Mark Hannon ‘03
Mark Hannon was an outstanding three-sport athlete, being a First Team, All Group, All-State quarterback and wide receiver and a leading player on the school’s basketball, baseball and track & field teams.
Mark Hannon helped lead Glen Rock High School’s 2001 and 2002 Football Teams to consecutive Group 1, Sectional Championships.
On the 2001 team, Mark played a variety of positions on offense — generally wide receiver but also occasionally quarterback or halfback –- and was a standout defensive back – as well as the team’s punter and kicker. The 2001 team lost only one game in the regular season (to subsequent Group 4, Sectional Champion Passaic Tech). In the Group 1, Sectional tournament, it defeated Hasbrouck Heights by a score of 37-6, Saddle Brook by a score of 36-14 and then Cresskill by a score of 22-14 in double overtime to win the championship. In that final game, Cresskill took a 14-0 halftime lead, but Mark started Glen Rock’s comeback with a 38 yard touchdown reception. With the score tied 14-14, Cresskill came close to winning the game until Mark intercepted a potential touchdown pass near the end of regulation. Then Cresskill also came close to winning the game in the first overtime until Mark recovered a fumble near Glen Rock’s end zone. He then helped Glen Rock score the winning touchdown and PAT in the second overtime and intercepted Cresskill’s last passing effort to end the game. For his exceptional play, The Record selected Mark as Athlete of the Week (above all of the other athletes playing in the other Group, Sectional Championship games).
Mark ended that season having scored 20 touchdowns on rushes and receptions and also having passed for 4 additional touchdowns. He was named to the Second Team, All-North Jersey Offense and First Team, All-County Offense as a wide receiver (by The Record).
In his senior year, Mark was the team’s fulltime quarterback and also led the team’s defense from his safety position, as well as being team Co-Captain. The 2002 team lost only one game in the regular season (to Saddle Brook by a score of 30-27). In the Group 1, Sectional tournament, it defeated Emerson by a score of 36-7 and then defeated previously undefeated Saddle Brook by a score of 21-14 with Mark passing for 2 touchdowns and then completing a fourth quarter drive with a 16 yard run to deliver the winning touchdown. Glen Rock then defeated Becton by a score of 41-0 to win the championship (with Mark scoring 3 touchdowns, 2 on runs and 1 on an interception return).
Mark ended that season having scored 24 touchdowns and having passed for 19 touchdowns. He was named to the First Team, All Group, All-State as a utility player, First Team, All-Group, North Jersey Defense as a utility player and First Team, Group 1, North Jersey as a quarterback, and First Team, All-County Offense as a wide receiver (by The Record).
In 2010, Mark was named to The Record’s Bergen County, All-Decade Team as the team’s Utility Player for his substantial accomplishments on the gridiron as a receiver, kicker and quarterback.
Mark was also a multi-year starter on the school’s basketball team (earning Honorable Mention, All-County as a senior) and a starter on the school’s baseball team as a junior.
In the spring of his senior year, Mark joined the track & field team and helped that team have the most successful track & field season in school history – a feat that earned its induction into the Hall of Fame. The 2003 track & field team finished first at the Group 1, Bergen County Relays Championship, first at the B-PSL Carpenter Championship, first at the Group 1, Bergen County Championship, first at the Group 1, Sectional Championship and first at the Group 1, State Championship. It was then named North Jersey’s Boys Track Team of the Year by The Record. Mark delivered points at each of those meets, At the Group 1, Bergen County Relays Championship, he was a member of the winning 800 meters relay team (that also broke the then-school record in that event). At the B-PSL Championship, he finished first in the javelin and in the long jump, second in the triple jump and third in the 200 meters. At the Group 1, Bergen County Championship, he finished first in the 100 meters, third in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump. At the Group 1, Sectional Championship, he finished first in both the 100 meters and the 200 meters, third in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump. At the Group 1, State Championship, he finished fifth in the 100 meters.
In June 2003, the administration and coaches of Glen Rock High School recognized Mark as the top male athlete in that year’s graduating class and gave him the esteemed Athlete of the Year Award.
After graduating from Glen Rock, Mark starred on Amherst’s football team and was named to the First Team, All-NESCAC Offense as a junior and as a senior. He was the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year as a junior and the team’s Co-Captain as a senior.