It looked very much like a high school pep rally with teachers and school security staff leading students to their seats as the Weequahic High School on Monday afternoon. The marching band played and the strutters strutted.
Newark ‘Real Talk’ Forum At Weequahic Returns For New School Year
One of Newark’s most relevant and straight-talking public forums is returning for the 2017-18 school year at Weequahic High School.
Weequahic’s Marching Band Recognized at Board Meeting for Winning First Place at National Band Competition in Florida
[Newark, NJ – June 28, 2017] The Weequahic High School Marching Band was presented with the 1st Place High School Parade Band, Class A Award in Orlando, Florida in May. The award recognizes the best high school marching bands in the nation. The marching band has received national honors in the past, winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd place honors in the same national competition over the last several years. This year’s performance was at ORLANDOFEST, the annual national high school marching band competition.
NPS Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf said, “The Weequahic High School Marching Band continues to represent their high school, Newark Public Schools and the city of Newark with distinction and honor, with their dedication to their craft and their high performance ability. They continue to carry the torch as one of the best marching bands in this nation. We are proud of their achievements.”
Board Chairman Marquis Aquil-Lewis said, “I am so proud of the student band members. They practice the Core Beliefs of the high school; namely, Every Student Can Achieve; Every Student Achieves when they develop self-esteem and self-advocacy skills; and Every Student Achieves in an environment that fosters high expectations.”
In addition to recognizing the band at the Board Meeting, board members also recognized the dedicated leadership of Band Director Michael Page, who this year is celebrating 20 years as Director; along with volunteer alumni Darryl Taylor, who has volunteered for 30 years, his son Maurice Taylor, who has volunteered for 10 years as drum line instructor and Jamal Littles, who has volunteered for 15 years as horn line instructor. Also recognized was Principal Lisa McDonald and the staff whose continuous support, guidance, mentorship and encouragement have allowed band members to achieve national recognition as one of the best bands in the nation.
Shabazz vs. Weequahic – A Rivalry for the Ages Duel in Football Championship
By Barry Carter | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Damon Holmes, principal of Newark’s Malcolm X Shabazz High School, had no intention of delivering the Soul Bowl trophy to Weequahic High School, the crosstown rival.
He wasn’t being a sore loser. He just figured one turn deserved another in this decades-old competitive relationship.
When his football team won last year’s Thanksgiving Day game, Holmes said Weequahic Principal Lisa McDonald told him that she wasn’t bringing the trophy to his school.
Well, you know what happened this year.
“She has to come and get it, like I had to come and get it,” Holmes said.
And she did on Tuesday, collecting the massive trophy after her Weequahic Indians (11-0) defeated the Shabazz Bulldogs — 22-8 — during the annual game for bragging rights last Thursday.
Friendly rivals do this kind of stuff to needle each other. But what will happen Saturday is anybody’s guess, when the schools face off for the first time in the North 2 Group 1 state football championship at Kean University in Union.
Holmes and McDonald haven’t waged a bet on the big game as mayors of rival cities often do. But the two, along with alumni, students and staff, have been doing their share of trash-talking.
“Don’t say nothing when you give it (trophy) back to me next week,” Holmes told McDonald.
“I told him we were going to deliver a beat down,” she said.
Both are friends and graduates of Ohio’s Bowling Green State University and worked in the same Cleveland school district and at the same school. McDonald was the principal of Glenville High School and Holmes was the social studies teacher.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Shabazz students, players and alumni are ready.
“The Thanksgiving game is for the alumni,” said 17-year-old Elijah Muhammad, a wide receiver and strong safety. “But this game, this is what counts.”
Their opponents are keeping the message simple and plain.
“We’re going to let our pads do the talking,” said Messiah Williams, 18, a Weequahic linebacker.
Shabazz won the state championship in 2014, having gone to the finals three times in last four years, including this year. Weequahic, which last won the championship in 2006, has been to the big dance four times in the last six years, including this year.
“It’s a different season now,” said Shabazz coach Darnell Grant. “Bragging rights happen every year, but this is a crowning achievement.”
Weequahic coach Brian Logan said last week’s game had more value than the yearly one-upmanship contest. The North Jersey Super Football Conference Division Championship was on the line.
“They were trying to win, too,” Logan said. “I’m looking forward to bringing that trophy back to Weequahic.”
On the sidelines, the jaw jacking that goes on between the faithful at both schools is just as intense.
Donald Massey Jr., a strength trainer for Shabazz’s football team, can’t escape the verbal jabs from Weequahic staff and students. He’s the security guard at the school.
“All year, I’ve been catching it from them,” Massey said.
And Tuesday was no different. Jonathan Pollard, an algebra teacher, told Massey that Weequahic would dominate.
“You’ll be lucky if you get 15 points,” Pollard said.
Massey fired back, questioning Pollard’s logic and, more importantly, his loyalty.
Pollard graduated from Shabazz in 2004, so how can he root for Weequahic?
“I have love for these students,” he said. “I’ve watched them grow up from freshman to seniors. Now, it’s their time.”
On Saturday, he’ll be wearing Weequahic’s orange and brown, not the black and gold of his alma mater.
The color switch is not unusual. Shabazz running back Quameer Scott, 17, did it three years ago. He played for Weequahic as a freshman, but changed schools, and said he was more at home in the black and gold.
“I was always a bulldog,” Quameer said.
The entanglement of loyalties, however, doesn’t end there.
In 2006, when Weequahic won the state championship, the coach was Altarik White, a Shabazz graduate.
Faheem Ellis, the Shabazz High School vice principal, is a Weequahic graduate.
“Traitor, traitor,” joked Joanne Williams, a 1984 Weequahic graduate, when she saw Ellis on Thursday in City Hall at a press conference about the game.
Regardless of how you slice it, allegiance to both South Ward schools is strong.
Joe Brevard, a 1976 Shabazz alumni who played football for the school, said six of his teammates are coming to Saturday’s game — from Georgia, Maryland and North Carolina.
“It’s that black and gold,” he said. “Bulldog nation.” Hassan Arbubakrr attended both schools — freshman and sophomore years at Shabazz — but aligns himself with Weequahic after graduating there in 1979.
“I bleed orange and brown, and black and gold,” said Arbubakrr, a former Weequahic offensive end who went onto play for two NFL teams.
On the field, it’s strictly business when the teams compete. But when the game is over, this generation of players say they remain friends — following an example set by players and alumni before them.
It’s a bond rooted in the Soul Bowl, which is more like a reunion of old friends.
“It’s nothing but love,” said Mark Green, a 1972 Shabazz graduate. “It’s nothing but good old-fashioned, Indian-Bulldog love.”
The game on Saturday won’t be any different.
Pep rallies are planned at each school Friday. And, on Thursday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka honored both coaches at City Hall, telling them that it’s difficult to root for one over the other.
“Let everybody know that Newark is in the house,” he said.
One of these teams will prevail and, unfortunately, one is going to lose.
But city pride makes winners of both teams and Newark.
Barry Carter: 973-836-4925 or bcarter@nullnjadvancemedia.com or nj.com/carter follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL
Weequahic Indians Football in Pursuit of Excellence
The Weequahic High School Indians football program is rated one of the top Group I football team in the state of New Jersey. They have qualified for the State Playoffs 5 out of 6 seasons, and made it to the championship game in 3 consecutive seasons. The team currently leads the NJ State Football Conference National Red Division with a (9-0) record.
Weequahic is led by a highly talented senior dominate roster on both sides of the ball. The offense is led by quarterback Tymen Sampson who has 24 touchdowns(18 passing/6 rushing) to his credit. Sampson’s main passing targets are speedster Ihmir Marsette (who is also a member of the Weequahic National Champions Shuttle Hurdles relay team) has 13 touchdowns this season and Jihad Alexander, a 3 year starter and a huge target with 5 touchdowns. The running game is led by Carl Waston III with 750 rushing yards and Paul Drayton with 575 yards of his own. The defense is ranked top in the division allowing an average of 9 points per game. The leaders are Messiah Williams(66 tackles and 11 sacks) who was voted the top defender of week 9 by Max Prep and Christian Roper who leads the team with 91 tackles and 12 sacks. The defense also leads the conference in the fewest touchdowns against the pass. They are led by the all senior defensive backfield with Tymen Sampson and Jihad Alexander at safety and cornerbacks Ali Beh and Ihmir Marsette.
This years team is the best Coach Brian K. Logan has had during his tenure at Weequahic. Coach Logan said “We are solid in every position; we do not have to depend on a few to carry the load”.
Coach Logan, a Weequahic Alum (Class of 1982), achieved his 100th career win on Friday, November 11, 2016 by defeating Roselle Park 44-18. Coach Logan is one of only two coaches in NPS history to achieve this milestone. Coach Frank Verducci from Barringer High School in 1985 was the other.
Weequahic will continue its quest to be crowned state champs when they host Hoboken High School in the NJSIAA North II Group I Semi-Finals playoff game at Weequahic Untermann Field on November 18, 2016. Kick-off is at 7:00 pm. The winner will play for the Championship on December 2, 2016 at Kean University.
Weequahic will also host Malcolm X Shabazz in the 9th Annual Soul Bowl which is for the NJSFC National Red Division title. The game will take place on Thursday, November 24, 2016 (Thanksgiving Day) at Untermann Field at 10:30 am.
Weequahic High School Track Teams Have Winning Season
The time was a US #1 time for the 2016 season!
Jim Lambert For The Star-Ledger
The Weequahic boys inched closer to the state and national records in the boys shuttle hurdles with another blazing performance at the 46th East Coast Relays on Monday in Randolph.
Using a different order than usual, junior Ihmir Marsette led off with a 14.2, senior James Jean followed with a 14.3, senior Stephan Hughes then went 14.2, and sophomore Isaiah Greene anchored in 14.2 as Weequahic stopped the clock at 56.86.
The 56.86 is the second fastest time in N.J. history, No. 4 in U.S. history, a meet record, and the fastest time in the nation this season.
Weequahic’s 56.86 broke the meet record of 56.88 set in 1988 by Camden Wilson, just missed the state record of 56.63 set by Union Catholic when it won the New Balance National title, and is very close to the national record of 56.32 set in 2004 by Westside of South Carolina.
Weequahic dropped nearly a second off its previous best time this season of 57.82, which it ran at the Blue Devil Classic in Westfield last month.
“We wanted to touch 56 today and get a glimpse of what that feels like and then go back and work on some more things to get faster,” said Marsette.
