Jersey Heat High School cross-country runners win state title

IRVINGTON – On Nov. 1, the Irvington-based Jersey Heat High School boy athletes became the USATF New Jersey Association state champions in a 5k division during the organization’s first round of the cross-country national series.

Each athlete on the scoring team earned a patch to symbolize/mark their achievement.  The team was led by Irvington High School sophomore Nehemie Estil Duprevil, who placed second overall in the 17-18-year-old young men’s division. Also placing in the same division was IHS senior Craig Bradley, who placed seventh overall in his first-ever cross-country postseason appearance.

In the other half of the High School Boys Division, Chuckie Moses, II, a junior at Essex County Vocational Schools Newark Tech Campus, was the first Jersey Heat athlete to come in. He was fourth overall in the 15-16-year-old Boys Division. Following Moses were IHS sophomores Marvin Val and Terrell Williams, who finished sixth and seventh, respectively. The five young men together scored and ascertained the state title as a High School Boys Division team.

Also medaling that day was Florence Avenue Elementary School fourth-grader Jamir Brown in the 9-10-year-old boys division. Rounding out the squad for Jersey Heat that day, both also making their first appearances at a cross-country postseason competition, were IHS freshman Sebastin Val and Great Oaks Charter School eighth-grader Ja’Nay Brown.

All of the athletes are now scheduled for round 2 (Region 2 Championships) of the USATF Series being contested in Chili (Rochester area), N.Y. on Sat., Nov. 21. However, due to financial restraints, the team has decided to discontinue the USATF cross-country series and to focus their attention on the AAU cross-country nationals being contested at Oakville Indian Mounds in Danville (Decatur area), Ala. on Saturday, Dec. 5. Unfortunately, due to academic commitments, four of the athletes will not be able to attend AAU meet, but the Jersey Heat Club is sure the remaining athletes who are scheduled to compete will properly represent Jersey Heat and the township of Irvington.

Anyone needing more information about the Jersey Heat Track Club program can contact Coach Michele Jones-Loring at 973-757-2537 or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jerseyheattc.  Anyone who would like to make a donation to the non-profit club can do so at http://www.gofundme.com/jerseyheattc2015xc.