Bloomfield HS track and field teams hosts ‘Polar Bear’ meets

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield High School boys and girls winter track and field teams hosted their annual Icicle Invitational scrimmage on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the John A. Gibson Track and Field Complex at Foley Field in Bloomfield.

More than 400 athletes from Belleville, North Arlington, Nutley and Verona joined the Bloomfield Bengals in an opener to gauge the pre-existing and new talent that each squad has. 

The meet also involved a t-shirt fundraiser sale. 

Due to poor weather conditions, the meet featured eight of the 11 events. The events cancelled were the pole vault, the high jump and the 4×400-meter relay.

The events completed were the 55-meter dash, 1,600-meters, 400-meters, 55-meter high hurdles, 200-meters, 3,200-meters and shot put.

The Bloomfield Reindeer Games will take place on Monday, Dec. 30, at 10 a.m. at the Gibson Complex. It is the second in the “Polar Bear” series that Bloomfield hosts annually in the winter. 

“We host these every year with our neighbors and my alma mater, North Arlington, and the athletes, coaches and parents/guardians really enjoy it,” said BHS head coach Terry Iavorne. “The weather doesn’t always cooperate, but the show must go on.”

For the Reindeer Games, “with our fingers crossed, we will have all events Monday, Dec. 30th,” Iavarone said.