HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN PASCO COUNTY

Hudson High School

This page was last revised on October 3, 2023.

On Sunday night, July 8, 1973, the night before class were to begin at Hudson High School, the school’s first principal, 48-year-old Forest L. Mayer, died from a heart attack. He was stricken while working at the school and died about 11 p.m. at Community Hospital in New Port Richey.

On July 9, 1973, Hudson High School students began attending school in the same building as Gulf students, on Louisiana Avenue, but later in the day.

In August 1973 the school board appointed Coy Pigman principal of Hudson High School.

The 1974 yearbook shows Coy Pigman as Principal, Arthur O’Donnell as Assistant Principal, and Gus Manticos as Dean.

Hudson High School held its first graduation on June 27, 1974, in the Gulf High School gymnasium. The first valedictorian was George J. Matis II and the first salutatorian was Norman S. Bie. There were nearly 150 seniors.

On June 13, 1974, the West Pasco Chronicle reported, “Hudson High School, now under construction on Thompson Avenue north of State Road 52 in Hudson, is expected to be completed in November.”

On Sept. 20, 1974, the Hudson football team, under Coach Don Turner, defeated Pasco in the first game of the season, 14-6. This appears to have been the first football game played by Hudson, as it appears that no football was played in 1973-74.

On March 9, 1975, the St. Petersburg Times reported that Hudson High School was expected to open in a few weeks. It was built as part of a joint contract with Bayonet Point Junior High School at a combined cost of $5.6 million. The schools were among eight new schools financed by a bond issue approved by the voters in 1972.

On April 9, 1975, the St. Petersburg Times reported, “The new ultra-modern Hudson Senior High School will open its doors to students for the first time today and will signal the end of double sessions in West Pasco County. Hudson’s approximately 900 students saw the end of double sessions when the last bell rang Tuesday. They will be reporting for class at 7:50 a.m. today. … Designed by Sanford architect Eoghan N. Kelley, the school has wide curving halls, an air conditioned commons area, large lecture room, raised cafeteria, sunken media center and bright colorful lockers and furnishings.”

In 2005 the Hudson football team defeated Williston 20-12 in the Class 3A regional semi-final game. It was the only Hudson team ever to make it to the playoffs, except for the 1979 team, and the first Hudson team to win in the playoffs.

On Oct. 3, 2008, junior Zack Wynn passed for 448-yards in a football game against Mitchell, possibly setting a Pasco County passing record.

In February 2009 the boys basketball team under coach Jason Vetter defeated Groveland South Lake 64-62, earning its first-ever postseason win.

On Sept. 21, 2012, the football team ended a 24-game losing streak by defeating Ridgewood 27-24 in overtime. On Oct. 12, 2012, the Cobras lost to Pasco, 63-0.

At the end of the 2019-20 school year, Superintendent Kurt Browning removed principal Dr. David LaRoche and assigned him to a middle school. LaRoche was a candidate for schools superintendent at the time.

PRINCIPALS