Peters Township falls short in state final
MECHANICSBURG – The most points Peters Township’s defense had allowed in a game all season was 28 in the regular-season finale.
Imhotep Charter scored 24 against the Indians in the first half of the PIAA Class 5A football championship game on Friday night at Chapman Field on the campus of Cumberland Valley High School.
The Panthers, who featured a quintet of Power Five players, displayed their offensive prowess in a 38-13 victory over Peters Township to win their second state championship in school history and snap a three-game losing streak to teams from the WPIAL.
Imhotep Charter, who finished the season at 15-0, was 1-6 in the state finals prior to Friday’s contest.
“This means so much for our program,” Imhotep coach Devon Johnson said. “I am so thankful and so proud of our coaches. Our offensive and defensive line don’t get the glory the other guys get, but those guys work their butts off and they carried us all year.”
The Indians’ dream season ended at 15-1 with their first WPIAL title and a trip to the state championship game for the first time in program history.
“This is just a special group of guys and they play with a lot of intensity,” Peters Township coach TJ Plack said. “It is a real close-knit family. They love football and they love each other, and that’s why we are in this spot, but we ran up against a really good team. They are good in all aspects of the game, and I think they were the better team tonight. I know Devon (Johnson) and coached the Big 33 game with him. He’s a good dude, and I think he’s doing a good job over there.
“The community was fantastic, and I didn’t know there were that many Peters Township fans. It was a great run.”
Peters Township won the snap and deferred to the second half, but the Panthers marched 64 yards in 12 plays before the school located in Philadelphia borrowed a play from the NFL’s Eagles and quarterback Mikal Davis scored on a “tush push” or “brotherly shove” from 1-yard out. Kenny Woseley, who is Penn State bound, kicked the first of five PATs for a 7-0 lead with 8:19 left in the first quarter. Davis rushed for 70 yards on 11 carries. He didn’t need to put the ball in the air much, but was 8 of 12 for 184 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Indians went three-and-out on their first drive, but senior defensive lineman Dante Recker stopped Imhotep’s second drive with an interception after a pass was tipped at the line.
Peters Township drove to the Panthers’ 24-yard line, but Carter Shanafelt’s 41-yard field goal was wide.
Imhotep looked as if it was going to take a 14-0 advantage when Nile Brown pulled in a 63-yard reception over the middle from Davis to the Indians’ 19. Brown appeared to be on his way into the end zone for an 82-yard score, but Darius McMillon hustled to make the touchdown-saving tackle.
The Panthers scored on a 30-yard field goal by Woseley, increasing their lead to 10-0 with 1:25 left in the first quarter, but McMillon’s effort was lauded by Plack.
“Our kids weren’t going to quit, and Darius did a great job on that play, and all our kids hustle and work hard.”
Imhotep scored on its fourth drive, as Davis scored on a 22-yard run with 5:33 left in the second for a 17-0 advantage. Davis, who is headed to West Point after high school, scrambled out of trouble to his right before sprinting down the visitor’s sideline and diving on the pylon.
Peters Township responded to the Panthers’ score and found the end zone when Thomas Aspinall got both feet down in bounds in the back of the end zone on a pass from Nolan DiLucia to cut the deficit to 17-7 with 2:55 left in the second after Shanafelt made the extra point.
Aspinall caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Lucas Rost with 4:59 left in the fourth quarter. Aspinall pulled in 5 receptions for 36 yards in his final high school game.
The Panthers responded to the Indians’ first touchdown with a five-play, 65-yard drive that culminated in a 12-yard run by Davis for a 24-7 lead with 1:30 left in the second quarter.
“He (Davis) is an athlete, and did a heck of a job tonight,” Plack said.
Imhotep senior tailback Jabree Wallace-Coleman had 87 yards on 19 carries in the first half, but the Georgia recruit didn’t break one until the third quarter when he sprinted 68 yards into the end zone on the Panthers’ first drive of the second half for a 31-7 advantage with 9:44 remaining in the third quarter.
Wallace-Coleman finished with 214 yards on 30 carries.
“It was great to finally get a win in the state title game after coming up short the last few years,” Wallace-Coleman said. “I have to give all credit to my offensive line for opening up the holes.”
Imhotep’s Johann Henningan caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from Davis to increase its lead to 38-7 with 10:27 left in the fourth quarter.
If Imhotep’s offense wasn’t enough, its defense limited Peters Township offense to 152 total yards. The Indians couldn’t get their running game going, which forced the offense to become one dimensional. Vinny Sarcone led Peters Township in rushing with 36 yards on 8 carries.
“We could run the ball, but it was three yards and then we would lose a yard,” Plack said. “They are very good up front and really good in the back end. Our guys were doing their damndest against them.”