Top 10 high school mascots in New Jersey: Vote for the best

From Bridgemen to Cutters to Piners, meet the best high school mascots in New Jersey

Point Pleasant Beach Garnet Gulls logo. / SBLive archives

What happens when a Fighting Clan takes on a flock of Garnet Gulls?

New Jersey high school mascot fans can tell you it all depends on whether some Gray Bees intervene.

Over the next couple of months, SBLive/SI will be featuring the best high school mascots in every state, giving readers a chance to vote for No. 1 in all 50.

The winners and highest vote-getters will make up the field for our NCAA Tournament-style March Mascot Madness bracket in 2025. The Coalinga Horned Toads (California) are the defending national champions.

Here are High School on SI's top 10 high school mascots in New Jersey (vote in the poll below to pick your favorite):

The poll will close at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, Jan. 10.

1. Bridgemen (Fort Lee HS)

Fort Lee High School is right next to the Hudson River in the shadow of George Washington Bridge across from the Bronx, New York. Hence, the Bridgemen.

2. Chimeras (Willingboro HS)

Willingboro opened in 1975 because of overcrowding at John F. Kennedy High School. Kennedy was the Gryphons (which have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion), so Willingboro went with the Chimeras, which have the head of a lion, body of a goat and the tail of a serpent. The two schools merged in 1989-90, and the Chimeras wisely held up as the team mascot.

3. County Seaters (Belvidere HS)

Who’s proud of being the county seat? Belvidere High School, that’s who. Belvidere became the Warren County seat when it broke away from Sussex in 1824.

4. Cutters (Fair Lawn HS)

While the choice of mascot might seem like a play on landscaping, it originated when the Fair Lawn newspaper referenced players receiving suspensions for "cutting" class during the team's first season in 1943.

5. Fighting Clan (Vineland HS)

Formerly called the Poultry Clan, the Fighting Clan mascot is rooted in Vineland’s history of chicken farming. Rowdy Rooster stalks the sidelines at Vineland sporting events.

6. Garnet Gulls (Point Pleasant Beach HS)

Gulls are common in these parts, but the only confirmed Garnet Gull sightings are confined to the high school.

7. Gray Bees (St. Benedict's HS)

A bunch of Bees of varying colors infest the high school mascot ranks, but St. Benedict’s has the only Gray Bees in the country. The origin goes way back to the early 20th century, when teams wore jerseys with a gray “B” on the jersey, and Gray Bees stuck as the school mascot.

8. Highwaymen (Teaneck HS)

Not only does the school overlook Route 4 (a highway), but Teaneck’s mascot and logo are derived from the highwaymen who stole money and belongings from those traveling along highways during the 17th and 18th century. On an unrelated note, Teaneck Highwaymen would be a great name for a traveling blues band. Teaneck’s girls teams are called the Highwaywomen. 

9. Piners (Lakewood HS)

Where did the name Piners come from? Here’s what former Lakewood athletic director John Craddox told the Daily Record in 2014: "It's got to do with the fact that we almost butt up to Rockefeller (Ocean County) park. We have the biggest pine trees you've ever seen. Our mascot is a lumberjack."

10. Ridgers (Glen Ridge HS)

These are the only Ridgers in the country among U.S. high schools, and for some reason the school’s mascot is a zebra — sometimes with two heads. Why? Maybe Tom Cruise knows. He wrestled and played football for the Ridgers before graduating in 1980. 

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports