Best way to first reference high schools?

I like the Texas way because it quickly answers the question "Where is John Tyler High (answer, it's in Tyler, thus Johnny's famous Tyler John Tyler). Tyler John Tyler gave us Earl Campbell, by the way, if I'm not mistaken.

 

It's something that changes state-by-state. I've discovered in Iowa and Illinois, where Catholic schools are dominant, you almost always put the city name in because there is usually a private school with the city name in there. For example, you'll get West Des Moines Valley vs. West Des Moines Dowling Catholic, or Rock Island against Rock Island Alleman.

In Virginia, where Catholic schools are afterthoughts, the city is seldom bothered with. It's simply Westfield vs. South Lakes, no city required. In the Midwest, it would likely be written as Chantilly Westfield against Reston South Lakes. The only time a city is needed there is if another school calls itself the same thing, such as Park View-Sterling and Park View-South Hill.

It just depends on what your paper's style is and its location.