Grant is the new head coach of the Union High School – Union News Daily, appointed

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Union, NJ-in of his first high school head coach in New Jersey after a long curriculum vitae with high school and college stops, which were scattered from the middle west and south to the east, made Barris Grant, who is a must for local high school football fans.

Grant converted Hillside into power that it was never and had the comets competed for his first season at the top for state championships.

In a dominant run there were three consecutive section states and a regional crown, which in 2019 took one with the best program with the best program.

Previously, Hillside had only reached two sections Championship Games in 1983 and 1985 and only won one in 1985.
Now Grant will have a similar success in a larger school.

At the meeting of the Union Board of Education on Tuesday evening, February 18, Grant was officially appointed 17th football coach of the Union High School.

“I look forward to getting this opportunity to lead a famous program,” said Grant. “When the season ended, Union Alumni turned to me, who seemed that I was fitting well.”

Grant, 45, and who turns 46 on Tuesday, March 4, succeeds Jason Scott, who was recorded last year as an interim head coach after Lou Grasso joined Jr. to become sports director at the Colonia High School.

Scott was one of those who also interviewed for the position.
Grant, a graduate of the Irvington High School from 1997, who played Kollegial at Mississippi State University, is the first Black Head football coach from Union.

Union has only won a section championship since 1993, the 2019 North 2, Group 5 Crown.

“I think we can do great things here and rebuild this thing,” said Grant about the employees with whom he will work.

Grant's nine-year-old record in Hillside from 2016 to 2024 was 67-25 or 0.817. He led the comets in 2017 and 2018 to Central Jersey, the crowns of group 2 as well as in the South Jersey, Group 2 and the regional championship of the Central-Süd Group 2 in 2019.

Hillside won the Union County's first school, the section title in the sections Central Jersey, Group 2 and South Jersey, Group 2.

“I didn't know what to expect at the beginning,” said Grant. “When we won the first state championship, two more followed. We then expected that we will be in the mix every year. “

With the exception of the Covid 19-Pandemie season from 2020, in which there was none in which there was none where there was none where there was none where there was none where there was none where there was none. He only had less than 0.500 in Hillside and made the playoffs, his first in 2016, and only one season at .500 that was last autumn.

Grant succeeded Halim McNeil as Hillside head coach in 2016. McNeil, who played his high school football at Union, became a sporting director at Hillside.

One of Grant's assistant coach was the former Union -outstanding Darnell Stapleton.

“God blessed me in Hillside with a large group of children,” said Grant. “They had faith and trust in me.”

Before he became head coach at Hillside, Grant was co -coach at Malcolm X. Shabazz High School with head coach Darnell Grant, his older brother. Darnell Grant, who trained as head coach of his Alma Mater Irerington against many union teams, is now head coach of the West Orange High School.

“Leaving Hillside is bitter,” said Grant. “There are always new beginnings. Halim McNeil was good for me. We will always be known as 140. “

The 140 scholarship refers to Hillside's Exit number on the Garden State Parkway in particular on many team photos.

In the last three seasons, the farmers have ended less than 0.500 track in the last three seasons and are already underway.

“It is very proud of Union,” said Grant. “It just has to be interrupted again.”

Barris Grant's record in Hillside

2016: (4-6)-notches playoffs;
2017: (9-3)-Central Jersey, Group 2 Champions;
2018: (11-1) -Central Jersey, Group 2 Champions; lost Central Jersey's championship game against South Jersey Group 2 against Haddonfield (17: 7) in the Metlife stage;
2019: (12-0) -South Jersey, Group 2 Champions; won the regional championship game by Central Jersey against South Jersey Group 2 against Cedar Creek 25: 3 at Rutgers;
2020: (4-2) -covid-19-pandemie season there were no playoffs;
2021: (7-3) Central Jersey, Group 2 semi-finals;
2022: (9-2) -north 1, group 3 finalists;
2023: (6-3) -north 1, group 3 quarter-finals; And
2024: (5-5) -Central Jersey, group 2 quarter-finals.
Record: 67-25 (.817)
Sectional playoffs: 12-4
Regional title games of group 2: 1-1

Barris Grant Coaching CV

2001: Graduate assistant in the state of Mississippi
2002: Co -coach at Iratington with his brother Darnell
2003-2005: assistant coach at Benedict College in Columbia, SC
2006: Co -coach at Iratington with his brother Darnell
2007: Defensive coordinator at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa.
2008: LineBacker coach in the state of New Mexico
2009: Defensive line trainer at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas
2010: Internship at Tampa Bay Buccaners
2011: Defensive trainer with Abilene Routhriders in the Arena Football League
2012-2015: Official coordinator at Malcolm X. Shabazz with his brother Darnell
2016-2024: Head coach at Hillside

Records of the Union Football head coach

Miss Durling, one season 1922: (0-7-2, .000)
Harold Burke, Two Seasons, 1923-1924: (0-6-4, .000)
Harry Lake, 21 Seasons, 1925-1945: (82-81-19, .503)
Charles Walters, five seasons, 1946-1950: (11-30-3, .268)
Ray Foster, Two Seasons, 1951-1952: (2-12-2, .143)
Jack Garrabrant, Five Seasons, 1953-1957, (27-11-6, .711)
Richard Weber, 12 Seasons, 1958-1969 (65-31-10, .677)
Joseph Bizzaro, Seven Seasons, 1970-1976 (31-30-2, .508)
Lou Rettino, 19 Seasons, 1977-1995 (171-23-4, .881)
John Johnston, a season 1996 (8-3, .727)
Gary Zakovic, Four Seasons, 1997-2000 (28-13, .683)
Marc Crisafi, Six Seasons, 2001-2006 (35-29, .547)
Brian Sheridan, Five Seasons, 2007-2011 (32-19, .628)
Dominic Cuniglio (interim), one season 2012 (5-4, .555)
Lou Grasso Jr., 11 Seasons, 2013-2023 (67-49, .578)
Jason Scott (interim), one season, 2024, (2-8, .200)

Photos by JR Parachini