November 26, 2021
Imhotep Charter/for PhillyVoice
Imhotep Charter won District 12. Now they're looking for a state title.
Imhotep Charter coach Devon Johnson carries an even demeanor. During games, it’s Johnson who is the calming presence for the Panthers. Sure, he might get flustered over a penalty he felt shouldn’t have been called, like any football coach would.
But for the most part, Johnson is unflappable.
Mention Erie Cathedral Prep and that changes. There is a razor’s edge to his eyes. The reason why is easy. Imhotep could have been four-time state champions—if not for running into the Ramblers in the state finals from 2016 through 2018.
On Saturday at 3 p.m., in one of the best PIAA playoff games in the state, the District 12 champion Panthers (8-1), the No. 2 ranked in the area by PhillyVoice, will take a three-hour bus trip to meet District 10 champ Erie Cathedral Prep (11-1) at Bald Eagle Area High School in the PIAA Class 5A state quarterfinals.
The winner will play the District 1 Class 5A champion, played Friday night at No. 1 seed West Chester Rustin (11-1) and Strath Haven (12-1).
There hasn’t been a whole lot of respect paid to Imhotep from the western side of the state—nor its star, Enai White, the No. 1-ranked edge rusher in the nation. During the Panthers’ 12-6 victory over Pittsburgh Central Catholic on Aug. 27, fans and coaches alike were yelling "overrated" at White and Imhotep.
Compounding that, the Ramblers have crushed Imhotep’s dreams of being repeat state champions. After Imhotep won the 2015 3A state championship over Cathedral Prep, 40-3, the Ramblers beat Imhotep in three successive trips to the 5A state finals, in 2016, when the PIAA 6A system began, 27-20, in 2017, 38-28 and 2018, 38-7, when Cathedral tailback Billy Lucas carried 40 times for a state-championship record 287 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
“I was the defensive coordinator during that Billy Lucas [game] and it’s something that changed me as a coach,” Johnson said. “Cathedral Prep is a great team, a great program, that’s extremely well coached but it’s also a team that crushed our dreams.
“You mention Billy Lucas in our school and that’s like the boogieman. I look forward to seeing those guys again. It’s personal.”
The Ramblers have a ton of speed, led by Cathedral Prep senior tailback Michael Parks and explosive sophomore Suhtaun Lewis. The Panthers will also have their hands full with mammoth 6-foot-3, 243-pound junior left-handed quarterback Carter Barnes, who completed 9-of-16 passes for a career-best 277 yards, the first 200-yard passing game of his career, in the Ramblers’ 69-20 victory over East Stroudsburg South in the PIAA Class 5A state playoff game last Friday.
The Ramblers have outscored their three previous playoff opponents 167-51, including the 69-point explosion they dropped on Stroudsburg.
If Cathedral Prep doesn’t respect Imhotep Charter, the Ramblers may in a hurry. The Panthers demolished their previous two opponents by a combined 86-7 in winning the Philadelphia Public League 5A championship and District 12 title.
One thing is for certain: Cathedral Prep has not faced a pair of better defensive ends in 6-foot-5, 230-pound White, considered the nation’s No. 1 edge rusher who is considering Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas A&M, and Penn State-bound Keon Wylie. Imhotep’s first-team defense has not given up a point in November. In the Panthers’ 42-7 District 12 championship victory over Father Judge, they didn’t allow a first down until the final play of the third quarter.
“I heard back in August about being ‘overrated,’ so let them think that,” White said. “It’s why we played a tough schedule in the beginning of the season to prepare us for this. We owe a lot to the teams of the past here. We’re doing this for ourselves, but we’re also doing this for them, too.”
The Panthers have had their share of embarrassing loses to the west, like in 2013 when Imhotep lost to South Fayette, 41-0, in the 2A state finals, when South Fayette won the first of consecutive state titles. South Fayette has not won a state title since. The Panthers have been to the state finals four of the last six years.
“This team set out for a goal and made great sacrifices to reach it,” Johnson said. “We’ve made a lot of growth since September, and that came after playing Central Catholic, DeMatha and La Salle. This team was built and has the mindset to play in December.”
The PIAA 5A state championship may very well come down to who wins between Erie Cathedral Prep and Imhotep Charter.
District 1 6A No. 1 seed Garnet Valley (13-0) has never won a 6A district championship. Coatesville (12-1) has won four large-school district championships (1992 as a 4A, 2012 as a 4A and 2017 and 2018 as a 6A/North Penn holds the record as seven-time large school (4A and from 2016 6A) district championships). Garnet Valley was a three-peat 3A district champion (2005, 2006 and 2007).
The Jaguars host Coatesville at 7 p.m. on Friday with the winner possibly playing three-time defending 6A state champion St. Joseph’s Prep in the state semifinals the weekend of December 3-4.
Expect a very explosive offensive game. Garnet Valley is averaging 47 points a game in the district playoffs, while Coatesville is averaging 40.6. The Jaguars have great depth, Coatesville counters with great speed.
Garnet Valley is also playing for legendary coach Mike Ricci, who is in his last season as coach of the Jaguars.
Week of Nov. 26, 2021
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (9-2)
2. Imhotep Charter (8-1)
3. Garnet Valley (13-0)
4. La Salle (9-2)
5. Malvern Prep (8-2)
6. Cedar Creek (NJ) (12-0)
7. Coatesville (12-1)
8. Neumann-Goretti (12-1)
9. Millville (NJ) (11-1)
10. St. Augustine Prep (NJ) (9-2)
Under consideration: Quakertown (12-1), Winslow (NJ) (9-3), Woodbury (NJ) (12-0), St. Joseph (NJ) (9-3), Ocean City (NJ) (12-1), Ridley (11-2), West Chester Rustin (11-1), Strath Haven (12-1).
Week of Nov. 26, 2021
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (9-2)
2. Imhotep Charter (8-1)
3. Garnet Valley (13-0)
4. La Salle (9-2)
5. Malvern Prep (8-2)
6. Coatesville (12-1)
7. Neumann-Goretti (12-1)
8. West Chester Rustin (11-1)
9. Quakertown (12-1)
10. Ridley (11-2)
Under consideration: Strath Haven (12-1).
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who has been writing for PhillyVoice since its inception in 2015 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter here: @JSantoliquito.
