James River High School is located in Midlothian, an unincorporated community in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. James River High School has been recognized by the United States Department of Education as a School of Excellence, earning the high honor of Blue Ribbon in 2000. In 2009, James River High School was listed in America's top 1,500 schools, ranked at number 246 (the highest in the Richmond metropolitan area).
James River is a part of Chesterfield County Public Schools.
Note that there are two James River High Schools in Virginia. The other James River High School is located in Buchanan, Virginia, and is a part of Botetourt County Public Schools.
Athletics
James River sponsors the following sports teams: baseball, basketball (men's and women's), crew (men's and women's), cross country (men's and women's), field hockey, American football, golf, lacrosse (men's and women's), soccer (men's and women's), softball, tennis (men's and women's), track and field (men's and women's), volleyball(men's and women's), swimming and wrestling. The school also supports a crew team which competes in the Virginia Scholastic Championships.
The athletic department is currently sponsored with Adidas.
James River's rivals include Midlothian, and Cosby. The James River and Midlothian rivalry is a classic, especially in American football, where the two schools in the annual "Coal Bowl". Only six miles apart, the schools are considered "cross town rivals".
The James River baseball team won in 2007 and 2008 the Group AAA State Baseball Championship. In 2008 the Rapids were ranked 19th in the nation in High School Baseball. In 2011 the team had another run at the state championship but lost in the semi-finals. They are considered one of the top high schools in Virginia baseball. Consistently ranking top 200 in the Nation and top 10 in Virginia.
In 2008 the men's golf team won its first championship in 2008 VHSL Group AAA State Championship.
In 2013 the men's golf team would win the championship. They would go onto winning three consecutive championships in 2014 and 2015.
The women's cross country team won the Group AAA State Championship in 2002.
In 2011 the men's basketball team won the championship to ESPN Basketball Tournament in Florida. Was featured on ESPN 3 and featured some of the top high school teams in America.
In 2002, the women's field hockey team won the State Championship in overtime against Lake Braddock 3-2.
In 2016 the men's lacrosse team made it to State Championship but lost. They were ranked #10 overall in Virginia.
The men's volleyball team won back to back state champions in 2010 and 2011. In 2015 the men's volleyball team went on to winning another championship.
The school also has men's and women's lacrosse teams, which were the first public high school lacrosse teams in the Central Region.
Notable alumni
- Nathan Kirby 2012- professional baseball pitcher
Specialty Center
James River High School is home to the specialty center for Leadership and International Relations. The program was founded in 2006.
Enrollment in Leadership and International relations
The James River High School Center for Leadership and International Relations has up to 350 applicants per a year, and only about 50 are accepted.
References
External links
- James River High School website
- Chesterfield County Public Schools website
