COATESVILLE — Jamir Rowe was willing to bide his time. He admits, it was not always easy. The St. Joe’s Prep senior receiver had his patience tested. It comes with being a very good player on a team comprised of very good players.
So, Rowe waited. And waited. And waited.
The leaves turned to brown and ultimately fell, as did the temperature. And autumn is making its turn into winter, when football reaches its higher championship volume, Rowe appears to have rose with it.
For the second-straight game, Rowe has scored, and he has added yet another cog to the Hawks’ yearly chase towards another PIAA Class 6A championship.
For the third-straight week, St. Joe’s Prep mercy-ruled a champion, this time putting away District 1 champion Downingtown West, 36-7, on a frigid Friday night at Coatesville.
The Hawks (10-2) will play next Saturday at Cumberland Valley High School in the PIAA Class 6A state finals for the ninth-straight year, while going for a threepeat as PIAA Class 6A state champions against the winner of Saturday’s Harrisburg-Pittsburgh Central Catholic.
Rowe was one of many contributors Friday night, making three catches for a team-high 78 yards. Sophomore quarterback Charlie Foulke continues to be impressive, as he completed 17 of 31 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, the Hawks did permit Downingtown West to cross midfield until there was :39 left in the third quarter—and that came against the Hawks’ second unit.
Over the last three weeks, St. Joe’s Prep mercy ruled District 12 champion Imhotep Charter (42-0), District 11 champion Parkland (46-7) and District 1 champion Downingtown East.
This is the time of year when everything is supposed to be tougher. Not so for St. Joe’s Prep, which was flagged 14 times for 150 yards against Parkland, and only four times for 44 yards against the Whippets (13-2).
Rowe has played a part in this surge. He was not a starter in the beginning of the season. He’s earned serious minutes in the Hawks’ championship run—during the most important time of the season.
“This whole team is a family and they keep me coming back,” said Rowe, whose 44-yard touchdown reception was his career longest. “You want to play; everyone wants to play. It was frustrating. But you have to buy in and keep working, and everything will come. We have a very talented receiver’s room. Everyone keeps me motivated, and we have a greater receiver’s room. I never thought about quitting. I kept telling myself to keep working.”
Right now, everything appears to be working for Prep. Hawks’ coach Tim Roken has been looking for that complete game from his team this season and Friday was pretty close.
“You try to strive for perfection every time, but still have things that we have to fix,” Roken said. “We have an opportunity to be together for one more week and we have the opportunity to play our best game of the year and it’s for everything.”
Prep relied its massive front to give Foulke time and create gaping running lanes, behind junior center Jake Namnun, Syracuse-bound senior left guard Kahlil Stewart, junior left tackle Sean Molley, senior right guard Christian Leonard, senior right tackle Bleek Turner and junior tight end Rob Novotny.
And this time, again at the right time of year, its defensive line has been sizzling. They stirred a whole bunch of trouble for Imhotep, and kept that up against Downingtown West, with sophomore defensive end Jayson Nitz picking up a sack and one tackle for a loss, also recovering a fumble.
“Jayson rotates at end for us and he always plays with great effort, one thing you do not have to question about him,” Roken said. “Jayson is a wrecking ball coming off that edge and he was a key piece this week with that offense that that they run, to disrupt and get penetration.”
The game was over by halftime. Prep scored on five of its six possessions over the first two quarters, while piling up 276 yards of total offense. Foulke completed 15 of 28 passes for 173 yards, completing passes to seven different receivers. He also tossed touchdown passes to Jamir Rowe and Rameir Hardy, while Khyan Billups ripped through the Whippets for 96 yards and two scores.
Defensively, Downingtown West did not cross midfield the entire first half. The Hawks’ suffocating defense held West to 31 yards of total offense and two first downs. The farthest the Whippets were able to get was their 36 in the first two quarters.
It also did not help losing two fumbles, recovered by Cam Smith and Jayson Nitz, which Prep turned into two Billups’ touchdowns.
Prep ran off 50 plays to Downingtown West’s 16, averaging 5.5 yards a play to West’s 1.9.
What cannot get wiped out is the job Tom Kline and the Whippets did this season. Downingtown West won its first District 1 Class 6A title since 2019. The Whippets have a great future ahead with junior quarterback Cole Bricker back, and outstanding sophomore Brendon Goode-Kimble, the son of Philly basketball legend Bo Kimble.
“We could not turn the ball over, and we couldn’t play in second-and-long, third-and-long against these guys,” Kline said. “Prep is a great football team. My kids bought in. That is the best thing about this season I will remember, buying in and believing.
“I could not be happier for the season these kids have had. They are great kids. They are like a second family. Winning a district title is a great thing. It is something these kids achieved.”
Scoring Summary
St. Joe’s Prep (10-2) 10 20 6 0-36
Downingtown West (13-2) – 0 0 7 0-7
1st Quarter
SJP – Jamir Rowe 44 pass from Charlie Foulke (Leo Ricci kick), 10:51
SJP – Ricci 35 FG, 4:59
2nd Quarter
SJP – Khyan Billups 1 run (Ricci kick), 9:21
SJP – Billups 4 run (Ricci kick), 4:42
SJP – Rameir Hardy 7 pass from Foulke (kick failed), :20
3rd Quarter
SJP – Jett Harrison 14 pass from Foulke (kick failed), 8:15
DW – Darian Smith 47 pass from Cole Bricker (Mason Sharp kick), :00
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. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.
