"Texian" since the latter could be culturally insensitive. During the Redskin era, the school had a statue called "Big Red," a depiction of a Native American. Lamar Texans' archrivals are the Bellaire High Cardinals from Houston suburb Bellaire, Texas.Jenkins, Jeff. "Surging Bellaire to pose daunting task for Lamar in a battle for 21-5A title" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Thursday, October 21, 2004. Retrieved on September 26, 2015. Their main competitions are soccer and baseball. In previous eras the primary athletic rival was Lee High School. American football games were the primary outlet of this rivalry, but it manifested itself in other ways; in 1975 Gregory Curtis of the Texas Monthly wrote that "the respective Key Clubs know year by year which club has sold more grapefruit in the Christmas drive and more tickets to the spring Pancake Breakfast." According to Curtis, the rivalry "is as natural as it is intense" because the schools had students from the same social class and general geographic area. Athletic programs Historically the cheerleading program at Lamar was very prominent. In the 1970s female and male students aspired to become cheerleaders. Curtis stated that being a cheerleader gave students the popularity needed to be elected in student government and club positions, such as the student body president, Key Club president, president of the Ramal club, and the president of the Pow Wow club. A male student interviewed by Curtis stated that cheerleaders had more status than American football players. Lamar won the 1953 4A State Football Championship beating Odessa 33–7. Lamar won the 1969 State Baseball championship. The men's lacrosse team won the state championships in 1989 and 1995 and were state runner-ups in 1999 and 2001. The women's lacrosse team won the state championship in 1999 and 2011. The 2011 Women's Varsity team had five players named to the US Lacrosse Academic American Team. The Lamar Redskins American football program teams have reached the playoffs 30 times, which ties Baytown Lee for the highest-ranking team in Greater Houston area. In 2012, the Redskins reached the Texas 5A Division 1 Football Championship and lost to the Allen High School (Allen, Texas) Eagles, 35–21. Lamar's football program has regularly advanced to state eliminations rounds, meeting teams from more rural areas of Texas. As of 1979 the team has historically received large booster support and was made up of sons of oil businessmen. Al Reinert of Texas Monthly