Chaffey High School
| Chaffey High School | |
 | |
| School Founded | 1911 |
| Team Established | 1983 |
| History | |
| City | Ontario |
| Team Colors | Orange and Black |
| Principal | Christina Martinez |
| Head Coach | Steven Mercado |
| Associate/Other Head Coach(es) | Patty Gulino, Tom James, Erin Banis, John Fort, Jennifer Escobedo Sigala |
| National Championships | |
| State Championships | |
| Regional/County Championships | 2023, 2022, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009 |
| Region/County Location | San Bernardino County |
| Highest Finish | 6th in California (2014, 2018) |
| School Website | https://chs.cjuhsd.net/ |
Team History[edit]
Chaffey High School is located in Ontario, California, in the western end of the Inland Empire in San Bernardino County. The school's Academic Decathlon program dates back to 1983 and the team earned several Top 5 County finishes between 1983-1997. Steven Mercado, an AP U.S. and European History teacher at the school, took over head-coaching duties beginning in the 1997-98 season. In the past twenty-two years Chaffey has earned San Bernardino County records for most consecutive County Championships (seven), highest-ever team score (2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018), and most Top 10 finishes in the California Academic Decathlon (seven). Between 2002-2023, Chaffey finished in the County Top 3 every year except one (2019). The team has won 11 County Championships in the past 15 years.
The team's break-through season came in 2008-2009 when the Tigers won their first-ever County Championship and finished Round 2 with the third-highest score in the nation. Between 2009 and 2018, Chaffey was one of only three schools in California to finish in California's 1st Division each year--a select group that included El Camino Real Charter and Granada Hills Charter.
Performance Chart[edit]
| Year | Regionals Score | Score + SQ | Rank | State Score | Score + SQ | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 40,643.8 | NA | 1 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2022 | 38,701 | NA | 1 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2021 | 39,363.8 | NA | 3 | 40,495.7 | NA | 28 |
| 2020 | 37,730.1 | 41,860.1 | 4 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2019 | 42,120.6 | 46,600.6 | 3 | 43,521.4 | 47,091.4 | 20 |
| 2018 | 47,665.5 | 52,425.5 | 1 | 49,352.8 | 54,182.8 | 6 |
| 2017 | 45,392.7 | 49,742.7 | 1 | 46,388.9 | N/A | 11 |
| 2016 | 46,152.7 | 50,577.7 | 1 | 47,236.9 | 51,736.9 | 13 |
| 2015 | 46,054.8 | 50,479.8 | 1 | 45,979.6 | 50,404.6 | 10 |
| 2014 | 41,959.0 | 46,084.0 | 1 | 46,245.2 | 50,220.2 | 6 |
| 2013 | 45,153.7 | 48,753.7 | 1 | 44,479.4 | 48,979.4 | 7 |
| 2012 | 42,848.9 | N/A | 1 | 42,741.7 | N/A | 17 |
| 2011 | 42,429.9 | N/A | 2 | 41,787.8 | N/A | 20 |
| 2010 | 43,839.7 | N/A | 1 | 42,879.3 | N/A | 8 |
| 2009 | 47,714 | N/A | 1 | 46,059.6 | N/A | 9 |
| 2008 | 41,231 | N/A | 2 | DNC | N/A | DNC |
