White County High School (Cleveland, Georgia)

White County High School
White County High School front entrance
Location
Cleveland, Georgia
Coordinates	34°37′02″N 83°47′40″W / 34.617343°N 83.794462°W / 34.617343; -83.794462Coordinates: 34°37′02″N 83°47′40″W / 34.617343°N 83.794462°W / 34.617343; -83.794462
Information
Established	1959
School district	White County School District
Principal	John Osborne
Staff	598
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1143
Color(s)
Athletics conference	GHSA Div. 8A-AAA
Mascot	Warrior
Rivals	Lumpkin County High School Chestatee High School North Hall High School
Website	White County High School

White County High School is a public high school located in Cleveland, Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which serves the youth of Cleveland and Helen in grades 10-12. It is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The school's traditional colors are navy blue and white. In the early 1990s, gold trim was added to uniforms to honor the old Nacoochee High School, which merged into White County High School in the late 1950s.

The school opened its doors in 1959 but it has since moved and is located about five miles north of the original campus on Highway 129. In the 1950s, the 23 local community schools were consolidated into four districts. Most of the community schools only went to the eighth grade; afterwards, the students matriculated to either Cleveland High School or Nacoochee High School. Cleveland High School and Nacoochee High School consolidated into White County High School in 1959. Both the old Nacoochee gym and school still stand; the school is now a museum.

Students were segregated until 1964 in the White County School System. Prior to integration, black children went to one of three schools: Rock Springs, Oak Springs, or Bean Creek. After completing grade school, black students were bussed to nearby Habersham County to attend high school. Desegregation was accomplished in White County schools harmoniously and without much fanfare. In 2010 the old high school (which had served as the middle school) was demolished to build a new middle school.

White County launched its football program in 1956 when the school was still known as Cleveland High School. The team finished 3-3-1 in its inaugural season.

Head coaches of the Warrior football program since its inception:

The most successful of all Warrior head coaches was Coach Jerry Dorsey, who holds a .609 winning percentage. He was the first coach to lead the program into the playoffs back in 1980.

The early to mid-1980s are considered the "golden age" of Warrior football. Between 1980 and 1987 the program boasted a 51-33-1 record with four trips to the playoffs. The 1983, 2010, and 2013 squads earned Region Runner-Up accolades. The 1980 and 2010 squads are the only squads to earn Sub-Region Championships.