Allentown Central Catholic High School
Allentown Central Catholic High School (ACCHS) is a private, parochial school located at 301 North Fourth Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, ACCHS predominantly serves students from the Lehigh Valley region of the state. ACCHS employs about 75 faculty and staff, making up 10 departments, as well as a media center and guidance department. Students have options to take electives in Informational Technology, Visual Arts and Performing Arts (music, drama and choir). As of 2021, the school's total enrollment is 610 students, with a  nearly equal number of female and male students. History. The school was founded as Masson Memorial School in 1926 by the Rt. 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. This 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, named in honor of former Notre Dame football  coach Knute Rockne, was constructed in 1940. Commodore Barry Hall, named after 18th-century U.S. 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. The school is a multiple Blue Ribbon Award-winning school of excellence. Athletics. Allentown Central Catholic competes athletically in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC) in the District XI division of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, one of the premier high school athletic divisions in the nation. Previously, from 2002 to 2014, the  school competed in the Lehigh Valley Conference. It 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. CCHS plays its home football and some of its soccer games at J. Birney Crum Stadium, a 15,000 capacity stadium and the second largest high school stadium in Pennsylvania, 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. The CCHS football team has won three PIAA state championships, in 1993, 1998, and 2010. 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. In 2001-2002, both the girls volleyball and girls cross country running teams were State Champions. Additionally, in 2007, 2008, and 2016 the girls volleyball team won the AAA state  championship. The CCHS boys lacrosse team won the PIAA 2A State Championship in 2021.