IRVINGTON, NJ — The Irvington High School football team defeated East Orange Campus High School, 27-21, in a thrilling, double-overtime affair on Friday, Sept. 9, in the home opener at the IHS football field.
The Blue Knights improved to 3-0 on the season. East Orange Campus fell to 0-2.
Senior running back Kyshir Desir rushed for 167 yards on 14 carries and had four catches for 33 yards, while senior wide receiver Fahmah Toure rushed for 96 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries, including a pair of 6-yard touchdowns in the two overtimes. Toure also had three catches for 59 yards.
Desir finished with 199 all-purpose yards, and Toure had 165 all-purpose yards.
In the first overtime,Toure had a 2-point conversion after his touchdown run to make it 21-13. East Orange answered with a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to tie it and force the second overtime.
The Blue Knights jumped out to a 13-0 lead. Senior defensive back Malachi Purkett recovered a blocked punt by junior defensive back Jayson Turner and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Toure then rushed for a 3-yard touchdown for a 13-0 lead.
The EOCHS Jaguars got on the scoreboard on a 50-yard touchdown run to cut it to 13-7. The Jaguars tied it 13-13 on a 60-yard touchdown run. Senior defensive back Nasir Addison blocked the point-after kick to keep it tied.
IHS junior quarterback CJ Pittman was nine-of-15 passing for 128 yards. Junior running back Malachi Dudley had four carries for 44 yards. Junior receiver Kareem Corey had one catch for 12 yards, and Addison had one catch for 24 yards.
The game was a matchup of defending state regional champions. Last season, Irvington won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Group 4 regional championship to finish with an 11-2 record, while East Orange Campus won the North, Group 5 regional crown to cap a 13-0 season.
Irvington will host Columbia High School on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 1 p.m. Columbia fell to 0-2 after losing to Paterson Eastside, 3-0, on the road on Saturday, Sept. 10.
The Blue Knights entered the game ranked No. 6 in the state by the Star-Ledger. The top five teams are all nonpublic schools.
Photos Courtesy of Felicia Laguerre Owens.
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