Once was not good enough for the R.A. Long boys' 1600 meter relay team at the Class AA state track and field meet in Tacoma in May of 1982.  In the morning prelims of the 1600 relay, the Lumberjack quartet broke the school record. A few hours later, the Jack 4 did it again with a time of 3 minutes, 22.5 seconds capturing the state championship.  
     

The 1974-75 wrestling team was one of R.A. Long’s finest.  The team led by R.A. Long grad and legend Fred Kalal, finished 7th at the state meet held in Vancouver, Washington. The Jacks had many experienced wrestlers on the squad.

Pundits perused the R.A. Long boys' basketball roster in 1973-74 and surmised that this had the makings of a pretty solid team.

Then real life set in. Before the Lumberjacks even touched the practice floor, their season seemed doomed. Injuries to starting center Dean Hawley and key reserve Greg Price transformed RAL from a solid squad to a shaky one. The Jacks were a 747 without a pilot. Perhaps the Jacks could stay airborne long enough for the gimpy to return. More likely, however, the Jacks seemed destined to crash and burn.

The 1939 football team earned high accolades by being voted the number one football team in the state of Washington by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and sports writer Harold Shaw. This mythical state title was awarded the Monday following Longview and Kelso’s Thanksgiving football contest won by Kelso 6-0. The Lumberjacks and Hilanders tied for the league championship with a six win, one loss record. These ratings with only three people barely over six feet tall, the Lumberjacks played with tenacity, hard work, and were based on a “strength” of schedule and percentage basis.

Dave Rastovski was raised in Longview. He attended C.V.G. and Kessler elementary schools, Monticello Jr. High and R.A. Long High School. At R.A. Long he was a three sport varsity letter winner. Dave received seven varsity letters. On the football team Dave was a two year starter in the defensive backfield, earning all-conference recognition his senior year. As a senior, he was the starting quarterback as well being a co-captain

On the RAL athletic webpage, Edson Arantes do Nascimento …aka… Pele is quoted as saying "Success is not an accident.  It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, a love for what you are doing or learning to do." Pele's definition of success fits R.A. Long graduate Chris Nolden like a glove. The 1984 grad's athletic and academic resume mirror Pele's thoughts.  Nolden earned the following: 
 

Never in the history of R.A. Long sports have two brothers competed at a State Tournament in the same year, in the same sport and won 1st and 2nd place in their respective divisions.  

Both brothers participated in wrestling all three years while attending R.A. Long and both received the team MVP award in their senior year.  Richard also competed in Cross Country Track and won the “Most Inspirational” award for that sport.  

Never in the history of R.A. Long sports have two brothers competed at a State Tournament in the same year, in the same sport and won 1st and 2nd place in their respective divisions.  

Both brothers participated in wrestling all three years while attending R.A. Long and both received the team MVP award in their senior year.  Richard also competed in Cross Country Track and won the “Most Inspirational” award for that sport.