A Look Back at the Class of 1983 State Championship Year -- PART 1

A look back at a press release immediately released after Plainfield Cardinals State Championship victory over heavily favorite Trenton Central. The 1983 team finished that season with a little disappointment. They were upset that they were not #1. The Star Ledger had the Cardinals as the #2 team in the state and #1 in Union County for the final rankings of 1983. Red Bank Catholic finished the season undefeated and won the Group 2 Championship. Plainfield’s argument was strength of schedule.

But their Championship only punctuated a great recognition for the City of Plainfield. CBS News recognized Plainfield by interviewing the top athletes of Plainfield on earning the rating of one of the top High School’s in the Nation. The following clip was taking from a press release published in March of 1983.


PLAINFIELD H.S. NAMED TO “HIGHWIRE” TOP 100


Plainfield High School has been named to “Highwire Magazine’s” Top 100 High Schools nationwide. P.H.S. came in at number two. The “Highwire” poll was a compilation of primarily student reactions. Once the magazine tallied the student ballots, results were corroborated with the reactions of regional teachers, administrators, and college admissions officers.

“Highwire” calls this ranking “the schools who have done the very best with what they have.”

“Highwire” was impressed by the fact that we have had eight All-American’s on one track team, and that our athletes have received first place in worldwide junior class awards competitions.

The P.H.S. athletic program has been a story of ongoing success for the pass eight years. In addition to team championships, there have many individual performances to enhance our school’s image and prestige.

This past year, our athletes earned an impressive $174,288 worth of scholarships; over eight years’ time, $1,394,306 in athletic scholarships were earned.

Approximately 450 student athletes participate in 18 sports; our program’s success becomes most evident when reviewed collectively over the past eight years under the directorship of Ben Maggio.

Our Track Team has emerged as a national power over those eight years. At least one athlete has been placed on the American Junior Team each year for the past four years.

The basketball team has also taken two state championships since 1976; most recently, this past Saturday at the Meadowlands.

In four years, out of 7,000 competitors nationwide, PHS has had 19 All-American’s. Athletic honors at PHS have a history. 1956 Decathlon Gold Medalist at the Melbourne Olympiad, Milt Campbell, is a P.H.S. alumnus.

The “Highwire” survey takes all areas of scholastic life into consideration. Even though a school may be cited for a strong athletic program, it must support this area with a vigorous academic discipline. This area also impressed the magazine’s editors.

Some of the colleges which P.H.S. athletes have attended on scholarship include American University, Arizona, Fairfield, Virginia, Tennessee, Villanova, Pasadena City College, South Carolina, Princeton, Harvard, North Carolina, University of Nevada (Reno), Georgia Tech, Howard, Hampton Institute, Cheney State, Fairlegih Dickinson University, Cincinnati, Tuskegee, Stanford, Rhode Island, Mount St. Mary’s, Canasius, Taft, North Carolina Central, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Montclair, Glassboro, and many other distinguished schools.”