Harrison High School (New Jersey)

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Harrison High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Harrison, New Jersey, as part of the Harrison Public Schools. Harrison is located 8 miles to the west of New York City, and is sandwiched between Newark (the state's largest city) to the west and Jersey City (the state's second largest city).

Harrison High School is located at the intersection of Hamilton Street and Kingsland Avenue. East Newark pays to send their secondary school students to Harrison High School since the borough lacks a secondary school of their own.

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[edit] Athletics

Harrison High School has numerous team sports, and is a member of the Bergen County Scholastic League, where it plays in the National conference and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Sports played at Harrison High School are as follows:

  • Boys Sports - Football, Cross Country, Soccer, Bowling, Swimming, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball and Baseball
  • Girls Sports - Cheerleading, Tennis, Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Swimming, Bowling and Softball

The boys soccer team holds the United States high school record with 23 state championships, and has enjoyed a renaissance under coach Michael Rusek.[1][2] Rusek has led the boys soccer team to 7 consecutive conference titles, as well as 5 sectional championships, 5 state championships (3 of which were in Group II play, the 4th and most recent championship in Group I), and a Star-Ledger and NJSCA top ranking in 2002.

The boys soccer team won the 2006 North II, Group I state sectional championship with a 2-1 win against Glen Ridge High School.[3] The team won the Group I State Championship with a 1-0 win over Burlington City High School in the semifinals and a 6-0 win against Metuchen High School in the finals.[4] The 2007 team repeated as North II, Group I state sectional championship with a 3-1 win over Jonathan Dayton High School in the tournament final.[5] The 2007 team won the Group I state championship with a 2-1 win over Arthur P. Schalick High School, the team's 23rd state championship.[6][2]

[edit] The New Harrison High School

The new Harrison High School opened its doors in September 2007 for the 2007-2008 academic year. The new school, located on the former site of Clayton Container, initiated construction in January 2005 and lasted over two years, with the bulk of its electrical work completed in the summer of 2007. A new athletic complex constructed adjacent to the school building was completed in September 2006, which includes a football/soccer field, baseball diamond, softball diamond, track around the fields, and three tennis courts. Spaces for the high school include thirty general classrooms, four special education classrooms, two classrooms for small group instruction, two gymnasiums (one big, one small), a dance/aerobics studio, instrumental/vocal music room, cafeteria, auditorium, media center, science labs, three computer rooms, and faculty spaces. The building has three floors. The first floor consists of the main office, the nurse's office, the gymnasiums, and the main places. The classrooms are located on the second and third floors. There is a block scheduling of classes (about 80 minutes per period, with seven periods per day). The building formerly known as Harrison High School opened as the new Washington Middle School in September 2007 for students in grades 6-8.[7]

[edit] Administration

  • Ronald F. Shields - Principal
  • Thomas Carney - Assistant Principal

[edit] Noted graduates

  • Cristhian Acuna, who is the only Harrison High School soccer player to play in four straight state championship games and only one of four players in the history of New Jersey to receive First Team All-State Honors as a Sophomore. He also received First Team All-State Honors in his Junior and Senior years and was highly considered to be named an All-American.
  • Timothy Adams, model and soap opera actor
  • Dave D'Errico, former professional soccer player.[8]
  • Daisy Fuentes, model.[9]
  • Ray Lucas, NFL quarterback.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ NSCAA Boys High School Records, National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Accessed July 27, 2007.
  2. ^ a b Schutta, Gregory. "Harrison flexes its muscles", The Record (Bergen County), November 18, 2007. Accessed November 24, 2007. "Harrison has won a record 23 State boys soccer championships. But Saturday's 2-1 victory over Schalick in the Group 1 final may have been the sweetest of all."
  3. ^ 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - North II, Group I, NJSIAA. Accessed August 1, 2007.
  4. ^ 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - Public Semis/Finals, NJSIAA. Accessed September 25, 2007.
  5. ^ 2007 Boys Soccer - North II, Group I, NJSIAA. Accessed November 13, 2007.
  6. ^ 2007 Boys Soccer - Public Semis/Finals, NJSIAA. Accessed November 24, 2007.
  7. ^ Schools Construction Corporation: Harrison District Information, New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation. Accessed May 7, 2006.
  8. ^ Dave D'Errico Interview, Goal Seattle.com. Accessed October 11, 2007. " My high school, Harrison High, had and still has an amazing tradition. We have won the most state championships in NJ history despite having a total of 700 plus kids."
  9. ^ "Harrison has advantages", Jersey Journal, March 3, 2005. Accessed August 1, 2007. "And, Harrison's melting pot is further evident in the school system, which includes Lincoln No. 3 for kindergarten through grade 5, Washington No. 1 for grades 6 through 8, and Harrison High School, the alma mater of television personality/model Daisy Fuentes."
  10. ^ Archer, Todd. "RAY LUCAS MAY HAVE A NEW UNIFORM, BUT THE QB WILL ALWAYS BE NEW JERSEY", The Palm Beach Post, April 30, 2001. Accessed August 1, 2007. "Harrison is where Lucas grew up dreaming of playing in the NFL. He was the starting quarterback at Harrison High School beginning midway through his freshman year."

[edit] External links