The Washington Elementary School District has a long history of athletic competition. Please help us fill this page with history.  We are looking for stories and pictures of teams and individuals portraying this rich history.  Please contact perry.mason@wesdschools.org with pictures or stories.  

Washington Elementary School District's history is on display with its athletics. 

As the area of North Phoenix grew, the Washington Elementary School District grew as well.  The school district started as a single K-8 school to serve a large farming community.

Washington Elementary (1891).

As the city population spread north, the district slowly added schools from 1949 and through the 1960's defining the boundaries and servicing the communities as they continued to fill in.  Sunnyslope Elem (1949), Maryland (1952), Mountain View (1952), Orangewood (1955), Alta Vista (1956), Desert View (1956), Ocotillo (1957), Royal Palm (1959), Sahuaro (1960), Palo Verde (1961), Cholla (1961), Shaw Butte (1964), Manzanita (1964), Richard E. Miller (1967). 

Then, from 1970 until 1980, another major growth spurt in certain areas created crowding, while a new demand was being created on the northern side of the district. A new wave of schools were rapidly added to provide some relief to the crowding and service new growth near the northern boundary.  In just ten years, the district doubled the number of schools.    

Roadrunner (1970), Cactus Wren (1970), Moon Mountain (1970), Desert Foothills (1970), Ironwood School (1970), Senita/now Abraham Lincoln Traditional School (1970), Chaparral (1973), Arroyo (1974), Sunburst (1974), Lakeview (1975), Tumbleweed (1975), Acacia (1975), Sunset (1977), Sweetwater (1980), John Jabobs (1980).   

Until 1984, the WESD was made up of a combination of K-8, K-6 schools and K-4/ 5-8 "partner" schools located near each other.  In 1984-85 the district converted four schools (Cholla, Desert Foothills, Palo Verde and Royal Palm) into Junior High Schools and built one last new school, Mountain Sky (1985). 

Athletics have been a part of that history. The five junior high schools started tracking their own District Championships starting in 1985-86.   Prior to that, all records for sports were K-8 or K-6 records.  Some have been lost to history.  If you can fill in any of those gaps, please assist us by emailing perry.mason@wesdschools.org 

NOTE - The years listed below may reflect the school year as it began, or the season the championship occurred. For example, "1990"  may indicate the 1990-91 school year, or a sport which finished at the end of the 1989-90 school year.  From 1986 - 2021 the championship records were only kept at the school without regulation.  This would explain why there may appear to be champions in the same sport in the same school year.  

WESD Boys Basketball Championships 

7th grade Boys Champions

Cholla - 1994, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2019, 2024

Desert Foothills - 1988, 1993, 2010, 2017, 2023

Mountain Sky - 2021, 2022,

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004

8th grade Boys Champions

Cholla - 1987, 1988, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2017

Desert Foothills - 1989, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2019, 2024

Mountain Sky - 2021, 2022

Palo Verde - 2023,

Royal Palm - 1991, 1993, 1998, 2004, 2005

7/8 grade Boys Champions

Cholla - 

Desert Foothills - 2023

Mountain Sky - 2022

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 

2023-24 Middle School 7th grade Boys' Champions - Desert Foothills

2022-23 Middle School 7th grade Boys' Champions - Mountain Sky

2023-24 Middle School 8th Grade Boys' Champions - Mountain Sky

2022-23 Middle School 8th Grade Boys' Champions - Palo Verde

2022-23 K-8 (7-8 Champions) - Orangewood

WESD Girls' Basketball Championships

7th grade Girls

2023-24 1st Place - Mountain Sky

2022-23 1st Place - Desert Foothills

Cholla - 1990, 1993. 1995, 2006, 2010, 2015

Desert Foothills - 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2018, 2022

Mountain Sky - 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024

Palo Verde - 1992

Royal Palm - 1991, 1994, 2004, 2016

8th grade Girls

2023-24 1st Place - Desert Foothills

2022-23 1st Place - Royal Palm

Cholla - 1994, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017

Desert Foothills - 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024

Mountain Sky - 2001, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2021

Palo Verde - 1997

Royal Palm - 1996, 2003, 2015, 2022

K-8 Girls Basketball

7/8 grade Team Champions

2023-24 First Place - Arroyo 

2023-24 Second Place - Sweetwater

2022-23 First Place - Arroyo

2023-24 Second Place - Maryland

5/6 Grade Team Champions

2023-24 First Place - Arroyo

Second place - Maryland

2022-23 Orangewood

WESD Girls' Volleyball Championships

7th Grade Girls Champions

Cholla - 1992, 1994, 1998, 2003

Desert Foothills - 1987, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013

Mountain Sky - 2022, 2023, 202

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 1996, 2005

7th Grade Girls' Team Results

2024-25 - Mountain Sky

2023-24 - Mountain Sky

2022-23 - Mountain Sky

8th Grade Girls Champions

Cholla - 1989, 1990, 2003

Desert Foothills - 1988, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2024

Mountain Sky -2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 1991, 1993, 1995,1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006

8th Grade Girls' Teams

2024-25 - Desert Foothills

2023-24 - Mountain Sky

2022-23 - Mountain Sky

K-8 Grade Girls Volleyball Champions

2024-25 - Sunnyslope 

2023-24 - Arroyo 

2022-23 - Sunnyslope  (no picture available)

WESD Boys Volleyball Championships

7th grade Boys Champions

Cholla - 2007

Desert Foothills - 1992, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2008

Mountain Sky - 

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 2001

8th grade Boys Champions

Cholla - 1988,1990, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2010

Desert Foothills - 2004, 2006, 2008, 

Mountain Sky -

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 1996, 1999

Combined 7/8 Boys (starting 2011)

Cholla - 2012

Desert Foothills - 2023

Mountain Sky - 2022

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 

7/8 Grade Boys' Teams

2023-24 - Desert Foothills

2022-23 - Mountain Sky 

K-8 Grade Boys' Volleyball Champions

WESD Wrestling Championships

Varstity

Cholla - 

Desert Foothills - 1989

Mountain Sky - 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. 2003, 2004, 2005. 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019,

Palo Verde - 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992

Royal Palm - 1993

Junior Varsity

Cholla -

Desert Foothills -1992, 2007

Mountain Sky - 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Palo Verde -

Royal Palm -

WESD Middle School Girls' Softball Championships

Cholla - 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2014, 2017

Desert Foothills - 1987, 1988, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023

Mountain Sky - 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2024

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 

2023-24 Results 

1st Place - Mountain Sky

2nd Place - Desert Foothills

2022-23 Results

1st Place - Desert Foothills

WESD Girls' Track and Field Championships

Cholla - 2023 (7th), 2024 (8th)

Desert Foothills - 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011,2012, 2013, 2016, 2019

Mountain Sky - 2023 (8th), 2024 (7th)

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 2015 (8th)

1986 - 2023 WESD Track and Field record book for 7& 8 Grades

2022-23 7th Grade Middle School Girls' Team Results

1st Place - Cholla

2nd Place - Desert Foothills

2022-23 8th Grade Middle School Girls' Team Results

1st place -  Mountain Sky

2nd Place - Royal Palm

WESD Boys Track and Field Championships

Cholla - 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, , 2024 (7th and 8th)

Desert Foothills 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023 (7th - tie)

Mountain Sky - 

Palo Verde - 2023 (7th - tie & 8th)

Royal Palm - 2015 (8th G)

1986 - 2023 WESD Track and Field record book for 7& 8 Grades  

Note: Track and Field was a P.E. unit and an annual meet was held each year until 2010, when it became a Middle School sport with regular meets.  The K-8 Schools and 5-6 schools continue with track and field as a P.E. unit.  During the years prior to becoming a middle school sport there was not always a differentiation in the records between 7th grade and 8th grade teams, so there may appear to be two champions in a year, but likely one was 7th grade, and one was 8th grade.  .  

The 7th and 8th grade Championship, at the end of the Middle School season, is open to 7th and 8th graders from the K-8 schools.  

2022-23 7th Grade Middle School Boys' Team Results

1st Place - Mountain Sky

2nd Place - Desert Foothills and Palo Verde – (Tie)

2022-23 8th Grade Middle School Boys' Team Results

1st place - Palo Verde

2nd Place - Royal Palm

WESD Cross Country Championships

Girls 

Cholla - 1986, 1987, 2013, 2016, 2017, 

Desert Foothills - 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2018

Mountain Sky - 2022

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 1989, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2014, 2015

Boys

Cholla - 1990, 2016

Desert Foothills - 1987, 1995, 1996

Mountain Sky - 2022

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2000

2022-23 Girls Team Results

1st Place - Mountain Sky

2nd Place -Cholla 

2022-23 Boys Team Results 

1st Place - Mountain Sky

2nd Place - Royal Palm

K-6 WESD MEET Results 

2023-24 Cross-country Season Championship Results - 11/30 after being postponed by rain on 11/18.  

2022-23 K-8 Season Results at ASU WEST on Saturday, November 18, 2022

Congratulations:

1st Place - Lookout Mountain

2nd Place - Sunnyslope (K-8)

3rd Place - Acacia

4th Place - Orangewood

Tied for 5th Place - Sunburst, Abraham Lincoln, and Sunset

WESD Scoccer Championships

Girls 

2023-24 - Mountain Sky, Runner- up - Palo Verde 

2022-23 - Mountain Sky, Runner- up - Desert Foothills

Past Champions:

Cholla - 2014

Desert Foothills - 

Mountain Sky - 2022, 2023

Palo Verde - 

Royal Palm - 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018

Boys

2023-24

First Place - Palo Verde

2nd Place - Mountain Sky

2022-23

First Place - Palo Verde

2nd Place - Royal Palm

Cholla - 

Desert Foothills - 

Mountain Sky - 2020 (co-champions), 2024

Palo Verde - 2022, 2023

Royal Palm - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2020 (co-champions)

Note: Soccer became an official middle school sport in 2007

K-8 Co-ed Soccer

2023-24

First Place - Mountain View 

Second Place - Sunnyslope

2022-23

First Place - Mountain View

Past Champions:

Abraham Lincoln -  

Arroyo - 

Maryland - 

Mountain View - 2022, 2023, 2024

Orangewood - 

Sunnyslope -

Sweetwater - 

WESD POM/CHEER

The WESD does not hold a championship for Cheer and Pom, but in 2006 the five middle schools started an annual event to showcase cheer/pom/spirit/dance teams. from 2006-2009 the event was scored, but given the variety of the types of teams, the event was changed to one evening at the end of the basketball season, for them to demonstrate their best routines and display their spirit.  In 2023 the K-8 and 5-6 schools were invited.

2023 Group Photo

2022 Group Photo

WESD 5-6 Grade Boys' Basketball 

2023-24 First Place Division I - Sahuaro Elementary School

2023-24 Second Place Division I - Acacia Elementary School

2023-24 First Place Division II -  Tumbleweed

2023-24 Second Place Division II - Lakeview

2023-24 First Place Division III (K-8 schools) - Arroyo

2022-23 First Place Division I - Acacia Elementary School

2022-23 Second Place Division I - Lookout Mountain Elementary School

2022-23 First Place Division II - Arroyo

2022-23 Second Place Division II - Chaparral

WESD 5-6 Grade Girls' Basketball 

2023-24 First Place Division I - Lakeview Elementary School

2023-24 Second Place Division I - Lookout Mountain Elementary School

2022-23 First Place Division I - Lookout Mountain Elementary School

2022-23 Second Place Division I - Chaparral Elementary School

2023-24 First Place Division II - Cactus Wren Elementary School

2023-24 Second Place Division II - Chaparral Elementary School

2022-23 First Place Division II - Desert View Elementary School

2022-23 Second Place Division II - Shaw Butte Elementary School

2023-24 5/6 Girls' Division I - Basketball Team Results

2023-24 5/6 Girls' Division II - Basketball Team Results