Imani Christian dominates Springdale in shortened game

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 1, 2018 | 11:37 PM

Previous Next

Previous Next

After scoring 118 points through its first six quarters to start the season, it appears sunny skies, high humidity and 88-degree temperatures are the only things that can stop WPIAL Class A No. 2-ranked Imani Christian.

Following a half of football that took every bit of 1 hour, 40 minutes to get through because of multiple water breaks, the coaches from Imani and Springdale met in front of the bleachers during halftime and decided to call it a game as players from both teams suffered from heat-related injuries during the first half. The Saints downed Springdale, 38-0, in the teams’ Eastern Conference opener at Wilkinsburg’s Graham Field early Saturday afternoon.

“We just decided that it wasn’t worth it with the score the way it was,” Springdale coach Seth Napierkowski said. “(Imani) had a couple of guys leave for heat exhaustion, and we had a handful of guys that were cramping up with heat. For safety issues, it really wasn’t worth it to keep playing this game even with the shortened quarters and the running clock. It really didn’t make any sense.”

Once the clouds gave way to full sunshine, temperatures took off. Imani had a player go down with heat exhaustion late in the first quarter and had to be taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

“The heat plays a role, and today it was based on the safety of the kids,” Imani coach Ronnell Heard said. “I tell my kids all the time that I love this game, but I don’t love it enough to lose anyone to it.”

The game that started with a quick strike from Imani (2-0, 1-0) quarterback Israel Reed to receiver Dashaun Wright for a 23-yard touchdown. It ended with both teams looking gassed near midfield and Reed taking a knee to end the first half.

Reed and Wright hooked up for 54-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter to bring the score to 30-0. Reed finished the game 6 for 16 with 132 yards passing and two touchdowns against a quality Springdale (0-1, 0-1) secondary.

“Israel Reed is one of the best quarterbacks in the WPIAL,” Heard said. “He plays lights-out, is very accurate and very few turnovers. (Then) you add a guy like Dashaun Wright, who is easily a 4.2 (in the 40-yard dash) and he flies all over the field and he’s not afraid of anything.”

The Springdale offense had its moments and despite a few big plays by Imani, there was a sense that if the Dynamo offense could generate a few big plays and get on the board the game’s momentum could swing in Springdale’s direction.

The Dynamos’ longest play from scrimmage came at the beginning of the second quarter, when quarterback Josh Jones spotted a wide-open Christian Vokes for a 22-yard gain.

Jones struggled against the speedy Saints.

He finished 4 for 8 for 30 yards and two interceptions.

The Dynamos turned the ball over five times, including on every second-quarter possession.

“Offensively, it starts with linemen and getting off the ball and that’s where we have to get better at and we will over the next week,” Napierkowski said. “We got a lot of young guys that got a lot of playing time today, and if they take this experience and learn from it, we’ll be better in the long run.”

One of the those Springdale turnovers led to an Imani score late in the first quarter, when Wright took a handoff and sprinted down the Springdale sideline for a 47-yard touchdown and a 22-0 lead.

“I tell people all the time that our defense gets overshadowed by our offense because our offense is so special,” Heard said. “Hands down, we have the best defense in single A.”

Wright did most of his damage as a receiver. He pulled in three catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

Last week’s standout, Rahmon Hart Jr., a Ball State recruit, finished with three catches for 39 yards. Running back Juaron Thompson led all rushers with 126 yards on 12 carries and scored the game’s final touchdown on a 6-yard touchdown run with just more than 3 minutes remaining.

“We’re really young, and we only have four seniors on this team and we got guys that are getting valuable experience that are going to be here for the next few years,” Napierkowski said.

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Imani Christian, Springdale