His head popped up among the crowd of red jerseys and Jabree Wallace-Coleman spoke. It’s something he would not have done in previous years. The Penn State-bound running back from Imhotep Charter deferred to his senior captains, out respect for them.
This year marks a difference for Wallace-Coleman. He is listed at 6-foot-1, 213 pounds, though looks more like 230 and runs like he’s 180. He’s accepted his role this season as the face of the PIAA Class 5A state champion Panthers, now playing as a Class 6A school this year, and that means speaking up and being a leader.
When Imhotep struggled mightily against what is a very good Chester team on Saturday at the Germantown Supersite, it was Wallace-Coleman that picked the Panthers up and quite literally carried them to a 28-24 come-from-behind victory over Chester.
It marked the 18th-straight victory for the Panthers, who own the longest winning streak in the area.
Wallace-Coleman finished with a season-high 223 yards rushing on 29 carries, and all four Imhotep touchdowns, one time carrying five Chester defenders in the end zone on the Panthers’ first score.
Imhotep needed every ounce of Wallace-Coleman on and off the field. When things looked chaotic in the first half for the Panthers, it was Wallace-Coleman who was the calming balm they needed to tune out the adversity. Chester needed four, sometimes five players to drag him down.
“Last year, I leaned on the seniors, but this year, I know I have to step up and be a leader for this team,” Wallace-Coleman said. “This feels good. I could look at my team and know when they are struggling. I love being a leader. I wouldn’t have spoken up my sophomore or junior years. I feel like I am battle tested and I know how I have to hold my teammates to a certain standard.
“I want that weight. I can carry it.”
He did.
Because for three quarters, Chester was in position to knock off Imhotep, which has not lost a game in two years, last losing to Pine Richland, 28-14, on Friday, December 9, 2022, in the PIAA Class 5A state championship.
On a field filled with stars like Wallace-Coleman and Imhotep’s singular Ohio State-bound defensive end Zahir Mathis, Chester junior safety and wide receiver Daron Harris was the best player on the field.
All the 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior did was intercept three passes, score two touchdowns and cause problems for the Panthers the entire afternoon.
As a team, Chester may have found a great deal about itself. The Clippers were PIAA District 1 Class 5A finalists, losing to local Strath Haven last season in the title game. For three quarters on Saturday, Chester, a Class 5A again, stayed with and in some respects was beating one of the best teams in the state.
This game could give the Clippers a greater identity, especially in the stacked Class 5A, where Roman Catholic, defending District 1 champion Strath Haven, perennial area power Garnet Valley reside.
The way Chester played against Imhotep, that Clippers team could have beaten any Class 5A team in the state.
There could be a larger picture ahead.
Chester may not be just vying for a district title, but with the Harris twins, Jalen and Daron, mixed with a good nucleus of young players, it is capable of playing into December—state championship weather.
“Our guys went into that (Imhotep) game with the intention of winning,” said Clippers’ coach Dennis Shaw, who has made Chester a highly respected football program. “You don’t like morale victories. We could be a lot better. This was big for us. We were flat out dominating a state powerhouse. We need to erase a few mistakes.
“You had a Penn State recruit at running back, and an Ohio State recruit at defensive end. We were not just happy to be there and be competitive. This game let us know how good we can be. We are very, very confident. We know we will not see a beast like Imhotep down the road.”
Clippers’ junior linebacker Jerrell Palmer smacked down Wallace-Coleman a few times, and senior tailbacks Dayshon Jackson and Larry McDaniel found gaping holes to run through in the first half.
On the flip side, Imhotep needed the push. The Panthers’ coaching staff got a good dose of how this team will react under adversity. They had to like what they saw from 6-foot, 290-pound junior defensive tackle Joseph Sondah, who made six tackles, four for short gains in the second half when the Panthers had to scratch back from an 18-7 halftime deficit.
“We were in this situation before and as a team we bounced back,” Sondah said. “Chester is very good. This was a good game and we put up a fight. The first half we hurt ourselves by not closing gaps. I had to stay in my gap, instead of running after plays.”
Another major plus was Imhotep starting sophomore quarterback Joey McLeish. He went down in the second quarter grabbing his left knee. He came back and actually played far better than before the injury.
“This is Jabree’s team and look at him, just a naturally great kid who is a natural born leader,” Panthers’ coach Devon Johnson said. “He came into this year with a chip on his shoulders. He wants to prove he is the best running back in the state, and Sondah is a dog. He came up big, and Joey McLeish came back and showed who he is as a young man.
“He responded to adversity. He is a confident kid and his performance in this game showed he can respond and bounce back. He did. He showed maturity.”
Scoring Summary
Chester (2-1) 6 12 0 6-24
La Salle (3-0) 0 7 14 7-28
1st Quarter
C – Jerrell Palmer 2 run (kick failed), 9:08
2nd Quarter
IC – Jabree Wallace-Coleman 15 pass from Joey McLeish (McLeish kick), 11:03
C – Daron Harris 83 kickoff return (run failed), 10:46
C – Daron Harris 4 pass from Jalen Harris (run failed), 7:37
3rd Quarter
IC – Wallace-Coleman 2 run (McLeish kick), 7:42
IC – Wallace-Coleman 4 run (McLeish kick), 3:13
4th Quarter
C – Jalen Harris 7 run (pass failed), 9:48
IC – Wallace-Coleman 66 run (McLeish kick), 4:21
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito.
