ROXBURY, NJ — The Irvington High School football team was on the verge of reaching the state sectional championship.
Against an undefeated and top-seeded Roxbury High School team, the fourth-seeded Blue Knights had a 12-0 lead in the third quarter.
But Roxbury dashed Irvington’s hopes, scoring two unanswered touchdowns en route to a 15-12 victory in the semifinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state playoffs on Friday night, Nov. 3, at Roxbury.
The Blue Knights, who had a four-game winning streak entering the game, ended the season with a 6-5 overall record. Roxbury improved to 11-0 and will host No. 2 seed Mount Olive (10-1) in the championship game on Friday, Nov. 10.
Irvington took a 6-0 halftime lead after sophomore quarterback Na’cir Ransom connected with senior and Rhode Island commit Jasin Shiggs for a 15-yard touchdown pass. The extra-point kick was missed.
The Blue Knights extended it to 12-0 in the third quarter when senior and Penn State commit Vaboue Toure scored on a 10-yard run, following Shiggs’ big second-half kickoff return. The ensuing two-point conversion run failed.
Roxbury cut it to 12-7 when Jahmani Miller scored on a 3-yard run later in the third quarter.
Roxbury scored the game-winner in the fourth quarter. On fourth down-and-three, Roxbury quarterback Anthony Skawinski found tight end Connor Patton for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Skawinski hit Colin Richter on the ensuing two-point conversion pass. The Blue Knights had a chance to tie or take the lead late in the game. Irvington faced fourth down-and-three at the Roxbury 18-yard line with 1:43 left in regulation. Before the play, Irvington was called for an illegal substitution penalty, putting the ball at the 23-yard line and making it fourth down-and-8. Roxbury stopped the Blue Knights from getting the first down on a running play, taking over possession and sealing the game.
Ransom passed for 80 yards on four of 15 attempts. Toure finished with seven carries for 34 yards, senior Kareem Corey had six carries for 24 yards and he had one catch for 20 yards, junior Malachi Dudley had six carries for 13 yards and Shiggs had one carry for 5 yards and he finished with two catches for 32 yards. Senior Jahide Lesaine had one catch for 28 yards.
Defensively, senior linebacker Rashad Williams had one interception, Lesaine had 1.5 sacks.
The Blue Knights were 2-4 before reeling off four straight wins, which included three shutouts to end the regular season. Irvington overall had four shutout victories.
Ashley “Smoke” Pierre completed his eighth season as the IHS head coach. He has led the Blue Knights to two North 2, Group 4 final appearances, including the program’s first sectional title in 2021. His overall record is an impressive 63-25 for a .716 winning percentage, which includes four eight-win seasons (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022) and two seven-win seasons (2019 and 2020). In 2021, Irvington beat Middletown South, 28-13, in the sectional final at home and then won the North Jersey, Group 4 state regional title with a 19-14 win over Northern Highlands at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium to cap an 11-2 season.
In 2018, Pierre’s third year at the helm, Irvington reached the North 2, Group 4 final, only its second-ever sectional final. But the Blue Knights lost at Phillipsburg, 42-7, to finish 8-4. Irvington’s first sectional final was in 2006. Irvington lost to New Brunswick, 18-14, in the North 2, Group 3 final at Rutgers University.
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