Irvington HS football team defeats Montclair

Irvington’s Jachai Littlejohn, No. 4, tackles a Montclair player during the Blue Knights’ 27-0 win on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Woodman Field in Montclair. Irvington’s Ishmail Shabazz, No. 12, watches.

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Irvington High School football team defeated a good Montclair High School team, 27-0, Saturday, Oct. 7, at Woodman Field in Montclair in a Super Football Conference–Freedom Division game.

The Blue Knights snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the division on the season. Montclair moved to 5-2 overall and 1-2 in the division.

Na’cir Ransom accounted for all four touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback completed six of eight passes for 158 yards with two TDs and one interception and he also ran for two TDs. Senior Kareem Corey had two catches for 46 yards and a TD, senior and Rhode Island commit Jasin Shiggs caught a 78-yard TD pass and senior Zakaa Brown had two catches for 21 yards. Senior Divine Ojugo had one catch for 13 yards.

Junior Malachi Dudley rushed 12 times for 68 yards, senior and Penn State commit Vaboue Toure had seven carries for 63 yards, Divine Ojugo had five carries for 23 yards and sophomore Jayden Herron had five carries for 12 yards.

Ransom scored on a 3-yard run and Alex Namfrack kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Ransom connected with Shiggs on the TD pass and Namfrack kicked the point-after in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead.

Ransom threw an 8-yard TD pass to Corey in the third quarter to make it 20-0. The extra-point kick failed.

Ransom closed out the scoring with another 3-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Namfrack kicked the extra point.

Defensively, Dudley had an interception.

The Blue Knights will visit Livingston on Friday, Oct. 13, in a divisional game at 7 p.m. Livingston is 1-6 overall and 0-3 in the division.

The Blue Knights are ranked No. 8 in North, Group 4 in the United Power Rankings. The top 16 team in the rankings will qualify for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s state playoffs that begin the weekend of Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28.