Irvington HS football team is No. 1 seed in North 1, Group 4 sectional playoffs; seeks sectional and regional titles for second year in a row

IRVINGTON, NJ — The Irvington High School football team begins its quest to win the Group 4 state sectional and regional championships for the second year in a row.

The Blue Knights, seeded No. 1, will host No. 8 seed Sayreville in the quarterfinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state playoffs on Friday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m.

The winner will face the winner between No. 4 seed Northern Highlands and No. 5 seed Montgomery in the semifinals.

The Blue Knights, under seventh-year head coach Ashley “Smoke” Pierre, are 7-2 on the season after beating West Orange, 27-18, on Friday, Oct. 21, at West Orange.

Last season, the Blue Knights were the top seed In the North 2, Group 4 state sectional playoffs and defeated No. 8 seed Linden, 11-6, in the quarterfinals; No. 5 seed Colonia, 14-7, in the semifinals; and No. 2 seed Middletown South, 28-13, in the final, all at Irvington. Irvington then defeated North 1 champion Northern Highlands, 19-14, in the North Group 4 regional championship at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium in Piscataway to cap an 11-2 campaign.

It was the Blue Knights’ first state sectional championship. It was also the Blue Knights’ third-ever appearance in a state sectional title game. 

Leading the Blue Knights are senior receiver/defensive back Adon Shuler, senior receiver Nasir Addison, senior receiver Famah Toure, senior running back Kyshir Desir, junior defensive back Vaboue Toure, junior quarterback CJ Pittman, senior linebacker Zaahmir Anderson, senior offensive and defensive lineman Tyler Wint and senior offensive and defensive lineman Tyrese George.

This season, the state public playoffs will go beyond the regional championships. The regional champions will now face one another in group state public championship games.

Here are the projected playoff matchups in North 1, Group 4.

• No. 8 seed Sayreville, 4-4 record, at No. 1 seed Irvington, 7-2 record.
• No. 7 seed Woodbridge, 4-5 record, at No. 2 seed Ramapo, 6-2 record.
• No. 6 seed Roxbury, 5-3 record, at No. 3 seed Ridge, 6-2 record.
• No. 5 Montgomery, 7-2 record, at No. 4 seed Northern Highlands, 5-3 record.

Here are Irvington’s season results.

• Aug. 26: win, at Woodbridge, 20-7
• Sept. 2: win, Millville, at Rutgers University, 25-17
• Sept. 9: win, vs. East Orange Campus, 27-21, double overtime
• Sept. 17: win, vs. Columbia, 40-0
• Sept. 24: loss, at Seton Hall Prep, 28-20
• Sept. 30: loss, at Union City, 19-15
• Oct. 8: win, vs. Montclair, 22-21
• Oct. 13: win, vs. Livingston, 52-7
• Oct. 21: win, at West Orange, 27-18.

Photo Courtesy of Felicia Laguerre Owens

  Irvington High School football