RVINGTON, NJ – Despite coming up one win short of its goal of winning the program’s first-ever state championship, the Irvington High School varsity football team can still take pride in posting yet another great season.
Playing in its second ever state sectional final, the third-seeded Blue Knights lost at top-seeded Phillipsburg, 42-7, Saturday night, Nov. 17, at Maloney Stadium at Phillipsburg in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 state playoff championship game.
Head coach “Smoke” Pierre’s team finished its seKayon with an 8-4 record. In each of Pierre’s three seasons at the helm, the Blue Knights have won eight games. In addition, they have made it further in the playoffs in each of those seasons.
In Saturday’s title game, Phillipsburg took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 1-yard run.
Irvington tied it 7-7 as sophomore Zahir Salaam scored on a 47-yard catch-and-run on third down-and-20.
Phillipsburg returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown for a 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Phillipsburg scored two more TDs in the second quarter for a 28-7 halftime lead. Phillipsburg produced a TD in the third and fourth quarters to end the scoring, improving to 10-1 on the season and winning its eighth sectional title in program history.
The Blue Knights were looking to avenge last year’s 21-20 loss to Phillipsburg in the North 2, Group 4 playoffs semifinals. In the game, the Blue Knights went for the potential game-winning two-point conversion, but fell short to finish 8-3.
The Blue Knights started off 2-3 this season, with losses to Union City, Ridgewood and Bergen Catholic. All three of those foes were eventual finalists in their respective state sectional playoffs, with Ridgewood (North 1, Group 5) and Bergen Catholic (Non-Public Group 4) both winning their title games, while Union City was runner-up in North 2, Group 5.
The Blue Knights, who clinched their second straight Super Football Conference-Freedom White Division title, rallied to beat sixth-seeded West Morris, 28-16, with three late fourth-quarter touchdowns on Nov. 2 at IHS. The Blue Knights then upset second-seeded Randolph, 20-17, on junior placekicker Clervency Prince’s 33-yard field goal in double overtime on Nov. 9 in Randolph.
In 2016, No. 2 seed Irvington lost to No. 7 Randolph, 13-12, in the quarterfinals of the North 1, Group 4 playoffs after being denied on the potential game-winning two-point conversion.
In 2006, Irvington played in its first state sectional championship game, but lost to New Brunswick, 18-14, in North 2, Group 3 at Rutgers Stadium.
The sectional final was originally scheduled for Friday night, Nov. 16, but was rescheduled for Saturday after the Nov. 15 snow storm caused unplayable conditions at Phillipsburg’s field.
Philipsburg advanced to MetLife to face North 1 champion Wayne Hills in an NJSIAA Bowl Game at a date and time to be announced. This marks the first year of the Bowl Games,which pit North 1 vs. North 2 champs and the Central vs. South Jersey champions.
Photos by Steve Ellmore
Irvington (white uniforms) vs. Phillipsburg
North 2, Group 4 state sectional final, Nov. 17
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