UPDATE: Good to be home! Irvington HS track and field teams to host first meet in 15 years

IRVINGTON – The Irvington High School boys’ and girls’ track and field program has achieved numerous team and individual championships throughout the years despite not hosting a home track and field meet.

The track behind IHS was deemed unsafe since its concrete surface was filled with several cracks.

But after the football field and track were renovated following a months-long project that was completed in November 2013, the track and field program now can host meets.

For the first time since 2001, the Blue Knights will host a track and field meet this Friday, April 1, against North 13th Street in the season opener.

“It’s been a long wait, but it will be very welcomed,” IHS head coach Hawkins said about hosting a meet. “Now the community can come and actually see these kids run.”

Hawkins is in his third stint as head coach. He coached the Blue Knights from 1992-2001 and 2004-13 before returning last spring.

The last time the Blue Knights hosted a meet was against Newark East Side in May 2001. The IHS teams swept in dominating fashion, as the boys won, 120-6 and the girls won, 120-3. Ever since then, the Blue Knights’ meets all have been on the road. Still, they racked up countless team and individual championships on the conference, county and state levels.

“We produced a lot,” Hawkins said. “A lot of champions have come out of here and a lot of kids are very successful.”

Having home meets definitely will boost the program’s profile.

“It’s definitely going to improve how people see the track team,” Hawkins said. “The kids in the school, plus the community, will get a chance to see them perform. It’s going to be great for the kids as well because they should do very well in the meet against North 13th Street.”

The Irvington High School boys’ and girls’ track and field teams have high hopes this season, with the goal of restoring the program back to its past glory.

Traditionally, the boys’ team had excelled in the hurdles, sprints, and jumps. This year’s team  is balanced. In fact, the Blue Knights are strong in the throws, jumps, hurdles, and sprints, said Hawkins.

The throws will be lead by seniors Deja Grier (shot put, discus), Craig Bradley (shot put, discus), Elijah Shannon (javelin), and juniors Nelson Cheridor (shot put, discus), Jerwin Martilus (shot put, javelin), Shevon Gordon (javelin), and sophomore Carl Napoleon (shot put, discus).

The jumps will be lead by seniors Ali Abass, Quadri Shannon, and Dashaun Daniels, and juniors Emmanuel Lewis and James Ely (pole vault). The hurdles will be lead by Lewis, Da’John Graves, Stevenson Sainval, Martilus, and Ely.

The middle distance team will feature seniors Brandon Moreno, E. Shannon, and Godson Raymond, junior Jhamir Applewhite, and sophomore Jefferson Sainval. Finally, the sprints will be lead by seniors Abass, Bradley, Quadri Shannon, Charles Felton-Gordon, and Jaevon Blackmon, and junior Peter Dummerand.

The goals for the Blue Knights are to finish with a winning record in the Super Essex Conference, qualify for the Penn Relays and outdoor nationals, and contend for the state sectional championship.

IHS schedule

April 1, North 13th Street, first home dual meet since 2001

April 2, at Kearny Relays

April 4, East Orange and Montclair

April 14, Columbia

April 16, Lisa Morgan Invitational

April 19, Seton Hall Prep, Mount Saint Mary’s and West orange

April 26, Millburn

April 28-30, Penn Relays (boys, at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Millburn Relays (girls)

May 5, Blue Knights Invitational Frosh/Novice meet at Blue Knights Athletic Center (first-ever invitational)

May 6, Essex County Relays Championship

May 14, Super Essex Conference Championships

May 20-21, Essex County Championships

May 27-28, State Sectional Championships

June 3-4, State Group Championships

June 8, State Meet of Champions

June 16-19, New Balance National Championships, at University of North Carolina A+T in Greensboro, N.C.