Athletics
The Northern Highlands Regional High School Highlanders now competes in the Big North Conference, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). Before the 2010 realignment, the school had previously competed in the North Bergen Interscholastic Athletic League. With 994 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2011-12 school year for most sports as North I, Group II, which included schools with enrollment of 819 to 1,112. The school has multiple athletic programs including Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Lacrosse, Softball, Field Hockey, Swimming, Wrestling, Volleyball, Fencing, Tennis, Golf and Track.
Northern Highlands is best known for its football program. The football team won the NJSIAA North I Group III state sectional championship in 1978.
Starting in 1965, Coach Fred Conrad took the lead as Northern Highlands Head football coach. After eight years, Conrad led Highlands to its first state final match. The Scotty Dogs ended up with Highlands' first championship win. Five years later, Conrad brought the Scotty Dogs to their second State championship. Three years afterwards The Scotty Dogs would face Indian Hills High School in the state, losing by a missed field goal (the last time Highlands has gone to the division 3 states). In 1982, Conrad turned over the head coaching job to Carl Mortenson, who led the Highlanders for six seasons. Steve Simonetti then took the reins in 1988. For 19 years, Simonetti coached the Highlanders (changed from Northern Highlands Scotty Dogs). By the time Simonetti retired from coaching in early 2006, 46 of his football players had gone to play in the NCAA. Simonetti was replaced by new head coach Christopher Locurto. In his two seasons as head coach, the team's record is 1-14 after a loss in a homecoming game against Mahwah High School by a score of 35-7 on October 19, 2008. Locurto had a 4-6 record in his 3rd season as the head football coach.
The Northern Highlands men's Track and Field program enjoyed a great deal of success past few years as they were crowned league champions from 2002-06. The men's track team won the League, County and Sectional championships in 2006 led by an incredibly deep distance and field team. The 2006 Track & Field team has produced numerous NCAA athletes. In 2009, Northern Highlands voted the 2006 Mens Track & Field team as the best male team in Highlands history while coming a close 2nd in the best team in history to the 1992 Girls soccer.
The Northern Highlands Ice Hockey Team won the NBIL regular season title and the inaugural NBIL Cup in 2007.
The 2001 girls tennis team won the NJSIAA North I, Group III sectional championship, defeating Ramapo High School, 3-2 in the tournament final. The boys tennis team duplicated the feat that same year, also defeating Ramapo High School by the same three matches to two score in the final.
The 2003 girls tennis team won the NJSIAA North I, Group III sectional championship, defeating Ramapo High School, 3-2 in the tournament final. The 2004 and 2005 teams, repeated the result, winning 4-1 over Ramapo both years.
The girls basketball team won the 2005 NJSIAA North I, Group III sectional championship, defeating West Morris Central High School 35-27 in the final game.
The girls soccer team won the 2003 sectional championship over Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan by a 2-1 score.
The Boys Tennis Team won the North I, Group III state sectional championship with a 4-1 win in the tournament final over Fair Lawn High School.
The 2008 girls volleyball team won its first state championship by defeating West Morris Central High School 17-25, 25-22, 25-19, the school's first state championship victory since 1993.
The Northern Highlands' field hockey team won the 2008 Bergen County Championship, its first since 2002. They were named The Record's Team of the Year, and the team was ranked #3 in the state. They moved on to be North 1 Group 3 state finalists, but suffered a 4-1 loss to Wayne Hills High School. In 2010, the Northern Highlands Field Hockey team has become the second field hockey team in the history of Northern Highlands to win three consecutive Bergen County Championships, defeating Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest by a score of 1-0 in 2008, and defeating Ramsey High School by 2-0 in 2009 and 3-2 in 2010. Northern Highlands had also won three consecutive titles from 1998-2000.
The Northern Highlands' Girls Fencing team won state sectionals in 2008-09, becoming the number one fencing team in Bergen County. Then, they went on to the State Championships where they were defeated 17-10 by Governor Livingston High School for first in the state. However, in the 2009-10 season the Girls team made it back to the States against Governor Livingston where they won.
During the 2009 season, on November 21, 2009, the varsity girls soccer team played against Hopewell in the state finals in The College of New Jersey. The game ended with a tie of 0-0 and it was the first time Northern Highlands girls varsity soccer team has ever won a co-championship since 1992.
During the 2011 season, the varsity girls soccer team again made it to the state finals on November 19, 2011. Highlands won championship against Moorestown High School at 2-0. Furthermore, Northern Highlands girls varsity soccer team ended the season with a perfect score of 24-0-0 and with a national ranking of 4th among high school girls soccer teams.
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