Imani Christian trips California
Tri-State Sports & News Service
The previous time Imani Christian took on California, it was on a steamy September day pushing 90 degrees. But it was cold and frigid when they met again Friday night, making the summer meeting seemlike a distant memory.
But the Saints didn’t forget it.
Imani Christian avenged an earlier loss to the Trojans bystuffing their powerful running game Friday night and leaving Peters Township with a 30-24 WPIAL Class A semifinalvictory.
The win sets up a championship showdown with Jeannette at noon next Saturday at RobertMorris.
Backup quarterback Isreal Reed shined in the second half, completing 6 of 7 passes for 128 yards, including a 26yard strike to Raymond Jackson.“We really wanted this rematch and we really prepared for it,” Reed said. “We executed, man, that’s it. We really cametogether as a team”
The Saints were shut out in the second and third quarters, but put up 14 in the deciding fourth quarter to keep the charging Trojans, who scored 15in the fourth, at bay. In addition to Reed’s touchdown pass, Asante Watkins ran it in from8 yards.
“I just know, in that situation, we had to get touchdowns. We had to convert,” Reedsaid.
Starter Tawan Wesley also hada good game.
He connected on 15 of 20 passes for 171 yards. including first-half touchdowns to Samuel Fairley and Rahmon HartJr.
Wesley was shaken up and left the game for a series in the second half. The Saints usually mix it up and give Reed some snaps at quarterback in games.
“We’re very lucky to have two great athletes at quarterback,but it also makes us very hard to defend,” Imani coach Ronnell Heard said. “Those two guys offer some of the same things and some differentthings.”
California’s running game led by Jelani Stafford was stifled by Imani’s quick defense. The Trojans had 11 plays that went for negative yardage. Stafford, a 263-pound running back who ran wild in the first meeting, was held to 26 yardson eight carries.
“We took that away from them and forced them to do otherstuff,” Heard said.
Most of California’s offense came through the air. Colin Phillips threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns, both in thefourth quarter.
Cochise Ryan accounted for 149 of those yards and both touchdowns.
The Saints’ high-flying offense was on display from the get-go. Wesley dropped a nice deep ball into the hands of Fairley for a 38-yard strike to startthe scoring.
On the next Imani possession, Wesley struck again. He lobbed a pass down the right sideline and Hart cut in front of his defender to haul in a 25yardpass.
The Trojans came up with a sack of Wesley in the end zone in the second quarter for asafety.
But later they could not capitalize on their best scoring opportunity of the first half as Dustin Mock missed a 36-yard field goal as it veered left.