Imani Christian dismantles D.C. team in Week Zero

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 25, 2018 | 9:03 PM

Blink, and you missed it.

Late to your seat, and it was over.

Nine seconds into the game, it was 8-0 Imani Christian.

Three minutes into the contest, and it was 24-0 Saints.

One quarter into the season opener, and the WPIAL Class A runner-up from a year ago led 44-0.

You get the picture.

The Imani Christian offense was in midseason form, scoring on all but one possession in an 80-6 triumph Saturday over Richard Wright Charter (Washington D.C.).

“I did not expect that,” Imani Christian coach Ronnell Heard said. “I was impressed with our skill guys and how sharp they were.”

Saints senior quarterback Israel Reed connected on 12 of 16 passes for 434 yards and eight touchdown passes and a scoring run. Six of those touchdown tosses went to senior wide receiver R.J. Hart. Hart ended up with 8 receptions for 286 yards.

“R.J. is playing at a different level,” Heard said. “He has always had the size but was criticized by some for not having good hands or great speed. I challenged him to prove everybody wrong, and he has worked hard to do that.”

After a failed onside kick by Richard Wright Charter to start the game, Reed hit Hart with a pass on the first play. Hart split two defenders and raced 44-yards for the game’s first score.

In fact, Imani Christian scored three touchdowns on its first three plays from scrimmage on Reed scoring passes to Hart, followed by a 39-yard strike to Dashaun Wright and a 51-yarder to Hart before the game was four minutes old.

A third touchdown pass from Reed to Hart to go along with a 43-yard blocked punt return for a score by Tevauhn Alston and 32-yard interception return for a score by Juaron Thompson Jr. closed out the first quarter with the Saints up 44-0.

A Reed scoring pass to Hart from 34 yards and a scamper by Reed for a 24-yard touchdown closed out the first half with Imani Christian up 58-0.

Both teams decided the second half not only would be played with a running clock but also with 6-minutes quarter instead of the standard 12 minutes. But even that could not slow down the Saints offense as they added three more touchdown passes from Reed: a 44-yarder to Wright and 58- and 44-yard strikes to Hart.

Richard Wright Charter had 208 total yards.

“We have a really good defense,” Heard said. “but it often gets overshadowed by our offense.”

Saturday’s season opener could be used as exhibit A.

Don Rebel is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Don at drebel@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TheDonRebel.

Tags: Imani Christian