Berner High School was established in 1962 as a junior high school and became a high school in 1963, serving students in grades 9-12. The school lacrosse team competed in the Nassau County Conference, which was one of the strongest lacrosse leagues in the country at that time. The Berner Chiefs, as they were called, had a successful lacrosse program that produced many talented players and coaches. Some of the notable alumni include John Danowski, who became the head coach of Duke University and led them to three NCAA championships, and Jim Metzger, who was an All-American player at Hofstra University and later became a successful businessman and philanthropist.

The Berner Chiefs won several county and division titles in lacrosse. They reached the county finals in 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1976, winning the championship in 1970 and 1972. They also won the Division I title in 1977 and 1980. The team was known for its high-scoring offense and aggressive defense, as well as its fierce rivalry with Massapequa High School, which was also a lacrosse powerhouse. The Berner Chiefs played their last season in 1987, before the school closed due to declining enrollment and became a middle school.