It was billed as a can’t-miss clash of titans between two high-powered machines — but in the end, it turned out to be just another one-sided coronation for the reigning champs.
With No. 2 Imani Christian carrying the highest-scoring offense in the area into Saturday’s WPIAL Class 3A championship game at Acrisure Stadium, few could have envisioned the Saints getting shut out through three-plus quarters by No. 1 Avonworth. Yet that’s exactly how it played out, with the Antelopes scoring a pair of defensive touchdowns while dominating on both sides of the ball to take home their second consecutive WPIAL crown with a convincing 30-6 win.
“This group has been resilient. They’ve known nothing different,” said Avonworth coach Duke Johncour, who now has three WPIAL titles to his credit. “This is their fourth year in a row here. They were hungry. They were like horses in a stable all week at practice, wanting to be let loose. And they were let loose tonight.”
Star senior Luca Neal did a little bit of everything for the Lopes (13-0), rushing for 105 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries while catching three passes for 63 yards to power the team to victory. Johncour said there were several games during the regular season in which he rested Neal for most of the second half in order to save his energy for the postseason, knowing Avonworth would need him to be in top form for the stretch run.
“Luca has been out in the second quarter in three or four games, because we knew we needed him today,” Johncour said. “He showed up today and did his thing.”
Imani (12-1) chose to receive the opening kick after winning the coin toss, but the decision backfired as Avonworth’s defense forced a quick three-and-out. Things then went from bad to worse for the Saints later in the quarter, as Romello Harris intercepted a screen pass by Imani quarterback Gabe Jenkins and returned it 12 yards to the house for a pick-six.
Less than a minute into the second quarter, Calder Mahan drilled a 39-yard field goal to make it a 10-0 lead for the Lopes following an explosive 55-yard catch-and-run by Neal.
“We’re all unselfish, and we all know what we have to do to win,” Neal said. “I’m just more happy about the win and to continue playing with my boys.”
As Avonworth’s defense continued to make life miserable for Jenkins, David Davis and the rest of the Saints’ speedy playmakers, the Lopes milked the clock while preserving their double-digit lead. Then, just before the half, Neal burst up the middle of the field for a 67-yard TD run out of the Wildcat formation to break the game wide open, giving Avonworth a 17-point lead going into the break.
“That kid — I thought he was a player, and he showed he’s a player,” Imani coach LaRoi Johnson said about Neal. “I don’t know why more colleges aren’t recruiting him. He plays hard. He plays the game the right way. He’s downhill. He’s physical. He’s relentless in the way he runs the ball.”
With Neal doing most of the damage in the first half, sophomore Jaden Jones decided to make his presence felt early and often for the Lopes coming out of the locker room. First, he intercepted a pass by Jenkins and returned it for a 40-yard pick-six, then he hauled in a 37-yard TD reception just a few minutes later on a perfectly thrown pass by Carson Bellinger to make it a virtually insurmountable 30-0 lead going into the fourth.
“He’s a talented athlete,” Johncour said about Jones. “He had a back injury the whole season as a freshman, then he had several key plays throughout the playoff run. He’s something special. He’s long, he’s athletic, he’s physical, and he’s a heck of a player. He made some huge plays for us tonight.”
Jenkins finally connected with Davis for a 54-yard completion on the first play of the fourth quarter, then kept it himself for a 1-yard score on the next play to break the shutout. But the Saints’ 2-point conversion attempt came up short, and that would be all the offense Imani could muster against Avonworth’s stingy defense.
After the game, Davis fought back tears while reflecting on the legacy he left behind after four sensational seasons with the Saints. The electrifying senior will move on to play for North Carolina next fall.
“It wasn’t the best program [when I showed up],” Davis said. “We didn’t have too many kids. We were just going to build it. … It wasn’t about [making it to this stage]. It was about building and building a brotherhood. Building bonds that will last you through life.”
Now that the Lopes have secured back-to-back WPIAL titles, they will turn their attention toward a PIAA semifinal showdown with District 6 champion Penn Cambria (12-2) for the chance to clinch a spot in the state title game for the second year in a row.
With a win, Avonworth could very well set up a rematch of last year’s thrilling PIAA championship game against Northwestern Lehigh, which the Lopes lost in overtime, 36-33. Both teams are undefeated and back in the state semifinals.
“They’re a great program,” Johncour said. “I have all the respect in the world for them. I still text their coach. Two homegrown schools from their own communities. It’s something special. We hope to get back there to see them.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
