Grant Adams (’00)
Grant Adams was one of the most exceptional three sport athletes in the history of Glen Rock High School. He was named to the Bergen County All-Century football team and was a leading player on the school’s basketball and baseball teams.
Grant Adams was a four year starter on four of Glen Rock’s most successful football teams. Because of his athleticism and speed, he was a uniquely versatile and all-purpose superstar, primarily playing wide receiver but also being a backup run-pass quarterback, as well as being a fearsome punt and kickoff returner and an outstanding defensive back. He was the most honored football player in Glen Rock High School’s history.
As a freshman (and as the only freshman starter), Grant helped the senior-led 1996 Glen Rock Football Team achieve one of the school’s most successful seasons, the first undefeated (11-0) season since the Hall of Fame inducted 1960 team and a Group 1, Sectional Championship. In the following year, as a sophomore, he helped a young 1997 team finish the season with a 7-2 record.
In his junior and senior years, Grant helped lead Glen Rock’s football teams to two magnificent seasons. After being narrowly defeated (20-13) in the season opener by Group 4 (and eventual Sectional Champion) Passaic Tech, the 1998 football team was undefeated over the remainder of that season and then the 1999 football team was undefeated throughout its season, completing a 23 game winning streak.
The 1998 football team won the Group 1, Sectional Championship with a 19-7 victory over Hasbrouck Heights. In that game, Hasbrouck Heights took a 7-0 lead but then the Panthers shut down their opponent’s offense and (despite a bad ankle) Grant scored two touchdowns, the first on a 12 yard reception and the second on a screen pass that Grant turned into a 59 yard touchdown, evading multiple tacklers and racing down the sideline to score the decisive touchdown.
That team scored 41.83 points per game (the second highest amount after the Hall of Fame inducted 1999 team) and only allowed 5.17 points per game (the second lowest total after that 1960 team). Grant scored 14 touchdowns for 84 points, with 9 on pass receptions, 2 on rushes and 3 on kick returns. At the end of the season, Grant was named to the Second Team, All-County Offense (by The Bergen Record).
As a senior and Co-Captain, Grant led the 1999 Glen Rock High School Football Team to an unbeaten 12-0 record (completing a 23 game winning streak) and a Group 1, Sectional Championship.
The 1999 football team was the most dominant team during the “Golden Age of Panther Football” and was Glen Rock High School’s most outstanding football team since the 1960 team, and like that early team has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Before the Sectional Championship games, the team avenged the prior season’s loss to Passaic Tech by a score of 55-0 and then defeated Garfield by a score of 49-0. It then won the Sectional Championship with three convincing victories, defeating Saddle Brook 35-0 in the Quarterfinals, defeating Secaucus 55-6 in the Semifinals, and defeating Cresskill 28-13 in the Sectional Championship game.
The 1999 football team had one of the most explosive offenses in New Jersey history, scoring an average of 48.2 points per game, while its defense only allowed 7.9 points per game (while producing a nearly equal amount of points on touchdowns scored after forced fumbles and interceptions). As a result, the team achieved the biggest margin of victory in school history: 40.3 points per game. In its season ending poll, The Bergen Record named Glen Rock the Groups 1 & 2 Team of the Year.
While opposing teams focused their defenses on preventing Grant from having the ball, he still scored a total of 16 touchdowns, 10 on pass receptions, 4 on punt returns and 2 on interception returns, as well as throwing 1 pass for a touchdown.
In season ending honors, Grant was named to the Second Team, All-State Offense (by the Associated Press) and to the First Team, All-County, Offense.
Grant ended his GRHS football career scoring a total of 36 touchdowns: 22 receiving, 3 rushing, 8 punt returns and 3 after interceptions. He also threw for 5 touchdowns.
In January 2000, Grant was named to The Bergen County All-Century Team as a kick returner while noting that he “played anything from receiver to quarterback to DB.”
Grant was a three year letterman on Glen Rock’s basketball teams and an important starting guard as a junior and senior. As a junior, he helped the 1998-99 team reach the Group 1, Sectional Championship game, the school’s first appearance in that game since the 1987-88 team. Unfortunately, the Panthers were defeated in the closing seconds by Waldwick, by a score of 49-48. At the end of the season, Grant was named to the Second Team, All-B-PSL King Division.
Grant was a four year starting center fielder (and occasional pitcher) on the school’s baseball team. He was an outstanding hitter and a superb fielder with excellent range and an expert arm. As a sophomore, he was a leading hitter on the 1998 team that defeated Hopatcong by a score of 8-2 to win the Group 2, Sectional Championship and then defeated Governor Livingstone by a score of 8-7 to win the Group 2, North Championship (with Grant driving in 3 of those runs). Unfortunately, they lost to Audubon by a score of 7-6 in the Group 1, State Championship game. At the end of the season, Grant was named to the Second Team, All-B-PSL Carpenter.
As a junior, Grant was the top hitter, averaging over .500, on the 1999 team that won the school’s first Group, State Championship. The Panthers defeated Emerson by a score of 12-1 to win the Group 1, Sectional Championship game, then defeated Roselle Park by a score of 13-2 to win the Group 1, North Championship game, and then defeated Riverside by a score of 3-2 to win the State Championship. At the end of the season, Grant was named to the Third Team, All-County.
As a senior, Grant was again a leading hitter (with a batting average over .400 and an OBP of nearly .600 due to opponents often intentionally walking him) on a team that advanced to the Group 1, Sectional Final before losing to Emerson by a score of 7-4. At the end of the season, Grant was named to the Second Team, All-County.
After Glen Rock, Grant continued his athletic career as a four-year leading receiver and a kick-off returner for Boston College. As a senior, he was named to the Second Team, All-Big East. He finished his career at Boston College as one of the school’s all-time top receivers. Grant was subsequently signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles.