Irvington HS girls bowling team takes second place at Essex County Tournament

EAST HANOVER, NJ  — The Irvington High School girls bowling team enjoyed a great showing at the Essex County Tournament on Feb. 3 at Hanover Lanes in East Hanover.

The team finished in second place overall behind Nutley in the girls’ team standings.

For decades, the IHS bowling team was co-ed. This season, IHS Athletic Director Dr. John Taylor created separate boys and girls teams. Myles Hart is the head coach for both teams.

The IHS girls team finished 89-37 in the Super Essex Conference play, finishing third in its division. The girls went on a tear in the last few weeks of season, rising in the conference standings to third, Hart noted. “Two of the bowlers, including finalist Yatabou Njie, never bowled a game in their life up until this year,” Hart said.

Njie and teammate Anna Manu also  qualified for Essex County Individual tournament on Feb. 5 at Hanover Lanes.

“The girls are slowly learning  to take a social activity like bowling and make it into a competitive adventure,” said Hart of the girls team. “They were in third or fourth place going into the last game of the county tourney. I said to them, ‘Hit a 600 series you’ll win second place.’ They got 602!”