Irvington HIgh School junior Clervency Prince, shown in the win over Millburn, kicked the game-winning 33-yard field goal in double overtime against Randolph in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals on Friday, Nov. 9. The Blue Knights are looking to win their first state championship.
IRVINGTON, NJ – For the second week in a row, the Irvington High School football team pulled off a thrilling comeback win in the state playoffs.
The reward is a trip to the state championship game.
Junior kicker Clervency Prince kicked a 33-yard field goal in double overtime to lift the third-seeded Blue Knights to a 20-17 victory over second-seeded Randolph in the semifinals of the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 state playoffs on a rainy Friday night, Nov. 9, at Randolph.
The Blue Knights, who erased a 17-3 halftime deficit, won their sixth straight game to improve to 8-3 and advanced to the championship game against top-seeded Phillipsburg this Friday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m.
Phillipsburg defeated fifth-seeded Cranford, 21-0, in the other semifinal Nov. 10 at home for its sixth straight win to improve to 9-1.
The Blue Knights are looking to win their first state playoff championship. IHS will appear in its second state sectional final since the current NJSIAA playoff format began in 1974. Irvington’s first sectional final appearance was in 2006 in North 2, Group 3 when it lost to New Brunswick, 18-14, at Rutgers Stadium.
Irvington avenged the 13-12 loss to Randolph in the North 1, Group 4 quarterfinals in 2016, the first season for current IHS head football coach “Smoke” Pierre. Irvington, the No. 2 seed, elected for the potential game-winning two-point conversion following a touchdown, but the conversion failed.
It will be deja vu for the Blue Knights when they meet Phillipsburg. Last year in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals, No. 1 seed Phillipsburg beat No. 4 seed Irvington, 21-20, after Irvington went for the potential game-winning two-point conversion, but came up short.
Irvington’s playoff history with Phillipsburg also includes the 2008 North 2, Group 3 semifinals in which Phillipsburg beat the top-seeded Blue Knights, led by future NFL player Josh Evans, 13-6, in a game that was played at Untermann Field due to poor field conditions at IHS, which had a grass field.
In Friday’s semifinal, Randolph took a 7-0 lead just 32 seconds into the game on a 46-yard touchdown run by Anthony Sofia.
Prince kicked a 33-yard field goal just five seconds into the second quarter to cut it to 7-3.
Randolph answered on Matt Kuntz’s 7-yard TD run for a 14-3 lead with 9:13 left in the half.
After Randolph recovered an Irvington fumble, John Rodriguez kicked a 27-yard field goal to extend it to 17-3 with 3:17 remaining in the half.
But the Blue Knights took charge in the second half. Junior quarterback Taiyon Battle started the comeback with a 28-yard TD run. Irvington’s two-point conversion was successful to cut it to 17-11 with 6:22 left in the third quarter.
Junior running back Zakee Swann tied it 17-17 just 23 seconds into the fourth quarter with a 73-yard TD run. The two-point conversion failed.
The game remained tied and went into overtime. Randolph took possession first, but Irvington junior cornerback Zalyn Smith intercepted a pass in the end zone.
On Irvington’s drive in overtime, Prince attempted a field goal, but it fell short as the game went to a second overtime.
The Blue Knights were first to take possession in the second overtime and scored on Prince’s field goal.
Randolph needed a field goal to tie to extend it to a third overtime, or a TD to win. Randolph tried a 23-yard field goal, but the attempt failed, as the Blue Knights held on for the victory.
Randolph fell to 9-2.
It was the second straight comeback for the Blue Knights. In the quarterfinals, Irvington trailed sixth-seeded West Morris, 16-7, with under seven minutes left in the game before rallying for three quick touchdowns for a 28-16 win at home on Nov. 2. In that fourth-quarter spurt, Battle scored on a run before Irvington’s special teams and defense scored TDs on a blocked punt return and an interception return.
Irvington (8-3)
August 31, Won, Orange, 30-6
Sept. 7, Loss, Union City, 34-10
Sept. 14, Loss, at Ridgewood, 34-12
Sept. 22, Won, at Millburn, 44-17
Sept. 29, Loss, at Bergen Catholic, 47-7
Oct. 5, Won, North Bergen, 41-20
Oct. 13, Won, at Ferris, 38-0
Oct. 20, Won, Barringer, 24-6
Oct. 26, Won, Montclair, 34-21
Nov. 2, Won, (6) West Morris, 28-16*
Nov. 9, Won at (2) Randolph, 20-17 (2 OT)*
*NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 state playoffs. Irvington is (3) seed
Editor’s note: This article was updated to include Irvington’s opponent in the sectional final, Phillipsburg. The second update includes the date and time of the sectional final.
Irvington High School sophomore Zahir Salaam carries the ball in the 28-16 win over West Morris in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals on Nov. 2 at IHS.
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