Dusty the Diamondback Wins Top High School Mascot

Desert Oasis High School's mascot took the title in the second annual national tournament hosted by The 64.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in eSports

Dusty the Diamondback Wins Top High School Mascot

Dusty the Diamondback of Desert Oasis High School was named America's best high school mascot after finishing first in a 64-mascot national field. The championship round closed Sunday, Nov. 1, with Dusty defeating Strut the Fighting Gobbler of Broadway High School in Rockingham County, Va.

Why it matters

The win gives Las Vegas schools a national spotlight in a fan-driven contest that rewards community turnout. Dusty succeeds Karl the Cobbler of Central High School in Rapid City, S.D., as champion.

The result came from fan voting across six rounds in a field of 64 high school mascots. Final vote counts and margins were not reported.

The players

The 64

The 64 is the organizer of the national high school mascot tournament, now in its second annual edition.

The Mascot Shop

The Mascot Shop is the retailer providing the $2,000 school spirit wear credit to the winning school.

The details

Fans from Las Vegas voted for Dusty in every round, carrying the school's mascot through the bracket. The grand prize is a $2,000 credit at The Mascot Shop for school spirit wear.

Sunday, Nov. 1: Championship round voting closed.
Nov. 2, 2026: Title announced.

Big Picture

Dusty follows Karl the Cobbler of Central High School in Rapid City, S.D., who held the title last year in the tournament's inaugural run. The back-to-back crowns shift the contest from a one-off novelty toward a recurring national competition.

The win shows how fan voting can carry a school mascot through a national bracket, so local supporters who vote early can shape results. Schools considering similar contests can see what the $2,000 prize structure looks like in practice.

The takeaway

Dusty's national title shows that organized fan voting can turn a local mascot into a national story. Schools and supporters who mobilize early can influence outcomes in community-driven contests.