PHILADELPHIA, PA — The last few weeks have been tough for Khari Reid. The Neumann-Goretti 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior standout defensive back received a call from Preston Pehrson, Stanford’s Director of Recruiting and Player Personnel. The first thing Reid heard was, “Sorry for the bad news … Stanford admissions did not accept you and that you are allowed to decommit.”
Needless to say, Reid played his last high school game with an edge.
Neumann-Goretti came out against the traditional Thanksgiving Day game against Southern in classic throwback orange jerseys and the school’s old nickname on the back nameplate, “Pirates.”
Neumann-Goretti won handily, 41-0, thanks to three Reid touchdown receptions and five Mekhi Wharton touchdown passes over Southern.
The Saints closed their season at 11-2, after getting knocked out of the PIAA Class 3A state playoffs last week by Scranton Prep, 23-16. Southern finished 4-6.
The underlying, bigger story was Reid’s recent decommitment. He carries a weighted 4.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale and believed he was going to his dream school up until a few weeks ago.
“They told me that admissions did not accept me and I could decommit, so right now, I’m looking at some options from James Madison, Northwestern, Virginia Tech, and Utah Tech,” Reid said. “At first, it was difficult, because I set my life to Stanford. It made big news; it was a big deal. It hurt for a little while. I keep a lot inside. Playing football has helped me keep my mind off it.
“The recruiting process starts again. I thought I was set. Playing this game today I wanted to show people they lost a guy, and to show some other people that I am out here and I am open and free. That’s what this game meant to me. I still wanted to show some people that I’m a great football player, no matter what.”
Reid certainly did that. He scored on touchdown receptions of 23, 42 and 50 yards. His 42-yard touchdown reception came on a fourth-and-goal, which resulted from a trick play that backfired 34 yards. His three receptions were all for touchdowns and amounted to 115 yards, averaging 38.3 yards a catch.
Reid stressed that he needed this game. He admits he is not the most emotional person, but waking up Thanksgiving morning was hard for him because it marked the last time he was playing with friends he grew up with. He wanted to make sure his last game was fun.
“There is some anger (over the Stanford situation) that I want to use and turn in a very positive way,” Reid said. “My mom was a little more emotional than me when we got the news. She’s getting better. We were all counting on going to Stanford. They just me told admissions did not want me—that was it. My priority right now is finding a new home to play college football.”
With his superior intellect and poise, classroom habits, and ability on a football field, that should not be too hard to do.
Neumann-Goretti’s legendary coach Albie Crosby has been a strong sounding board for Reid.
“Khari had the grades and the courses, and we didn’t know whether it was recommendation letters or the essay, and it hurts, because Khari is a great young man and he certainly checks all the boxes,” Crosby said. “When Stanford looked at Khari’s curriculum and his grades, that is when they offered him, but the essay and recommendation letter was a big thing. This is frustrating because you want to make sure these young people have a strong destination to go to.
“Khari has it right. Our program has it right. When Stanford calls, you have to listen. This was not a football decision. I think highly of the Stanford coaching staff, and they were upset over this. It’s a tough time, a tough situation for Khari. This was a great way for him to end his senior year. He will end up someplace nice.”
Against Southern, Crosby pulled his starters early in the third quarter. He also made sure every player got in, with 15 different players getting touches.
“We keep building here, when I came here, we had 11 kids in the program,” Crosby said. “I wish Scranton Prep the best moving forward. Whoever comes out of the East (in Class 3A) we are rooting for.”
The other great sidenote to the Neumann-Goretti victory was junior Daniel Adefolarin’s first career high school touchdown. His 37-yard second-quarter scoop-and-score, however, came with a rip attached. As Adefolarin was running free down the sideline, he playfully flashed back the peace sign and a smile as he crossed the goal line. He was flagged for the gesture. Crosby and the Neumann-Goretti coaching staff teased him endlessly on the sidelines.
“This felt good, it was my dream to score a touchdown in high school,” Adefolarin said. “I can laugh about it now. I saw some guys doing it in the NFL, so I had to throw up the deuces. This was a great way to end the season. We finished 11-2 and I know better the next time I score a touchdown. No peace sign (laughs).”
Scoring Summary
Southern (4-6) 0 0 0 0-0
Neumann-Goretti (11-2) 14 14 13 0-41
1st Quarter
NG – Khari Reid 23 pass from Mekhi Wharton (pass failed), 10:21
NG – Reid 42 pass from Wharton (Ahmaj Govens run), 4:33
2nd Quarter
NG – Khamir Prescott 8 pass from Wharton (run failed), 4:52
NG – Daniel Adefolarin 37 fumble return (Govens pass from Wharton), 2:34
3rd Quarter
NG – Reid 50 pass from Wharton (Nick Hamilton kick), 8:51
NG – Carter Bashir 20 pass from Wharton (kick failed), 4:29
Joseph Santoliquito is a hall-of-fame, 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. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.
