Michelle Leonard ‘91
Michelle Leonard was Glen Rock High School’s first female soccer superstar. She was the leading scorer on three extremely successful teams and graduated with a total of 106 goals.
Michelle Leonard was a three year starting forward and the leading scorer on the 1987, 1989 and 1990 girls soccer teams. She had excellent ball control skills and, although naturally right footed, she regularly scored goals with either foot.
Michelle ended her soccer career at Glen Rock having scored a total of 106 goals over three years (an average of nearly 2 goals per game); breaking the previous school career record of 64 goals.
. She was named to the Second Team, All-County as a freshman and to the First Team, All-County as a junior and senior (by The Bergen Record). She also was named to the First Team, All-State (in Glen Rock’s applicable group) during all three years.
In 1987, as a freshman, Michelle scored 41 goals, including the first goal in a 2-0 victory over Pingry in the Group 1, Sectional Championship game, the first goal in a 2-1 victory over Waldwick in the Group 1, North Jersey Championship game, and the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Bordentown to lead the team to a successful defense of its Group 1, State Championship.
In 1989, as a junior, Michelle scored 37 goals despite often having 2 or 3 opposing players marking her. She scored two goals in the 4-0 victory over Hopatcong in the Group 2, Sectional Championship game and one goal in an ultimate 4-3 shootout victory over Chatham Boro in the Group 2, North Jersey Championship game. Glen Rock was subsequently crowned Group 2, State Co-Champions after being held to a 0-0 tie (by Cinnaminson) in the championship game.
Eleven Glen Rock High School girls soccer teams have won or shared a Group, State
Championship; the 1989 Team stands at the pinnacle of those teams and has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Finally, in 1990, as a senior, despite missing five games due to an injury, Michelle scored 28 goals and led the team to a Group 1, Sectional Championship. Glen Rock was defeated in the subsequent Group 1, 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).
In 2000, Michelle received Honorable Mention on The Bergen Record All-Century Team.