Vendeens – Holy Family Academy (Manassas VA)

No, this is not a 60s girl group from Detroit. 

Instead, according to the school website: 

“The Vendeens were devout Catholics who bravely opposed the persecution of their Church and the assault on their cherished traditions during the tumultuous period of the French Revolution. Rising against the Revolutionary government in 1793, these simple yet courageous people stood firm in defense of their faith and liberty, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Above all, they defended their priests, who were hunted by the revolutionary armies.

Despite facing ruthless suppression and unimaginable atrocities, the Vendeens remained steadfast in their commitment to their Catholic beliefs and traditional values. Their unwavering resolve and sacrificial courage serve as a timeless testament to the enduring power of faith and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.”

The site shares this rather gory painting to illustrate:

Unfortunately, Vendeen is also the name of a dog and a sheep. So, when you Google it, you typically get stuff like this:

Or this:

It looks like the school punted when it comes to an actual mascot. This is the only possible representation I could find:

HFA is in Manassas, a suburb of DC. I grew up in the area, back when Manassas was a sleepy railroad town mostly known for its Civil War history. These days, it seems it’s mostly DC sprawl. Wikipedia lists a ton of “notable people,” but basketball star David Robinson (who attended high school – but not HFA – there) is the only one I recognize.

Interestingly, HFA is an independent Catholic school, meaning it is not sanctioned by the local bishop, nor is it accredited. It sounds like it’s super-Catholic, with obligatory attendance at daily mass, a very heavy anti-abortion message, an emphasis on “classical” education, etc. 

The school is 28 years old, and has about 240 students. It’s a K through 12, so I’m not sure if the 240 is for the high school or the whole shebang. Any way you look at it, it sounds pretty tiny. And that’s probably why what I could find on it is very limited. 

They do at least seem to offer all the regular sports though. The only major exception looks like football, which usually demands a pretty substantial student body.

I believe they call this “rugby”

Urchins – East Union High School (Blue Springs MS)

These guys, right?

Unfortunately, it’s supposed to be these instead:

So, why not say it? Also, what the heck do sea urchins have to do with a small town about 275 miles from the ocean.

So, why, Blues Springs? Why?

Well, according to yahoo!sports, their colors “resemble those of typical sea urchins.” 

If a sea urchin were a San Diego Padre, that is

Just to confuse things further, their logo features a seahorse (see above).

Historically, they were known as the Epic Urchins. Girls teams are called the Urchinettes.

So, where does all this crazy come from? 

Well, I can tell you that Blue Springs is a town of about 430 in northern Mississippi, not too far from Tupelo. It dates back to 1888, when the railroad came through. The town name comes from these (which probably don’t have any sea urchins in ‘em):

Today, BS is the site of a large Toyota manufacturing plant. For some reason, though, they seem to be very proud of their town hall.

As for East Union … Well, first, it’s not officially a high school, but an “attendance center.” That said, the “attendance center” has about 250 students. Really couldn’t find out much more about it, unfortunately. Just as an example, here is the About Us page for the school attendance center:

They do appear to have all the major sports though. They also have some interesting ones such as archery, bowling & girl’s powerlifting. In addition, they also have two cheerleading squads, one for football and one for basketball.

Though you’d never know it from the, er, attendance center’s website, it appears they have won their fair share of state championships:

It doesn’t look like there’s any physical, on-field mascot, which is a little disappointing. A big, round ball with spikes sticking out of it would have been quite the sight.

Toilers – Manual Arts High School (LA)

Boy, I wanna go there!

Manual Arts is the third oldest high school in LA, dating back to 1910. It’s located in what were once bean fields, but now is part of the inner city. Famous alums include Frank Capra, Jimmy Doolittle & Jackson Pollock.

Today, it’s got about 3,800 students, and is 80% Latino, with the rest being African-American (there are 5 whites & 4 Asians). 97% are considered “economically disadvantaged.”

They appear to offer all the regular sports. Unfortunately, I simply couldn’t find out much about them.

I couldn’t find a decent pic of it, but that basketball court has this awesome guy at midcourt:

Couldn’t find much on the origin of the mascot either, unfortunately. I guess, though, that it does go with the idea of “manual arts.” But just in case you’re not familiar with that term, it describes “the skills and knowledge involved in practical, hands-on work, often in trades and crafts, using tools and equipment.” You know, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics …

I do know that they used to be called the Artisans, which does seem a little more classy. Their mascot is Tommy Toiler, a big, bruising lad with a big hammer. Or, alternatively, this guy:

Not too surprisingly, the girls team are called the Lady Toilers. Somewhat surprisingly, the cheerleaders are know as the Toilerettes.

Which got me thinking … I’m almost certain their rivals must call them all the “Toilets.”

Toads – Thacher School (Ojai CA)

These poor people are seriously confused. Yes, their mascot is indeed a toad. 

At the same time, though, they show a winged horse on their school seal.

As for the toad, it comes from Nick Thacher, the grandson of the founder and a 1964 graduate of the school. He found the toad, and I quote, “humble and quietly persistent.” As for Pegasus … read on. 

The school dates back to 1889, and is the oldest private school west of the Mississippi. It sounds quite tony, with the original buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, alumni including Howard Hughes & Thornton Wilder, the admission rate at about 15% & fees running between $60-80K per year. There are only about 260 students.

Athletics doesn’t seem all that big, with barely a mention on their website and absolutely no mention on their Wikipedia page. The equestrian program, though, is pretty huge. In fact, it’s a requirement – freshman must ride (and take care of) a horse for at least one whole year.

Fittingly, the school is located in the rather tony city of Ojai. The city prohibits chain stores, multi-family housing units, and Airbnbs. In their place are boutiques, multiple festivals & a big tennis tournament. There’s also a wellness and “spiritual” side. It does indeed look like a beautiful place.

The city of 7,500 people is in southern California, in the mountains between Santa Barbara and Ventura.