Woodbridge High School’s Academic Decathlon team has extended its dynasty, capturing its eighth county championship in nine years.
The Irvine campus learned of its latest triumph Friday night at Orange Coast College, where top-performing teams and individual scholars were honored during a spirited awards ceremony. With their victory, the Warriors secured a ticket to the California Academic Decathlon, set to take place March 20 through March 23 in Santa Clara.
Woodbridge finished with a score of 43,504.4, outpacing Valencia High and University High, which took second and third place, respectively. The competition’s top individual scorer was Woodbridge’s Henry Robbins, who amassed an impressive 9,154.2 points out of a possible 10,000.
Meanwhile, Valencia, Bolsa Grande and University high schools also qualified for the state contest based on their overall performances, it was announced Friday.
“The Academic Decathlon is more than just a competition — it’s a testament to the dedication, teamwork and perseverance of these incredible students,” said OCDE coordinator Kristin Rigby.
“Preparing for this event requires months of rigorous study and collaboration,” she said, “and the camaraderie that develops along the way is just as valuable as the knowledge they gain. We applaud every participant for their hard work and commitment, and we especially congratulate Woodbridge High on another outstanding performance.”
Woodbridge first claimed the county title back in 2006 and has been a consistent powerhouse ever since. The team won four consecutive championships from 2017 to 2020 before University High broke its streak in 2021. Woodbridge reclaimed the top spot in 2022 and has held onto it ever since, securing titles in 2023, 2024 and now 2025.
Scores by division
The Orange County Academic Decathlon took place over two weekends, on Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, challenging students in 10 disciplines, including mathematics, literature, science and economics.
Here’s a look at how each school scored in their respective divisions. (The squads advancing to the California Academic Decathlon are in bold.)
DIVISION 1
- Woodbridge High, Irvine Unified School District, 43,504.4 (first place)
- Valencia High, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, 41,318.5 (second place)
- University High, Irvine Unified School District, 38,680.8 (third place)
- Westminster High, Huntington Beach Union High School District, 36,488.9 (fourth place)
- Trabuco Hills High, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, 36,280.3 (fifth place)
- Fairmont Preparatory Academy, a private high school in Anaheim, 26,590.0
DIVISION 2
- Bolsa Grande High, Garden Grove Unified School District, 39,487.3 (first place)
- Esperanza High, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, 34,534.2 (second place)
- Garden Grove High, Garden Grove Unified School District, 33,680.8 (third place)
- Kennedy High, Anaheim Union High School District, 33,629.3 (fourth place)
- Yorba Linda High, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, 32,857.3 (fifth place)
- El Dorado High, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, 31,539.7
- Villa Park High, Orange Unified School District, 31,292.3
- Segerstrom High, Santa Ana Unified School District, 28,001.1
- Northwood High, Irvine Unified School District, 17,519.9
- JSerra Catholic High, a private school in San Juan Capistrano, 15,576.7
- Sage Hill, a private school in Newport Coast, 14,083.3
- San Juan Hills High, Capistrano Unified School District, 9,642.9
DIVISION 3
- Aliso Niguel High, Capistrano Unified School District, 31,763.3 (first place)
- Rosary Academy, a private school in Fullerton, 29,451.9 (second place)
- Santiago High, Garden Grove Unified School District, 29,450.4 (third place)
- Brea Olinda High, Brea Olinda Unified School District, 28,636.8 (fourth place)
- Magnolia Science Academy, district unknown, 26,931.1 (fifth place)
- Portola High, Irvine Unified School District, 26,291.4
- Valley High, Santa Ana Unified School District, 23,383.1
- La Quinta High, Garden Grove Unified School District, 22,504.7
- Servite High, a private school in Anaheim, 21,043.4
- Tesoro High, Capistrano Unified School District, 20,982.9
- Pacifica High, Garden Grove Unified School District, 19,811.4
- Legacy Magnet Academy, Tustin Unified School District, 19,556.5
- Crean Lutheran High, a private school in Irvine, 18,568.2
- Godinez Fundamental High, Santa Ana Unified School District, 17,007.2
- Magnolia High, Anaheim Union High School District, 13,076.3
An OC origin story
The Academic Decathlon traces its origins to former Orange County Superintendent Dr. Robert Peterson, who conceived the idea while held as a prisoner in Germany during World War II. The first official competition took place in 1968 at Bolsa Grande High School in Garden Grove, and the program has since expanded across the country.
Each Academic Decathlon team consists of nine students divided into three categories based on categories associated with their grade-point averages — Honor (3.80 and above), Scholastic (3.20-3.79) and Varsity (3.199 and below).
In addition to written exams, participants deliver prepared and impromptu speeches, take part in personal interviews and showcase their teamwork during the high-energy Super Quiz Relay.
Top-performing teams at the state competition will advance to the U.S. Academic Decathlon, which is scheduled for May 1 through May 3 in Des Moines, Iowa. The theme for the 2025 season is “Our Changing Climate.”