The effort began when a football player told his mom about the missing mascot head, and she quickly got to work.
The homemade replica head of Mr. Ranger, the Redwood mascot, took only one day to create. "I thought it was excellent," said Spence Lewis. "It looks a lot like the original. I really like that."
Lewis is Mr. Ranger, he's also a senior at the high school.
Last week, following rival week activities between Redwood and Mt. Whitney high schools, Lewis was surprised from behind and shoved while someone grabbed the mascot head and ran.
"I was really down about it because it's not Mr. Ranger without his gigantic head," he said.
Later, school officials found the Redwood campus covered in smashed eggs and profanity spray painted on the walls. Nine Mt. Whitney students were arrested for the crimes.
By Friday a football player's mom pieced the replica together with fabric, duct tape and a baseball helmet. Lewis showed it off at Friday's game.
"It was so much fun. I looked over to the redwood side and they're all cheering," he said. "And then I look to Mt. Whitney side and they're all like 'huh, he got a new head, no way.'"
The mom who created Mr. Ranger's new head was a guest at a school rally where students thanked her for the incredible effort.
Redwood's principal, Dr. Fernie Marroquin, says he's proud of his students for not retaliating against Mt. Whitney for the long-time rivalry that, this year, went too far.
"I think they realized that no good would come from that," Marroquin said. "They rallied together and they really showed what ranger pride and ranger spirit is all about."
Marroquin says the new Mr. Ranger head will do, but a professionally made replacement will need to be purchased.
Even though the mascot head will cost about $4,000 to $5,000 to replace, Marroquin says Mt. Whitney High School has already committed to pay for it.
