They say lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice, but there were flashes of electricity all over UPMC Graham Field in Wilkinsburg in a high-stakes showdown Friday night in Class 3A between No. 2-ranked Beaver and No. 4 Imani Christian — and that was before the 30-minute lightning delay that halted the action early in the fourth quarter.
Before the skies opened up and the rain began pouring down, the bolts of lightning seen on the field were generated by the star-studded array of playmakers on Imani’s high-powered offense. Senior quarterback Steve “SVD” Vandiver took center stage early on, accounting for a trio of highlight-reel touchdowns in the first quarter alone — one with his arm and two more with his legs. Coveted junior David Davis was the recipient of Vandiver’s 62-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring, and later he took turns with Vandiver and sophomore standout Gabe Jenkins ripping off explosive runs for the Saints.
The Bobcats’ top-notch wideout tandem of Amari Jackson and Brady Mayo made plenty of plays of their own, but in the end, Imani had too much firepower for Beaver to handle. Even with a relatively quiet night from banged-up Penn State recruit Dayshaun Burnett, the Saints surged to a 42-28 win that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score would indicate.
“We executed well in the first half,” Imani coach LaRoi Johnson said. “They’re a good football team, but we played well and did what we were supposed to do. … It was definitely a good game.”
Now, after losses Friday night by each of the top-three teams in Class 3A, the Saints could have a very strong case to take over the No. 1 spot in the PUP’s “Best in Show” come Sunday. Still, Johnson insists that rankings and records are the furthest thing from his mind as he attempts to guide Imani through uncharted waters in the school’s first season in Class 3A.
“I’m not worried about any of that,” Johnson said. “I’m just focused on one game at a time. I know my team is good enough. I know we have the ability to play. I know we’ve got the weapons. I could care less about all the other stuff.
“It’s just about teaching these guys every day to try to get them to understand what it’s going to take to win a championship.”
Often overshadowed by his blue-chip teammates such as Burnett, Davis and Jenkins, Vandiver had a game to remember for the Saints while showcasing his elite dual-threat ability. He completed 9 of 21 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown while rushing 11 times for 107 yards and two TDs, including several jaw-dropping runs that had the Bobcats defense running in circles.
“It’s only the beginning,” Vandiver said. “We’ve got a lot of athletes. We’ve got a lot of well-rounded players who can do everything. We’re going to be tough to stop.”
Vandiver’s first touchdown run was a 9-yard TD scamper on fourth-and-goal, and he needed every inch of his 6-foot-2 frame to extend the ball over the goal line after a head-on collision with a Beaver defender. On his 38-yard scoring run, Vandiver escaped the pocket and scrambled up the right sideline before darting left and racing all the way across the width of the field, going untouched into the end zone behind a convoy of blockers.
“Steve is a guy who gets overlooked. He is just an outstanding athlete,” Johnson said. “The kid can throw the ball. He can run it. He’s actually an outstanding receiver, and he’s a really good defensive back. He’s just a guy who can do a lot of different things.”
A Villanova recruit who was instrumental in the Bobcats’ season-opening win over Westinghouse, Jackson finished with 10 receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets for Beaver. Mayo tallied 6 catches for 53 yards and a TD along with a 14-yard rushing TD, and junior quarterback Travis Clear completed 28 of 44 passes for 300 yards with three TDs and three interceptions in a valiant effort for the Bobcats.
“[Jackson] is a very talented receiver and just a great athlete, period,” Johnson said. “We knew eventually they were going to make a play and get things going. … If you know me, I’m about competition. We’re going to put the best against the best.”
Despite battling through a nagging hamstring injury, Burnett (6-4, 220) refused to come out of the game until the outcome was secured. A four-star prospect according to Rivals, he caught three passes for 15 yards while making four tackles with three QB hits on defense.
Davis was also hampered by a leg injury suffered at the end of his electrifying 87-yard kick return in the first half, but he still finished with 98 yards from scrimmage and a two TDs (one rushing, one receiving) on only five touches.
“[Davis] is a tremendous player. He can do multiple different things,” Johnson said. “He’s still working himself back [to full strength], but he’s an outstanding competitor who is going to give it his all every single game.”
As for Jenkins, the sophomore sensation was a machine on the ground for Imani, doing most of his damage in the second half while finishing with 165 yards and a TD on 19 carries. He also corralled a game-clinching interception late in the fourth quarter to silence Beaver’s furious comeback attempt, doing an excellent job in man coverage down the stretch against Jackson.
“[Jackson] is a good player, so I had to take advantage of the one-on-one and play inside leverage,” Jenkins said. “It feels amazing. I was just waiting for the game to end. I was tired.”
Now, with conference play on the horizon and a target sure to be placed on the Saints’ backs for the remainder of the season after another resounding victory, Jenkins and his teammates are ready to welcome all the pressure that comes with being the team to beat.
“We belong at No. 1,” Jenkins said. “They’re sleeping on us.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
