championship in 2003.

What Vanden team won a Section Soccer Championship?
Goal !!!  Grab your shirt.  The 1998 Vanden girls soccer team beat rival Justin-Siena to take the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II Girls Soccer crown in 1998.

Who was on a Cal-Hi Sports #1 ranked team and a player of the year?
Pat Haines (Class of 97) posted some huge numbers for Vanden football.  As a junior, Haines rushed for 1,904 yards and 30 touchdowns to lead the undefeated Vikings to the section championship and Number 1 ranking in the Cal-Hi Sports Division IV poll.  As a senior he was even better, rushing for 2,291 yards and scoring 36 touchdowns.  Along the way, he had 11 100-yard games, six 200-yard games and two 300-yard games. He did it despite sitting out many fourth quarters as the Vikings routed their opponents.  Pat finished seventh in the state in rushing and was honored by Cal-Hi Sports as the small schools player of the year.  Haines continued to play football at the Naval Academy.  He had a reunion on the field with former Vanden teammate Chris Jessop (Class of 96) when Air Force and Navy football teams played each other.

Who earned an unequalled 10 Vanden Varsity letters in three sports?
Chris Jessop (Class of 96) had a phenomenal sports history at Vanden.  In each of the ten varsity seasons he played his teams went to the playoffs in football, basketball and baseball.  Chris earned four varsity letters in baseball and basketball and two in football.  During his amazing four years at Vanden he led the Vikings to two section championships in basketball and baseball, one in football, and six Superior California Athletic League titles.  As a football quarterback, basketball center and baseball pitcher, Jessop set records in all three sports.  Chris went on to play four years of football and two years of baseball at the Air Force Academy.  He is now a instructor pilot in the US Air Force. 

Will someone write a book?
Will Mosley (Class of 95) wrote his first book in 2003. Will played baseball and basketball at Vanden.  Will's book is about baseball and is titled "The Same Game; The Black Ball Journey".  His next novel "Baby Fat" covers the fitness industry.

Paul Baczewski (Class of 73) wrote a book about football for kids in 1990.  Mr. Boyd, Mr. Clark and Vanden High School are mentioned in the novel.  Paul's book is called "Just for Kicks".  He played basketball, football and track for the Vikings.

Who has had their Vanden number retired?
Scott Cerny (Class of 82) was the second Vanden athlete to have their number retired at Vanden.  Scott was an outstanding baseball player for the Vikings.  Scott played college baseball at the University of California Santa Barbara and was drafted by the California Angels in 1986.  The first number ever retired at Vanden, was the number 73 football jersey worn by Carter Campbell (Class of 66).  The third number retired at Vanden was the number 10 softball jersey worn by Angelica Selden (Class of 04).  Angelica was a three sport star at Vanden who is a record setting softball player for the UCLA Bruins.

Who holds the Viking girls record for rebounds?
Michelle Neely (Class of 80) is Vanden's all-time leading rebounder with 942 rebounds.  She also scored 1,116 points in her Viking career.  Michelle later played at Solano College and was inducted into the Solano College Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Who lettered in four different sports at Vanden?
Jeffrey Waters (Class of 80) played and lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track during his senior year.  He was the Viking Male Senior Athlete of the Year for 1979/1980.  Jeffrey went on to play racquetball very well later in life, winning the national Mens 35A Racquetball Championship in 2006.

Who was MVP twice and third best all time scorer and rebounder?
Jimmy Stewart (Class of 79) was the SCAL Basketball Player of the Year twice.  He finished his Vanden career  third on the all-time scoring list with 1,336 points, but his 17.6 points per game average is three better than those ahead of him.  He's also third in rebounding with with 792.  Jimmy led the Vikings to the section playoffs in ' 78 and ' 79, winning the section crown in 1979.  Stewart played four years of football for the Cal Golden Bears.

Who was a Section Championship hurdler two years in a row?
Joyce Scott (Class of 78) won the 110 low hurdle race in the 1977 Sac-Joaquin Section Track Championships.  She came back the following year and won the event again in 1978.

Did Vanden win a State Championship?
Absolutely.  Vanden has seven section boys basketball championships in three different divisions.  The first section crown was in 1973.  For many years California did not have a state basketball championship.  On March 22, 1986 Vanden was the best in the state, defeating Crossroads of Santa Monica 68 - 63 at the Oakland Coliseum to win the California High School Boys Basketball Division III State Championship.  Vanden was coached by Jim Boyd.  Experts had predicted the underdog Vikings to lose by 10 points.  In 1990 Vanden's basketball team was the second best team in California's Division IV.  Whenever there is talk about the greatest coaches in Solano County - Jim Boyd's name and Vanden basketball is usually mentioned.   Boyd retired after 34 years at Vanden with a Sac-Joaquin Section record 614 wins, eighth on California's all-time win list.   Coach Boyd was inducted into the California Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2000.  In 1998 Vanden's gym was named James L. Boyd Gymnasium. In 1995 the Vanden Vikings football team were state champions.

Do you remember who scored 52 points in a basketball game?
Nancy Bratcher Morin (Class of 77) set a Vanden scoring record against John Swett in 1975 when she poured in 52 points.
In her senior season, playing with a leg injury, Nancy averaged 27 points per game and was named the 1977 Superior California Athletic League player of the year.

What Vanden runner set a Section Championship record in the mile?
Mike Wright (Class of 76) won the mile at the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships in 1976.  Mike continued to run cross country and track at Solano College.  In 1997 Mike Wright was inducted into the Solano College Athletic Hall of Fame.

How rich is Vanden Baseball History?
Vanden has had some great baseball teams over the years.  In fact the Vikings have won an amazing nine Sac-Joaquin Section Division III Baseball Championships.  Vanden's section crowns in 1981, 1987, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2006 are more section championships than any other baseball team in all divisions of the Sac- Joaquin Section.  More info about baseball championships in the Sac-Joaquin Section can be found here.  California does not have state baseball championship playoffs, but Vanden's 1995 team, perhaps the best in the school's history, was ranked number one in the state by Cal-Hi Sports.  America's pastime is rich in history and tradition.  Here is a link to a website filled with numerous statistics, photos, and records from many Viking baseball teams: Vanden Baseball History

Hey, who were those Vikings that went north to play in the CFL?
Melvin Byrd (Class of 76) was a star member of Vanden's first section football championship team in 1975.  He then played outstanding football at Solano College and UC Davis.  After his college days in Davis, Mel traveled north to British Columbia, Canada and had a successful career as a defensive back for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.  In 1976 Melvin Byrd was inducted into the Solano College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Larry Hogue (Class of 78) had a stellar history as defensive back for the Utah State football team and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1982 NFL draft.  Larry would later follow Melvin Byrd to Canada and play football.  Hogue was a member of the CFL's Calgary Stampeders from 1983 - 1987.  Larry is currently the head track and field coach at Vanden.

What year did Vanden win its first Section Football Championship?
Vanden has won three Section Football Championships.  The Vikings captured their first Sac-Joaquin Section Division III Football Championship in 1975 under Coach Ed Serpas.  In 1984 Coach Ron Beverly, Sr. (Class of 65) and his team won the section title game with Ron Beverly, Jr. (Class of 86) at quarterback.  Vanden claimed it's third Sac-Joaquin Section Division III crown in 1995 with Rich Woods as coach.  Click here for a list of Sac-Joaquin Section Football Champions

More than a few good men and women...
Vanden athletes have gone on to play sports at the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard Academies.  Vanden grads have served in all branches of the US Military.  The best rise to the top.  A good example is former Vanden track team member Frank Padilla (Class of 74), a Brigadier General in the Air Force.

Here comes the Judge!
From the field to the court.  With a few detours along the way.  Former Vanden football player, Bill Culver (Class of 74) was a member of the Navy Reserve, a police officer, a private attorney, a district attorney and is now a Oklahoma Judge.

What former Vanden Cross Country and Track star was in a movie?
Frank (Kip Keno) Scruggs (Class of 73) literally had a running role in the film The Jericho Mile.   Peter Strauss was the lead actor in this 1979 TV movie filmed on location at Folsom State Prison in California.   Frank had a non-speaking appearance  running on the track at the prison.  No Frank, wasn't one of the inmate actors.   After Vanden, Frank continued his running at California State University, Sacramento.  He is youth counselor for the State of California.

Who was first to play four years on a Varsity team?
Dave Davis (Class of 72) played Varsity baseball at Vanden as freshmen in 1969 through his senior year in 1972.  In college he continued to play outstanding baseball for the Solano College Falcons and Sac State Hornets.  Dave Davis was honored as a member of the Solano College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

Name a Vanden wrestler who won a Section Championship?
John Pinckney (Class of 71) won Vanden's first Section Wrestling Championship in 1971 competing in the heavyweight division.  In 1987 Craig Doefoert (Class of 88) won the 154 lb weight class at Sections.  Doefoert finished fourth at the California State Wrestling Championships twice (the 154 lb weight class in 1987 and the 165 lb weight class in 1988).

Are Vikings fast?
Vanden has produced many strong track and field teams.  Take a quick look at these sites with section Track and Field records: Boys Sac-Joaquin Individual Track & Field Champions  -  Girls Sac-Joaquin Individual Track & Field Champions Bobby Reifer (Class of 68) won two Section Track and Field Championships in 1967, wining the 100 and 200 yard events.  In 1968 Bobby was also the fastest man in the region taking both races again at the Section Championship.

Do you remember the Vanden Viking Victory bell?  Where is it?
Vanden had a Victory bell that was banged each time a touchdown was scored and at the end of football games.  In 1965 the parents of Charles Wilbur (Class of 67) donated the Vanden Viking Victory bell to the school.  It was stolen once, then found between 1979 to 1982.  It is now lost again.  The bell is about 75 pounds, around 2 feet tall and was mounted on a big movable cart.  The bell is a unique part of Vanden sports history.  If you have any stories, photographs or knowledge of what happened to the Vanden Viking Victory bell, please email the information to: vandenalumni@earthlink.net

Who was one of the greatest long jumpers in the world?
Henry Lloyd Hines (Class of 67) won the section long jump championship in 1967.  At Sacramento City College, Hines set the national junior college record of 26 '2 3/4" in the long jump in 1969.  He was the state champion in the event also, leading the Panthers to the state junior college runner-up position.  In 1971, Hines competing for the University of Southern California, had the longest long jump in the world and was the NCAA indoor national champion.  He repeated the championship in 1972 and was the national runner-up at the 1972 NCAA outdoor national championship meet. He was the national pro champion for three years and retired as the eighth best long jumper of all time.  In 2000 Hines was inducted into the Sacramento City College Athletic Hall of Fame.  Click here to read about Henry's job as a special coach with the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA.   He is the author of the book "Quickness, Agility, & Footwork".

The Air Force flys athletes to Vanden whenever they are needed...
No, coaches at Vanden can't ask the Air Force to just load up a C5 and transfer people so the Vikings have better teams.  This rumor started soon after Vanden began competing in athletics and kicking butt against bigger schools.   Gosh, you should see Vanden coaches moan and groan when they find out their star sophomore player from last year will be in Ramstein, Germany next season and then in Yokota, Japan the following year instead of playing for the Vikings.   

What year did Vanden win its first Section Track Championship?
Vanden won it's first Sac-Joaquin Section Track and Field Team Championship in 1967 in just it's third year of competition.  Was it the shoes?  Maybe the all weather track?  Perhaps just great athletes.  Vanden tied as section track champs again in 1968.  Here's a list of Boys Team Sac-Joaquin Section Track and Field Champions.

Who was the first Vanden grad to play in the NFL?
Carter Campbell (Class of 66) was selected in the 8th round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1970.  Carter played college football at Weber State in Ogden, Utah.  After a season with the 49ers, Carter went on to play with the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants.  Drafted as a linebacker, Carter was both a defensive end and linebacker during his NFL career.  Pictured to the right are Coach Bob Foster, Coach Ed Serpas, Coach Tom Kiefer, and Carter Campbell in 1970.  Campbell's Vanden Viking jersey number 73 was retired.

Guess who coached sports for more than 40 years?
Bob Foster, former Vanden football and track coach had a long sports career.  After coaching at Vanden from 1965 - 1970, Coach Foster returned to coach at his alma mater UC Davis.  Foster was an Aggie football coach for 19 years and was inducted into the UCD Hall of Fame in 2002.  He later served as defensive coordinator for the University of Oregon football team and then linebackers coach at the University of California.  Click here to view: Bob Foster's Cal Bear bio.

Do you know who ended a football team's record winning streak?
Long before De La Salle of Concord set a national high school football consecutive winning streak of 151 games, St Helena High School held the California record.  In the 60's St Helena won 46 consecutive football games until they played the Vikings.  In 1965 Vanden held St Helena to a 0 - 0 tie.  St Helena had some amazing football teams for six straight years.  Read about the winning streak in a column by Jeffery Earl Warren.  Jeffrey was St Helena player and is the grandson of Earl Warren (former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Governor of California).  Vanden grad Carter Campbell (Class of 66) is mentioned in the article.  The coach of the record setting St Helena team, George Davis was a unique leader of young men and the focus of the book "The Fifth Down: Democracy and the Football Revolution" by Neil Amdur.  Davis later coached at Napa College.  One of his Napa players, Vanden grad Willie Williams (Class of 65), was featured in the book. 

Oh, and that Green and Gold team that ended St Helena's record winning streak...they went on to capture Vanden's first football league championship...in just the second season of competition for the new school.  The Vikings were led on offense by quarterback John Crowe and on defense by linebacker and future NFL player Carter Campbell.

Who was an All-American and on an NCAA championship track team?
James Edmondson (Class of 65) was a member of the 1968 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 440 relay team that won the 1968 NCAA  Division II national championship with a time of 40.4 seconds.  James earned All-American honors at Cal Poly in the mile relay in 1968 and the 100 yard dash in 1969.  He was also a split end on the 1968 and 1969 Mustangs football teams.  In 2005 James Edmondson was inducted into the Cal Poly Mustangs Hall of Fame.

Did you know the all weather track at Vanden...
...was one of the first in the country for high school athletes.  When Vanden opened in the mid 60's it was one of very few high schools in America to have a rubber surface track.

Who was the first Viking to start on three Varsity teams in one year?
Ron Beverly, Sr. (Class of 65) was the first of many three sport athletes at Vanden.  He was a starter on the first Vanden Viking football, basketball and track teams.  Ron would later return to his alma mater to coach football and track.

Where are those sports pages?
The Vanden newspaper is called the Valhalla.  Here is a link to a copy of one of the first editions of the school paper, the October 1964 edition of Valhalla.  Take a look at the sports pages.  Want to read some more old Viking sports stories?  Check out a copy of the January 1965 edition of Valhalla. 

Who picked Green and Gold as Vanden's colors?
Coach Ed Serpas, the first athletic director, football and baseball coach at Vanden selected Green and Gold as the Viking team colors when Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers were dominating the NFL in the mid sixties wearing Green and Gold. 

Why are Vanden's teams called the Vikings?
Vanden High School was named after the Vanden family that settled near the school campus location in the 1880's.  The Vanden family was Scandinavian, so what better name to call the new school's teams than the "Vikings".  It also sounds good when you say " Vanden Vikings Victory "
 

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