Steve Fischer (’74)
Steve Fischer was an outstanding three sport athlete, being First Team, All-
County basketball player and also being a leading player on the school’s football
and baseball teams.
Steve Fischer was a three year letterman for Glen Rock’s football team, earning praise for his play at defensive back as a junior and then taking over at quarterback (and being the team’s Co-Captain) as a senior. Steve was an excellent passer and he was especially good on bootleg passes where he had the opportunity to run or pass. He received Honorable Mention, All-B-PSL in his senior year.
In basketball, Steve was a three year starter and an outstanding point guard; he directed the offense and was a leading scorer on three extremely successful teams.
In Steve’s sophomore year, the 1970-71 Basketball Team won the B-PSL Championship and reached the Sectional quarterfinals. Their final record was 17-5. Steve received Honorable Mention to the All-Bergen Team (by The Paterson News) and was named to the Second Team, All-B-PSL and to the Second Team, All-Suburban (by The Ridgewood News).
In the following year, the 1971-72 Basketball Team repeated as B-PSL Champion (with a 13-1 record) and then defeated Rutherford to win the Group 2, Sectional Championship. It was Glen Rock’s first (and still only) Sectional Championship in basketball. Unfortunately, in the subsequent Group 2, North Jersey Championship game, they suffered a heartbreaking 62-61 loss to the ultimate Group 2, State Champion, Vailsburg (Newark).The team ended its season with a record of 19-6 and were ranked third in Bergen County behind two Group 4 schools, Hackensack and Ridgewood, by The Bergen Record.
As the team’s second leading scorer (after Hall of Fame Inductee Bob Cook), Steve was named to Third Team, All-County (by The Bergen Record), First Team, All-B-PSL and First Team, All Suburban.
With Steve taking over the leading scorer role (and being team Co-Captain), the 1972-73 Basketball Team nearly duplicated the success of the preceding year’s team. It repeated as B-PSL Champion and advanced through the opening rounds of the State Tournament but lost to a much taller Lincoln (Jersey City) team in the Group 2, Sectional semifinals. The 1972-73 team’s final record was 19-6.
During that season, Steve broke several school scoring records. He set the new record for points in a game (43) and for points in a career (1,203). In addition to being an outstanding outside shooter, Steve was a phenomenal ball handler and driver; he led Bergen County in made free throws. His average of 21.7 points per game nearly equaled Ron Duncan’s school record of 22.5 points per game. Reflecting his performance on the court, Steve was named to the First Team, All-County, the First Team, All-Bergen (by The Paterson News), the First Team, All-B-PSL and the First Team, All-Suburban.
Steve was also a three-year starter for the baseball team, being a great centerfielder. Due to his athleticism and speed, he could cover lots of ground and also had a great arm. He also was a great hitter. Each of those teams won the B-PSL Championship and had success in the subsequent State Tournament. The 1971 team advanced to the Group 2, Sectional Championship final. With 10 lettermen returning from that 1971 team, the 1972 team won the Group 2, North Jersey Championship. Sadly, they were defeated by defending State Champion Haddonfield in the Group 2, State Championship final. The 1972 team has been recognized as the most powerful baseball team in Glen Rock High School’s history. The team finished with an historic 25-6-2 record (which was the most wins that year in Bergen County). The 1973 team repeated as Group 2, Sectional Champion but lost to Clifford Scott in the Group 2, North Jersey Championship game. That team finished with a 21-5-1 record. Steve was named to the Second Team, All-B-PSL and received Honorable Mention, All Suburban.
During high school, Steve was heavily recruited by countless Division 1 basketball coaches; he ultimately attended Gardner-Webb University. He started on that school’s top ranked NAIA team as a freshman but then transferred to Delaware University, where he rejoined his Glen Rock teammate Hall of Fame Inductee Bob Cook and was a leading scorer and a leading assist maker.