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Imhotep goes Back to 5A Championship for Second Year in a Row with 21-14 Win

Tagged under: District 1, District 12, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs

| December 3, 2022

Attendance of at least 1,000, two battle-tested teams only one leaving with a win. Upper Dublin came out intimidating the Panthers with a sign that would only make Tep even more ready for the game. Before the match started UD came out 14-0 only allowing 7 points in the entire playoffs and ran through a sign saying “Here Kitty Kitty”. Tep came into the game with an eight-game win streak and a 55-7 win, they had the most confidence a team could have seen. While Tep’s offense started hot, the game came down to one final play.

“That was pretty good I didn’t see that honestly but that was pretty good; I tip my hat to that, that was a good troll right there we didn’t see it I wish I would have that would have gave us more motivation but I didn’t see it that’s a good one though” – Coach Devon Johnson on the sign Upper Dublin came through. While he thought it was funny other players thought it wasn’t.

“They had to regret that I mean we don’t tolerate disrespect so when you show us disrespect we got something for you”- Qb Mikal Davis said about the sign as he lead his team with the 3 touchdowns on the day.

“Disrespectful, complete disrespectful”- Defensive end Mysir Mayo’s thoughts on the sign. In the end, though the anger that Mayo had would result in his final play.

Tep didn’t start the game with the ball but would score first. After Non-stop pressure they forced a punt and started their first drive at their own 37. In only two plays Dual-Threat QB Davis took off spinning out of a hit at the 46 and he just took off. Stride for stride foot in front of foot down the field for 61 yards opened up the game for Tep. In the first two plays, Tep had scored the same amount of points that UD had let up all playoffs. Only one minute and fifty-one seconds into the game Tep were already up 7-0. On UD’s next drive Tep’s defense was dominating this “complete team” in Upper Dublin. An out-of-reach pass lead to the ball being tipped right into the hands of Tep’s safety Rahmir Stewart for a pick. Stewart would bring that ball back to UD’s 39 with 9:13 remaining. The drive ended up getting nothing and UD took over, they moved the ball to a 2nd and goal before the quarter ended with Tep up 7-0.

“I’m looking at the ID, if he moves to our receiver I’m running but in my head, I’m like just don’t get caught”- Davis said when asked about what he thinks before his 61-yard touchdown.

Upper Dublin started the second in 2nd and goal but their drive ended miserably. A batted-up pass went straight into the arms of linebacker Raheem Reid. Upper Dublin’s QB Colin O’Sullivan started the game with 4 picks in 14 games but now had 2 picks in just 2 quarters. Tep started their next drive at their eight-yard line. Both teams battled throughout the second. Punting back and forth neither team could score. UD couldn’t tie the game and Tep couldn’t pull away, at least they couldn’t pull away until the last few minutes in the half. Davis would find Corey Wright-Downing flying down the side of the field catching and falling into the endzone. Tep pushed the score to 14-0 with 1:17 remaining in the half. The half ended with Tep getting the ball back on a punt, they started their final drive with 5 seconds left; took a knee, and went to the lockers up 14-0.

The second half is where the game became a classic. Tep would start the 2nd half with the ball, in their first drive, they went down the field wasting time. In a thirteen-play drive Davis got the ball into the endzone the Jalen Hurts way. Tep piled the up behind him and pushed him into the endzone. Davis got his third score of the day and Tep’s final score of the game in the first drive of the second half. Tep led 21-0 with 8:40 remaining in the third. By now the game looked over, Upper Dublin couldn’t move the ball on Tep’s defense, but they found something that was working. A bunch of quick passes helped get the ball out before any pressure could get to O’Sullivan. Upper Dublin finally was able to get on the board in a quick four-yard flat route to Griffin Pensabene. Upper Dublin still was down 21-7 with 3:02 remaining in the third but they finally showed life.

The quarter ended with Tep up 21-7 but Upper Dublin in a 2nd and 7. Throughout the fourth Tep’s offense slowed down and kept going three and out on many drives while Upper Dublin showed life. Both teams went back and forth up until the 5-minute mark in the game. UD cut the lead down the 7 with a 14-yard strike by Djevanni Cerisier. By now we had a game. Early in the game, it was all Tep, now it was all Upper Dublin. UD forced a huge stop, Davis taking another huge hit in the pocket led to an incomplete pass and a punt which got the ball back over to UD at their 27 with 3:26 remaining in the game.

“I’m cool, you know I’m a big guy those hits don’t really affect me but you know I have to fight through them, I mean a big hit’s a big hit”- Davis said when asked about all the hits he took in the pocket.

Upper Dublin started moving down the field at tremendous speed getting all the way to Tep’s 25 in just under two minutes. Two straight incomplete passes and a flag made a 1st and 10, a 3rd and 23. Upper Dublin could not surrender just a field goal at this time. Eleven-yard pass made it a 4th and 12. One final play for Upper Dublin, they must get the first or a touchdown. O’Sullivan could not handle the snap dropping the ball and with the pocket collapsing, O’Sullivan took a huge hit knocking his helmet off. Mayo broke through getting past the line and making the game-winning sack. Tep took over at their 37 with just 1:28 remaining. Now the game wasn’t over fully yet UD still had their timeouts. RB Jabree Wallace-Coleman was kept in check all game but when UD needed to the most they couldn’t. Wallace-Coleman pushed his way forward for the needed yards securing Imhotep’s win and bringing them back to the PIAA 5-A finals for the second year in a row.

“I seen they had made a mistake during the bad snap and I just gotta take the opportunity and make a big play and send them away,” said Mayo on his game-winning sack. “We just gotta get a big stop make a big-time play. We a big team we gotta make a big-time play send them home state championship next week we gone go all the way” Mayo followed up with when asked about the final drive’s pressure.

“I mean we been in games like this before you know like a lot of the games we played early on in the season were nail-biters but I’m just happy that they found a way to win rather than find a way to lose like we did earlier on in the season; I mean we wanted to be a lot more cleaner than that but I mean at the end of the day a win in December is always a good thing” Coach Johnson says when asked about the second close win in these playoffs.

“Really just keep fighting we compete every day in practice I over-penalize our defense for moments like this in practice it’s just that fight that championship heart you know that will to win; I’m just glad those guys didn’t give up there’s plenty of times during that game they could’ve gave up but it shows the fight that they got in them and the hunger and the way they play for one another so I’m just proud of those guys for toughing out a win” Coach Johnson continued on saying about how he coached his guys on the final drive.

“They had a great crowd over there it was loud every time they made a play but I think the main thing in that one is we talk about this all the time is staying together in moments of adversity” Coach Johnson mentioned when asked about the Upper Dublin crowd noise and energy.

For Imhotep, they go back to the championship looking for a win. last year’s loss to Penn-Trafford 17-14 makes them even more hungry for the win.

“I think the same thing is limiting our mistakes we gotta win the penalty battle learning from last year just being able to close out games because last year they scored on the last drive of the first half and the last drive of the game then ended up losing in overtime; just learning from our mistakes playing good sound football and just going out there not ever giving up” Coach Johnson says about when asked about how to prepare for the chip.

“On the sideline, we have one of the field Hudls you know we just watched film kept our composure yea people was putting their heads down but you know me as being the quarterback leader had to pick everybody up; the two first downs before we went out to get the first down to seal it I was talking to my o-line like I love yall listen we need yall right now right this moment” Davis mentioned when asked about how Tep kept their energy in the game and stood strong. Truly a leader in Davis.

As for Upper Dublin, their undefeated season falls short of the championship with the loss, for some players they move on to basketball hoping for more success there while other seniors look forward to college football. To the Juniors and below they take this season as motivation for next year to go undefeated and get the championship.

Imhotep Charter 7-7-7-0  21

Upper Dublin 0-0-7-7  14

Scoring Plays

First Quarter Imhotep: Davis Run 61 yards

Second Quarter Imhotep: Wright Downing pass from Davis 37 yards

Third Quarter Imhotep: Davis Run 1 yard

Upper Dublin: Pensabene Pass from O’Sullivan 4 yards

Fourth Quarter Upper Dublin: Ceresier Pass from O’Sullivan 13 yards

Unofficial Team Stats:

Passing Imhotep: Davis 9-18-127-1-0 Upper Dublin: O’Sullivan 25-44-231-2-2

Rushing Imhotep: Wallace-Coleman 22-62, Stewart 3-9, Center Snap 2-minus 28 yards, Davis 6-72

Upper Dublin: McIntyre 7-14, Roberts 3-0, Kohlbrenner 5-34, Reaves 2-minus 4, O’Sullivan 3-minus 10

Receiving: Imhotep: Wallace-Coleman 2-10, Hennigan 4-61, Wright-Downing 1-37, McKnight 1-9, Brown 1-10

Upper Dublin: Kohlbrenner 5-61, Roberts 1-12, Ceresier 9-88, Pensabene 6-27, Reaves 1-34

Interceptions: Imhotep: Stewart, Reid

Photo Creds: Michael Apice Photography/Suvisuals_

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