BETHLEHEM – Imhotep’s Mike Waters rushed for 227 yards on 16 carries and five total touchdowns in the first half in a 72-27 win over Saucon Valley (14-1) in the Class 3A semifinals Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.
Imhotep Charter (14-0) will face Cathedral Prep out of District 10 next Friday night at Hersheypark Stadium. Cathedral Prep defeated Bishop McDevitt 38-34.
Imhotep got the ball first and wasted little time to put up points on the board. It took only 15 ticks off the clock for Amir Brown to take the opening kickoff 84 yards for the score. Nasir Boykin’s two-point conversion put Imhotep up 8-0.
“Amir set the tone on the kickoff return for us,” said Imhotep Charter’s Head Football Coach Albie Crosby.
Saucon Valley’s fist play from scrimmage went 52-yards as Mike Paolini took it to Imhotep’s three. One play later Evan Culver went in from three-yards out. Josh Snead’s kick was good and Saucon Valley trailed 8-7.
Imhotep would get the next two scores in the quarter. Waters scored from three yards out and Boykin’s 57-yard run put Tep up 24-7 with 3:51 left in the first quarter.
Saucon Valley capped off a seven play, 71-yard drive when Zach Thatcher hit Nate Harka for a 30-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the first quarter. Imhotep now led 24-14.
On Imhotep’s next drive they had a 65-yard touchdown run called back. No problem, they answered right back with a Waters 76-yard run with 10:48 left in the first half. Things didn’t get any better for Saucon. They gave the ball right back on the punt.
But maybe the only blemish of the night for Imhotep was the interception throw by Boykin. Kory Kemerer got a much needed interception and Saucon Valley was in business. Thatcher had runs of four and 11 to setup his 48-yard touchdown run. With 5:26 left in the half, Imhotep led 32-20.
But any momentum Saucon had ended quickly. In a blink of a eye, Waters scored three more times in the quarter. He had runs of 47 and 4 and caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Boykin with 1:47 left in the half.
But they weren’t done scoring in the first half. Boykin scored on a 39-yard run with :44 seconds left in the half. Imhotep went into half leading 60-20 with the mercy rule in effect.
The 20 points given up to Saucon Valley was the most Imhotep gave up all year in a game, let only a half.
“They did a great job. Their quarterback, running back and offensive line were amazing,” said Crosby.
Imhotep pulled the starters in the second half and continued the scoring frenzy. Chris Wells scored on a 19-yard run and Antwon Keyes’ 8-yard run in the third quarter put Imhotep up 72-20.
The only score of the fourth quarter was a Culver three-yard touchdown run.
NOTE: Imhotep’s offensive line averaged 6-foot-5, 307 pounds and they rushed for a team 349 yards in the first half and 451 in the game. They had over 500 yards of total offense.
Saucon Valley’s quarterback Zach Thatcher finished the night completing eight of 16 passes for 101 yards and a score. Evan Culver finished his brilliant career with 74 yards and two touchdowns. Culver finishes his season with 2,935 yards and 48 touchdowns.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
| Saucon Valley | 14 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
| Imhotep Charter | 24 | 36 | 12 | 0 | 72 |
2 Responses
Justafan
Go on the main blog. Many interesting Imhotep comments.
It’s unfortunate for any team that has to play this school. Imhotep is just a philly all star team and will continue to be one as long as the piaa allows it. To be able to pull any player from around the city is completely unfair to all those schools who are restricted by boundaries. The funny part of it is, if you look up school’s scores they are dreadful. They have been accused of cheating by the state on the standardized exams and only 11% of the school was proficient on the state tests last year. If this was a public school it would be shut down. So is this school just a football and basketball factory with no regard to academics? It’s a great question and I’m sure their will be a ton of people will come on here an bash me for it, but the scores don’t lie.