District 12 Public League 5A Championship Game Preview

Tagged under: District 12, News, Playoffs

Anthony Franklin | November 11, 2022

Imhotep v Mastery

This game is a battle of two blue collar programs at different stages of their history.

Mastery North is building their program in a great manner under the leadership of HC John Davidson. Coach Davidson has turned what was a regular public league middling team into a true football program. The Pumas are highly disciplined and play technically sound football under his guidance. This is their first 5A championship game appearance in the program history. Last season the Pumas advanced to the 5A semifinals before falling short to what was then an undefeated Frankford team 13-6. This season the Pumas are 9-2 with both of their losses coming to Lincoln 26-13 and an opening day loss to Simon Gratz 19-6. They were able to avenge their Gratz loss by returning the favor and defeating Gratz in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. They are led by Sr. QB Jahmik Eaddy who has grown tremendously into the position. His top targets are Sr. Quentine Wright and Sr. Hudaifah Patton. In the backfield Jr. Amir Northern is the top rusher for the Pumas. The stalwarts along the lines include Bashir Hicks, Zakee Taylor-Williams, Saabir Daniels & James Wyche. Sr. LB Sinque Harris and Sr. LB Torrian Jones lead the LB corps. Patton & Wright also star in the secondary. The Pumas have been able to move the ball effectively throughout the air and in this game that will be key to having success against a strong, big and physical Tep defense.

Imhotep is the defending 5A champs and look to repeat and avenge their state title game loss from last season. The Panthers are led by HC Devon Johnson who has a career record of 21-4 in 2.5 seasons (2020 was a 4-game abbreviated spring season). Known as Coach Dev, he has been a long standing Tep coach and was promoted to HC after the 2019 season. In his first full season last year he led the Panthers to the state title game including a great big win over nemesis Cathedral Prep (Erie) in the quarterfinals. The Panthers are very well coached, big in the trenches and surprisingly very young along the lines as they graduated 3 starters along the OL from last year’s title appearance team. The young lineman has gelled took their lumps early in the season and have grown tremendously to the point where they are now one of the biggest strengths on the team. Leading the big guys upfront are Jr. LT Zafir Stewart, Sr. Christopher Leader and Jr. Joshua White. They return second year starter Jr. QB Mikal Davis who has been heads and shoulders the general for the offense. He’s grown greatly throughout the season, become comfortable within the system and the offense has improved because of his great play. He displays great touch, accuracy and a strong arm for stretching the ball downfield. His backfield mate So. RB Jabree Wallace-Coleman (Georgia commit) leads the team in rushing and TDs. The outside targets are Sr. Asir Moore, Sr. Corey Wright-Downing and Junior Johann Hennigan. Defensively the unit is strongest in the trenches where Jr. DL Jahsear Whittington (Pitt commit) leads the group. Sr. Mysir Mayo, Jr. Andre Cooper and Jr. David Johnson also contribute greatly to that unit. Along the middle of the defense they’re stacked and solid led by Michigan commit Sr. Semaj Bridgeman. The secondary is equally strong with Sr. DB Rahmir Stewart (Michigan, Jackson State, PSU, TAMU offers) leading the crew along with shutdown Jr. CB Kenney Woseley Jr. (Michigan, PSU, Pitt, Georgia offers).

Outlook: This game will come down to which team wins the trenches. Tep has faced better competition, are deeper along the trenches and have more talent at this point than Mastery which is still building it’s program. Against PL competition Tep has yet to give up a TD and only given up 3 points which came last week when MLK scored a FG in the 4th quarter. Mastery in order to stay competitive has to find some success running against this stout defensive front and when passing opportunities arise take advantage and connect on a few long passes to Wright and Patton. Tep is on a mission to reclaim and capture their 3rd state title and should win this game pretty handedly

Prediction Imhotep 36 Mastery 0

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