FREEHOLD – Five graduates of Freehold High School have been inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.
Fred Reiss, Bryan Groll, Richard Harrell, David O’Rourke and Ashley Forsyth were inducted into the Hall of Fame during a celebration held May 3. A resolution honoring each graduate was passed by the Borough Council on May 7.
Reiss attended Freehold High School from 1969-72. He earned a degree in literature and theater from Antioch College, Ohio. He worked in advertising in New York before becoming a journalist for the Fairfeld Citizen-News and the Danbury News-Times in Connecticut.
He left his career in journalism to pursue stand-up comedy, surfing, write novels and learn more about wine in California after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1984. Reiss’ books include “Surf.com” and the autobiographical novel “Blind Guys Break 80.”
Having been diagnosed again with testicular cancer and esophageal cancer, he wrote “Today Cancer, Tomorrow the World” and is an inspirational speaker to cancer survivors and hospital groups. He continues to perform stand-up comedy. Reiss has also worked in talk radio and has appeared on national TV, radio and in the film “This Is Living With Cancer.”
Reiss resides in California and continues to regularly appear on Comedy Day in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and works part-time at the Hillcrest Vineyards.
Groll graduated from Freehold High School in 1983. In high school, he played soccer and competed in track and field. Groll played soccer at Loyola University, Maryland, and served as a tri-captain during his junior and senior seasons.
As a senior, Groll helped lead Loyola to an undefeated regular season, a victory over top-seeded University of Virginia in the NCAA Division I tournament and a victory over George Mason University, before losing to Duke University in the national quarterfinals. Groll resides in Minnesota and is the senior director of consulting for Oracle Corporation.
Harrell attended Freehold High School from 1997 to 2000 and played basketball for the Colonials. He went on to play at Kean University, Union, and earned a degree in elementary education and English. Harrell was part of the NCAA ambassador program as a senior. He was named to the NJAAC All-Academic Team and the NJAAC All-Star Team as a senior and played on two teams that went to the NJAAC postseason tournament.
Harrell is the head admissions counselor for Kean University’s Kean Ocean program, and he is a member and deacon of the Living World Christian Fellowship. Harrell continues to compete in basketball leagues in Belmar, Wall Township, Point Pleasant and Toms River.
O’Rourke graduated from Freehold High School in 2000. He played football and competed in track and field for the Colonials. In football, he received a Vince Lombardi Award as an outstanding senior lineman.
O’Rourke’s high school track and field career saw him win championships at Monmouth County and Shore Conference meets in shot put, and county, conference and Central Jersey state sectional championships in discus.
O’Rourke won three silver medals and one bronze medal at the New Jersey Meet of Champions and finished fifth at the Penn Relays and nationals. He holds the Freehold Regional High School District shot put record.
O’Rourke graduated from Rutgers University. He resides in Bloomsbury and is a sales representative for Hunterdon Brewing Company.
Forsyth attended Freehold High School from 2003-06 and played softball and field hockey for the Colonials. She set strikeout records for Monmouth County, the Shore Conference and the state in softball, including setting the state strikeout record in 2005.
The Colonials won the Central Jersey state sectional championship in 2003 and Forsyth was named the team’s captain in her junior and senior years. She was named to the first teams All-State, All-Shore and All-District and was named Player of the Year by various publications in 2006.
Forsyth was named to All-District, All-Division and All-Shore First Team in 2005 in field hockey and was named captain of the team as a sophomore and junior. The Colonials won the Shore Conference B North Division championship in 2004 and 2005.
Forsyth played softball at Seton Hall University, South Orange, and was a two-year captain, Seton Hall Sophomore/Senior Female Athlete of the Year, Big East Academic All-American, CoSida/ESPN the Magazine District II All-Academic First Team and Seton Hall Scholar Athlete of the Year. She teaches fine art at Jackson Liberty High School in Jackson and coaches varsity field hockey.