Allentown Central Catholic High School (ACCHS), often referred to as Central Catholic or Central, is a private, parochial school located at 301 N. 4th Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The school is managed by the Diocese of Allentown, and predominantly serves students from the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania.
As of the 2023–24 school year, Allentown Central Catholic had a student enrollment of 627 students and 48.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis) for a student–teacher ratio of 12.9, according to National Center for Education Statistics data.
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History
The school was founded as Masson Memorial School in 1926 by Rev. Leo Gregory Fink, then rector of Sacred Heart Parish. The school was named in honor of Msgr. Peter Masson, Fink's predecessor at Sacred Heart. The cornerstone of the new school's first new building was laid in March 1927. The building, now known as Masson Hall, was constructed on the corner of 4th and Chew Streets in Allentown.
As the school grew, new buildings were added. Rockne Hall, the school's indoor sports gymnasium, was constructed in 1940 and named in honor of former Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. Commodore Barry Hall, named after American Revolutionary War naval hero Commodore John Barry, was built in 1964. Other buildings, including parts of the Sacred Heart School building, were used by the school during the second half of the 20th century.
Academics
Allentown Central Catholic High School is a multiple winner of the Blue Ribbon Award, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Athletics
Allentown Central Catholic competes athletically in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC) in the District XI division of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), one of the premier high school athletic divisions in the nation. Previously, from 2002 to 2014, the school competed in the Lehigh Valley Conference.
Allentown Central Catholic holds the fourth-most Lehigh Valley Conference championships in all sports behind Parkland High School, Emmaus High School, and Easton Area High School. Central Catholic holds the record for the most Lehigh Valley Conference championships in girls' basketball, girls' cross country, and girls' volleyball.
Stadium and arena
CCHS plays its home football and some of its soccer games at J. Birney Crum Stadium, a 15,000 capacity stadium and the largest high school football stadium in the Mid-Atlantic, located on Linden Street between 20th and 22nd streets in Allentown.
The school plays the majority of its indoor sporting events, including basketball and wrestling, in Rockne Hall, the school's historic indoor sporting facility, which was named in 1941 for former Notre Dame head football coach Knute Rockne, whose life was cut short at 43 in a 1931 plane crash.
Boys' lacrosse
The school's boys' lacrosse team won the PIAA 2A State Championship in 2021.
Football
The school's football team has won three PIAA state championships (1993, 1998, and 2010).
Basketball
The CCHS girls' basketball team has won seven PIAA state championships, in 1973, 1978, 1987, and four in a row from 2001 through 2004. The boys' basketball team has won three PIAA state championships, in 1984, 1986, and 2021.
Girls' volleyball and cross country
In 2001–2002, both the girls' volleyball and girls' cross country running teams were Pennsylvania state champions. Additionally, in 2007, 2008, and 2016 the girls' volleyball team won the AAA state championship.
Ice hockey
CCHS is one of eleven Lehigh Valley-area high schools with an ice hockey team; the team is a member of the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Ice Hockey League.
Baseball
The CCHS baseball team has yet to capture a championship in the school’s history. The team recently lost in the EPC Semifinals to William Allen High School. They have lost in brutal fashion like in 2024 on a walkoff grandslam to Salisbury. The team led Notre Dame Green-Pond 7-0 and let up an eight run inning due to many errors.
Notable alumni
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, professional basketball player, Universo Treviso Basket
Lillian Briggs, former female rock musician known as "The Queen of Rock and Roll"
Walt Groller, former Grammy-nominated polka musician
Tim Heidecker, comedian, writer, director, actor, and musician, Bridesmaids, Vacation, Ant-Man and the Wasp
George Kinek, former professional football player, Chicago Cardinals
Gina Lewandowski, former professional women's soccer player, NJ/NY Gotham FC
Patrick Maggitti, first provost, Villanova University, and former dean, Villanova School of Business
Meredith Marakovits, New York Yankees reporter, YES Network
Michelle M. Marciniak, former women's basketball coach, South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball, and former professional basketball player, WNBA's Portland Fire and Seattle Storm
Karen Marrongelle, chief operating officer, National Science Foundation
David Mayernik, architect and artist.
Billy McCaffrey, former college basketball coach, St. Bonaventure University
Ed McCaffrey, former professional football player, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Denver Broncos
Notable faculty
John Birmelin, former Pennsylvania German poet and playwright
Joe Bottiglieri, collegiate football coach, Moravian University
Leo Crowe, former professional basketball player, Indianapolis Kautskys
James McConlogue, former head football coach, Lafayette College