Megan Burke (’91)
Megan Burke was one of the finest female athletes in the history of Glen Rock High School, being a much honored leader on four extremely successful girls soccer teams and being named to the Bergen County, All-Century track and field team.
Megan Burke was a four year standout forward on four extremely successful girls soccer teams. In her freshman year, she helped the 1987 team win the Group 1, Sectional Championship, the Group 1, North Jersey Championship and win its second consecutive Group 1, State Championship.
In her sophomore year, Megan was the 1988 team’s leading scorer with 29 goals. She scored the winning goal in Glen Rock’s 2-1 victory over Chatham Boro to win won the Group 2, Sectional Championship and then scored both goals in the team’s 2-1 victory over Madison to win the Group 2, North Jersey Championship. In the State Championship game, Glen Rock was defeated by Delran by a score 1-0.
In her junior year, Megan was the 1989 team’s second leading scorer with 21 goals (second to fellow Hall of Fame inductee Michelle Leonard). That team won the Group 1, Sectional Championship (in a 4-0 victory over Hopatcong) and the Group 1, North Jersey Championship (in a 4-3 shootout victory over Chatham Boro). Glen Rock was subsequently crowned Group 2, State Co-Champions after being held to a 0-0 tie (by Cinnaminson) in the championship game. Megan was named to the Second Team, All-County (by The Bergen Record). Megan was also named to the First Team, All-B-PSL (combined divisions this year) and Second Team, All-Suburban.
In her senior year, Megan scored the lone goal in a 1-0 Panther victory over Midland Park to win the Group 1, Sectional Championship. Glen Rock was defeated in the subsequent North Jersey Championship game by Morris Catholic, the subsequent Group 1, State Champion. Glen Rock ended the season as the #1 ranked Group 1 & Group 2 team in Bergen County (in The Bergen Record). Megan was once again named to the Second Team, All-County. She was also named to the First Team, Group 1, All-State.
Megan ended her career at Glen Rock with the then school record of 59 assists with the then second highest number of goals, 64.
For four years, Megan was truly spectacular in track & field, dominating in the 100 and 200 meter dashes and in the long jump and the triple jump. In some meets she also competed in the low and intermediate hurdles, the high jump and the relays. She was the first athlete from Bergen and Passaic Counties to win four straight Group, State Championships. For that and so many other great accomplishments, in 1999, The Bergen Record acknowledged her excellence by picking her for the sprints and the jumps on its All-Century Team.
As a freshman, Megan swept the season ending events in the long jump, finishing first at the Group 1, Bergen County Championship, first at the Group 1, Sectional Championship (breaking that meet’s previous record for that group) and first at the Group 1, State Championship. She also finished first in the 100 meters dash at the Group 1, Bergen County Championship and second in that event at the Group 1, Sectional Championship.
As a sophomore, Megan finished first in the long jump at the Group 2, Sectional Championship and then finished first at the Group 2, State Championship. She also finished second in the 100 meters dash at the Group 2, Sectional Championship. During that year, Megan jumped 37-10.25 feet in the triple jump, her ultimate career best jump in that event.
As a junior, Megan continued her dominance in the long jump, finishing first at the Group 2, Bergen County Championship and then first at the All Group, Bergen County Meet of Champions. In state competition, she finished first at the Group 2, Sectional Championship (breaking that meet’s previous record for that group) and then first at the Group 2, State Championship. She then finished fifth in the All Group, New Jersey Meet of Champions. In addition, while New Jersey did not include the triple jump in its Sectional or State meets, Megan finished first in that event at the Group 2, Bergen County Championship and first at the All Group, Bergen County Meet of Champions. She also finished second in the 100 meters dash at the Group 2, Bergen County Championship and fourth in that event at the Group 2, Sectional Championship.
In 1991 Megan had one of the greatest years in Glen Rock, and Bergen County, history. She was the B-PSL Carpenter Champion and the Group 1, Bergen County Champion in each of four events: the 100 meters, the 200 meters (in an ultimate career best of 26.6 seconds), the long jump, and the triple jump. In the Bergen County meet, her time of 27.0 seconds in the 200 meters tied the then-group meet record for that event and her jump in the long jump broke the all-group meet record for that event. Her four gold medals at each of those meets led Glen Rock’s team to second place finishes at both of those meets. At the subsequent All Group Bergen County Meet of Champions, Megan was a double winner, finishing first in both the long jump and the triple jump and she was selected as the “outstanding field event performer” among all Bergen County female athletes competing at the meet.
Megan continued her exceptional success in the subsequent state competitions. At the Group 1, State Sectional meet, she won the 100 meters dash and the long jump (the triple jump was still not a state meet event).Her distance in the long jump broke her previous Group 1, Sectional record. Glen Rock finished third at that meet. At the Group 1, State Championship, shewon the long jump for the 4th year in a row. She then immediately raced to compete in the 100 meters dash, where she finished third in her ultimate career best time of 12.67 seconds.
Megan went on to finish second in the long jump at the All Group, State Meet of Champions, and then finished second in the long jump at the Eastern States Track & Field Championship. Megan’s long jump that day of 18-11.75 feet was her ultimate career best and, at the time, was the second longest jump in Bergen County history.
Megan graduated with Glen Rock High School’s then school record in each of her four primary events: the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash, the long jump and the triple jump. Her records in both jumps are still the school records.
As of 2020, she was still the only North Jersey athlete to ever win four public school titles in the same track & field event.
In June 1991, the administration and coaches of Glen Rock High School recognized Megan as the top female athlete in that year’s graduating class and gave her the esteemed Athlete of the Year Award.
Megan went on to Shippensburg University where she majored in elementary education and returned to Glen Rock to teach (1998-2004). In 2003 she was chosen Coleman School Teacher of the Year.