Blair Academy (NJ)
From Hoopedia
Blair Academy is a private, coeducational, secondary Boarding high school with an enrollment of about 430 students for grades nine through twelve. The school has 70 faculty members. The school's campus is situated on 435 hilltop acres in Blairstown Township, approximately 60 miles west of New York City, in rural Warren County, New Jersey, United States.
Blair primarily competes in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (which includes Blair Academy, The Peddie School, The Lawrenceville School, The Hill School, Hun School of Princeton and Mercersburg Academy). Its traditional mascot is the "Buccaneer" (with the team called the Bucs) and the school colors are navy blue and white. Blair's traditional arch-rival is The Peddie School of Hightstown, New Jersey. Since 1903, Blair and Peddie have competed in football, and the rivalry constitutes New Jersey’s oldest continuous prep football competition. Each November, the two schools vie for the coveted Kelley-Potter Cup by playing against one another in a fall sports competition involving all types of fall sports.
During the days leading up to Peddie Day, spirit abounds at Blair. The campus is bedecked with banners hanging from windows, often poking fun at Peddie's Falcon mascot (known to Blair as the Peddie Chickens). On Peddie Day “Eve,” a spirited pep rally, torch procession and stories-high bonfire pave the way for a day of athletic competition. The Bonfire at Blair in the past has been over 80 feet tall,[citation needed] however new fire regulations prohibit such large fires now. A Peddie School football player is burned in effigy in the bonfire every year. The 2006 Peddie Day was held on the Blair Campus, which led to a victory to Peddie. In 2007, Blair day was hosted at the Peddie School, leading to another victory by Peddie over Blair.
The most successful athletic program is wrestling. The team has won 26 consecutive National Prep Titles (from 1980-2006) and produced a number of NCAA champions and Olympic gold medalist Robert B. Weaver.
Over the past several years, Blair has developed a respected basketball program whose alums include three active NBA players: Luol Deng, Charlie Villanueva, and Royal Ivey.
