each year from 2001 to 2003, led by flamethrower Bob Blevins. In 2010 they made it back to the section finals, led by seniors James Lombardi and Danny Collins. This sparked two state final runs in 2011 and 2012, led by slugger John Fussell. Boys' Basketball was a Class B powerhouse from 06 to 08, winning the section championship in 06–07 over Woodlands. In 07-08 they were heavy favorites but lost in the section finals to North Salem. They reclaimed the Class B crown in 2016, defeating Putnam Valley. In 2010, the girls soccer team became nationally ranked by ESPN as a top-50 national team. Academics Along with classrooms, a writing lab, and a library, the school has an open room called the Maresca, where students study surrounded by teacher's offices. The school offers courses in five languages: Spanish, Latin, French, Conversational Italian, and Mandarin Chinese. Through the district's affiliation with the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, students have the option for vocational education at the Tech Center at Yorktown, a program in Yorktown Heights. Briarcliff High School's electives include: School ranking Briarcliff High School is 31st out of 1,259 schools in the 2015 U.S. News & World Report rankings for New York, and 212th out of about 21,000 schools nationally. In the 2014 U.S. News & World Report, the school was 31st out of about 1,100 schools in the rankings for New York, and 156th out of about 19,400 schools nationally. In the 2013 report, the school was 31st out of about 1,100 schools in New York, and 170th out of about 21,000 schools nationally. Newsweek ranked the school 31st nationally in 2015, 17th nationally in 2014, 106th nationally, 20th in New York, and 28th in New England in 2013, 96th nationally and 17th in New York in 2005, and in 2000, Newsweek ranked the school 42nd-best in the country. Briarcliff's school district, the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District, is rated as the fifth-wealthiest school district in the United States and the third-wealthiest in New York. Briarcliff High School students greatly exceed averages on New York State Assessment tests, with almost 100% of Briarcliff students having recorded passing grades. Alumni Notable alumni of Briarcliff High School include Michael Azerrad, an author; Clifford Carter, a musician; John Hersey, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and journalist who grew up in Briarcliff and attended the public schools; Brice Marden, a minimalist painter