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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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South Plainfield High School
South Plainfield High School (or SPHS) is a four-year, co-ed comprehensive community public high school located in South Plainfield in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades and operating as the sole secondary school in the South Plainfield Public Schools. The school offers numerous clubs, activities, and athletics.

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,097 students and 97.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1. There were 190 students (17.3% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 90 (8.2% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.

Awards, recognition and rankings

In 1996, the New Jersey Department of Education recognized the school with the "Best Practices Award" for its Respect All Races Everywhere (R.A.R.E.) Program in which administrators, staff, and students work together to make cultural and ethnic diversity an instructional theme.

The school was the 157th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 227th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 148th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 158th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 160th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. Schooldigger.com ranked the school 183rd out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (an increase of 25 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the two components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), mathematics (78.9%) and language arts literacy (93.5%). And in 2019, U.S. News ranked the school #96 in New Jersey high schools.

Extracurricular activities

Music

Three music teachers are currently employed at South Plainfield High School: William Haughwout (director of bands), Donna Kregler (director of choirs), and Sarah LiVecchi (director of orchestras). As of 2018, William Haughwout is the permanent band director, succeeding Ryan Dore.

Ensembles

  • Marching Band
  • Concert Band
  • Wind Ensemble (starting 2017-18 school year)
  • Jazz Band
  • Lab Jazz Band
  • Orchestra
  • Chamber Orchestra
  • Concert Choir
  • Chamber Choir
  • Pit orchestra

Robotics

South Plainfield High School's FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team Tiger Tech 5624 has achieved several awards and has gained several victories since starting its rookie year in 2015.

  • At the Mid Atlantic District event 'Bridgewater-Raritan' in 2015, Tiger Tech earned both Rookie All Star and Highest Rookie Seed awards.
  • At the Mid Atlantic District event 'North Brunswick' in 2015, Tiger Tech was an Alliance Captain as well as earning the Highest Rookie Seed award.
  • At the Mid Atlantic District Championship in 2015, Tiger Tech was awarded the Rookie Inspiration award.
  • At the Mid Atlantic District event 'Mount Olive' in 2016, Tiger Tech claimed a first-place victory as well as the Judges' award.
  • At the Mid Atlantic District event 'Bridgewater-Raritan', Tiger Tech earned a first-place victory for the second time in its 2016 season.
  • The team went on in 2016 to compete at the FIRST Championship in St. Louis, and earned a ranking of 31st out of 75 in the Archimedes Division.
  • At the Mid Atlantic District event 'Bridgewater-Raritan' in 2022, Tiger Tech was awarded the Gracious Professionalism Award.
  • At the Mid Atlantic District event 'Bensalem' in 2023, Tiger Tech claimed a first-place victory.
  • Through the efforts of the 2023–2024 Club President Achuthan Menon and the 2024–2025 Club President Aadi Shah, Tiger Tech successfully secured a recurring $10,000 award from SPHS, starting in the 2024–2025 season.

Athletics

The South Plainfield High School Tigers compete in the Greater Middlesex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools located in the Middlesex County area, and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). With 750 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 486 to 758 students in that grade range. The football team competes in Division 3 of the Big Central Football Conference, which includes 60 public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, which are broken down into 10 divisions by size and location. The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 700 to 884 students.

Wrestling

The wrestling team has won Group III state titles in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2016-2019, and won Group II state titles in 2000 and 2007. The 12 group titles won by the program are tied for the fifth-most of all teams in the state In 2007, the wrestling team took Central Group II with a 48-16 win over Raritan. The team then moved on to win a Group II state title that year with a 58-6 semifinal win against Point Boro and a 42-9 in the finals against Hackettstown. The 2017 team finished the season with a record of 30-1 after defeating Delsea Regional High School 38-23 in the tournament final to win the Group II state title, the program's tenth championship.

In 2013, Anthony Ashnault became the first wrestler in state history to win four consecutive state championships while being undefeated in his high school wrestling career, finishing with an overall record of 170-0 during his four years at South Plainfield.

Baseball

In 2015, the baseball team won the NJSIAA Group III state baseball title, the program's first state championship, defeating Northern Burlington County Regional High School by a score of 8-4 in the tournament final.

Bowling

The girls bowling team was the overall state champion in 1980 (tied with 2,424 pins as co-champion with Lenape High School) and 1991.

Field hockey

The team won the North II Group III state sectional title in 2004.

Softball

The softball team won the Central Jersey state championship in 1975, won the Group II title in 1989 (vs. Boonton High School in the tournament final) and 2000 (vs. Pompton Lakes High School), and won the Group III titles in both 2005 (vs. Northern Burlington County Regional High School) and 2017 (vs. Steinert High School).

The 1989 team defeated Boonton by a score of 5-3 in the playoff finals at Trenton State College to win the Group II title and finish the season with a record of 21-3.

The team won the 2000 Group II title with a 3-2 win in extra innings against Pompton Lakes in the tournament final.

The 2005 softball team captured a North II Group III title with a 2-0 victory over Voorhees High School in the sectional final. They then defeated North I, Group III sectional champion Sparta High School to advance to the Group III final, where they defeated Northern Burlington in the final to capture the Group III state championship. The team had won state titles in Group II in both 1989 and 2000.

The team won the Group III state championship in 2017, defeating Steinert High School by a score of 3-2 in the tournament final on a walk-off run scored on a ground out. The team advanced to the inaugural New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association softball Tournament of Champions as the fourth seed, losing to fifth-seeded Non-Public B champion Immaculate Conception High School by a score of 4-3 in the first round.

Basketball

The boys' basketball team won the Group III state championship in 1964, defeating Summit High School in the tournament final.

In 2007, the girls' basketball team was the Group III runner-up, falling to Willingboro 53-46 in the tournament final.

Soccer

In 2014, the boys soccer team captured a NJSIAA Group III state championship title, the program's first, with a 4-3 victory over Princeton High School in the tournament final.

Administration

The school's principal is John Foscolo. His administration team includes three assistant principals.

Notable alumni

See also: Category:South Plainfield High School alumni

References

  1. ^ School data for South Plainfield High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ South Plainfield High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Clubs and Co-Curricular Student Program Book 2022-2023, South Plainfield High School. Accessed June 12, 2023.
  4. ^ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  5. ^ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 7, 2012.
  6. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 1, 2011.
  7. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  8. ^ School Overview; Click on "Rankings" for 2003-11 HSPA results, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 8, 2012.
  9. ^ "South Plainfield High School". U.S. News. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  10. ^ Music Department Website, South Plainfield High School. Accessed March 21, 2016.
  11. ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  12. ^ NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  13. ^ Kinney, Mike. "Big Central revises 2020 football schedule for its shortened inaugural season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 12, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2021. "The newly formed Big Central Football Conference has released a revised 2020 schedule for its inaugural season.... the BCFC is comprised of schools from Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties."
  14. ^ NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  15. ^ NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2021.
  16. ^ 2007 Team Wrestling Tournament - Central, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 4, 2007.
  17. ^ 2007 Team Wrestling Tournament - Group II Championship, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 5, 2007.
  18. ^ Frezza, Harry. "Tigers win again using a familiar game plan South Plainfield claims 10th NJSIAA group title", Courier News, February 13, 2017. Accessed March 8, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "South Plainfield High School’s wrestling team won its 10th state group title and fifth in eight years Sunday on a game plan that made it an elite program years ago. The Tigers (30-1) beat South Jersey champion Delsea 38-23 for the second straight year in the state Group III final."
  19. ^ Stanmyre, Matthew. "Anthony Ashnault of South Plainfield becomes first undefeated four-time state wrestling champion in history", The Star-Ledger, March 10, 2013. Accessed April 26, 2013. "Anthony Ashnault threw his arms high in the air and screamed at the top of his lungs. He had just defeated Gary Dinmore of Hunterdon Central, 4-2, in the 138-pound championship match at the NJSIAA/Resilite Championships at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, becoming the first undefeated four-time state champion in New Jersey history.... With Sunday night's victory, Ashnault finished his career with a 170-0 record and four state titles — a mark of perfection never seen before in state history."
  20. ^ Narducci, Marc. "South Plainfield defeats Northern Burlington for Jersey Group 3 state baseball title", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 6, 2015. Accessed March 21, 2016. "In a game in which both teams were aiming for their first state baseball title, South Plainfield used timely hitting and solid relief pitching from Jake Alba to beat Northern Burlington, 8-4 in Saturday's state Group 3 final at Toms River North."
  21. ^ Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  22. ^ History of NJSIAA Girls Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  23. ^ "DiTrani bowls to second", The Record, March 2, 1980. Accessed February 16, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Debbie DiTrani of Old Tappan rolled games of 189, 161, and 190 yesterday for a 540 series and a tie for second in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls Bowling Championships.... The Knights had a three-game total of 2,271 (724-800-747), 153 pins behind South Plainfield and Lenape Valley [sic], which tied for first place with 2,424 totals."
  24. ^ History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  25. ^ Softball Championship History 1972–2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated July 2023. Accessed April 1, 2024.
  26. ^ "Group 2: South Plainfield rallies to overtake Boonton", Courier-Post, June 4, 1989. Accessed January 5, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "South Plainfield High school scored three runs the top of the seventh inning yesterday to win the state Group 2 softball title with a 5-3 win against Boonton at Trenton State College.... Gallagher, who has hurled all of South Plainfield's games raised her record to 21-3 with a three-strikeout, one-walk performance."
  27. ^ Mattura, Greg. "Pompton gets burned in final; South Plainfield edges Cardinals in eight innings", The Record, June 11, 2000. Accessed December 14, 2020. "She is the lone 12th-grader on a Pompton Lakes team that battled back to force extra innings in Saturday's State Group 2 championship before bowing, 3-2, in eight innings to South Plainfield at Toms River North.
  28. ^ 2005 Softball - North II, Group III, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 16, 2007.
  29. ^ Moorhouse, Ed. "Northern's bid comes up short", Burlington County Times, June 12, 2005. Accessed September 7, 2012.
  30. ^ Goldberg, Jeffrey. "History of the NJSIAA Softball Championships", New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 7, 2012.
  31. ^ Evans, Bill. "No. 6 South Plainfield walks off against No. 17 and defending champ Steinert in Group 3 softball final", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 4, 2017. Accessed December 2, 2017. "Camryn Schaeffer's RBI groundout scored Caity Hughes with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning and No. 6 South Plainfield defeated No. 17 and defending state champion Steinert, 3-2, in the state Group 3 final Sunday at Kean University."
  32. ^ Schneider, Jeremy. "No. 14 Lodi Immaculate tops No. 6 South Plainfield in first-ever T of C softball game", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 6, 2017. Accessed December 2, 2017. "Five-time defending Non-Public B champion Lodi Immaculate, No. 14 in the NJ.com Top 20 won a back-and-forth affair with Group 3 champion No. 6 South Plainfield, 4-3, in the inaugural NJSIAA Tournament of Champions quarterfinals with Christina Braid scoring the game-winning run on an error."
  33. ^ NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  34. ^ 2007 Girls Basketball - Public Group Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed April 10, 2008.
  35. ^ Edwards, Rob. "Boys soccer: South Plainfield tops Princeton, 4-3, wins Group 3 state title", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 23, 2014. Accessed November 25, 2016. "The South Plainfield High School boys soccer team is now the proud owner of a NJSIAA/Sports Authority Group 3 championship - the first in the program's history - after a 4-3 victory over Princeton at Kean University Sunday morning."
  36. ^ NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  37. ^ Administration, South Plainfield High School. Accessed May 28, 2024.
  38. ^ Falk, Steven. "Rutgers wrestling: Anthony Ashnault granted sixth year of eligibility", Asbury Park Press, April 6, 2018. Accessed March 19, 2020. "Rutgers University redshirt senior Anthony Ashnault has been given a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, it was announced today. The three-time All-American and former South Plainfield High School star will be eligible to wrestle for Rutgers in the 2018-19 season"
  39. ^ "Meet the Leaders - Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan Jr.", TAP into South Plainfield, August 9, 2014. Accessed November 19, 2017. "I was born and raised in South Plainfield. My mother and father were immigrants from Ireland and raised seven children (I am the youngest). I graduated from Sacred Heart Grammar School and South Plainfield High School."
  40. ^ Bourbeau, Mary Ann. "Burning up South Plainfield resident plays bass for the Jonas Brothers", Courier News, June 8, 2008. Accessed September 23, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "'I love performing, but the best part is developing relationships with the people I'm on tour with,' said Greg Garbowsky, 21, a 2004 graduate of South Plainfield High School."
  41. ^ "Locker Room 411; South Plainfield Tigers", Home News Tribune, January 20, 2007. Accessed July 11, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "Famous Alumni: Steve Timko, Executive Director of the NJSIAA; Pio Pennisi, Superintendent Dunellen School District; Col. Ernest Fawbush, pioneer in forecasting tornadoes for U.S. Army; Patrick Diegnan, New Jersey assemblyman; Thomas Kapsak, Middlesex County Prosecutor; Rick Gomez, actor, best known for portraying Sgt. George Luz in the HBO television miniseries Band of Brothers, and as 'Endless Mike' Hellstrom in the Nickelodeon TV series The Adventures of Pete and Pete..."
  42. ^ Ashmore, Mike. "Two years full of adversity have led Pennington School grad Dontae Johnson to Super Bowl with 49ers", The Trentonian, February 1, 2020. Accessed November 8, 2020. "Former Pennington School star Dontae Johnson is expected to suit up for the San Francisco 49ers, and is the school’s first alum to play in the big game. The 28-year-old was born in Plainfield and actually went to South Plainfield High for a year, but transferred to Pennington for the final three years of his high school career."
  43. ^ Cirianni, Rosa. "202 get diplomas at South Plainfield",Central New Jersey Home News, June 26, 1999. Accessed June 12, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "...Daniel Francis LaSpata..."
  44. ^ Abbott, Patricia. "Homecoming was overdue", Courier News, June 5, 2002. Accessed May 28, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "The South Plainfield High School graduate (Class of '74) spent a day at his alma mater speaking to students about both music and stunt careers.... Dennis 'Danger' Madalone, Hollywood stunt man turned singer/songwriter recently returned to his home town of South Plainfield with the message 'America, We Stand As One,' a message he hopes to share with the entire country."
  45. ^ Cook, Michael. "Michelle Visage", Get Out, October 25, 2015. Accessed January 19, 2021. "She certainly has come a long way from the hallways of South Plainfield High School in Central New Jersey.... Visage is taking her life lessons and Jersey sass and putting it into The Diva Rules, which will truly help every gorgeous girl and boy channel their inner strength."
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