Scott Stephen ‘01
Scott Stephen was an outstanding three sport athlete, being a Second Team, All Group, All-State quarterback and being a leading player on the school’s basketball and track & field teams.
Scott Stephen was the starting quarterback on Glen Rock High School’s 1998, 1999 and 2000 Football Teams that won three consecutive Group 1, State Sectional Championships.
Although only a sophomore, Scott Stephen helped lead the 1998 football team to a Group 1, Sectional Championship. After being narrowly defeated (20-13) in the season opener by Group 4 (and eventual Sectional Champion) Passaic Tech, the team was undefeated over the remainder of that season and won the 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 Scott threw for three touchdowns, giving Glen Rock a well-deserved victory.
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 the Hall of Fame inducted 1960 team). Scott passed for 13 touchdowns and ran for 9 touchdowns, and also scored 2 touchdowns on pass receptions. At the end of the season, he received Honorable Mention, All-County Offense (by The Bergen Record).
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. The team finished the season with an unbeaten 12-0 record and was crowned Group 1, Sectional Champion. 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. In that Sectional Final game, Scott passed for Glen Rock’s first touchdown and then ran for his team’s second touchdown to give Glen Rock a lead that it didn’t relinquish. After the completion of all of the area’s Sectional Championship games, The Bergen Record named Scott Athlete of the Week.
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.
Scott passed for 32 touchdowns (breaking the Bergen County record for most touchdown passes in a season) and, as the team’s leading rusher, ran for 15 touchdowns. In season ending honors, Scott was named to the Third Team, All Group, All-State Offense (by the Associated Press) and to the First Team, All-County, Offense.
Although, Scott had only completed his junior year, in January 2000, he received Honorable Mention to the Bergen County All-Century team.
Most of the starters on the 1999 football team were seniors, so Scott was one of the few returning starters on the 2000 football team. As a result, it was understandable when the Panthers suffered two very narrow losses during the regular season to Paterson Catholic and Saddle Brook. However, in the Sectional Championship games, they defeated Bogata 50-6, then defeated Saddle Brook 25-15 and then defeated Cresskill 34-27 to win a third consecutive Group 1, Sectional Championship. In that Sectional final, Scott ran for two touchdowns and passed for a third. He also made several key tackles from his defensive back position.
Scott ended the season having passed for 14 touchdowns and, as the team’s leading rusher, running for 17 touchdowns. In season ending honors, he was named to the Second Team, All Group, All-State Offense (by the Associated Press) and to the First Team, All-County, Offense.
Scott’s career statistics are staggering. He threw for over 5100 yards (three miles) and 64 touchdowns and ran for over 2300 yards and 44 touchdowns.
In addition to his football success, Scott was a two year starter on the school’s basketball team and was named to the Second Team, All-BPSL King (as well as receiving Honorable Mention, All-County) as a junior and to the Second Team, All-B-PSL Carpenter as a senior. He also competed for the school’s track & field team in multiple events, while specializing in the javelin. As a junior, he finished second at the Group 1, County Championship and finished third at the Group 1, Sectional Championship, helping Glen Rock win the team title at both meets. As a senior, he finished second at the Group 1, County Championship and finished second at the Group 1, Sectional Championship, helping Glen Rock repeat as team champion at both meets. He also finished sixth at the Bergen County Meet of Champions.
After graduating from Glen Rock, Scott attended Franklin & Marshall College and starred for their Football Team. He started 35 of 41 career games and was the team’s leading rusher in his sophomore, junior and senior years (when he was the team’s leading scorer, with a total of 11 touchdowns, and was named to the Second Team, All-Centennial Conference). When Scott graduated, he had rolled up some impressive individual season stats: #2 in total rushing yards and #5 in total all-purpose yards. Scott currently coaches football and track & field at West Chester East High School (Pa).