Most fans who turned out to UPMC Graham Field in Wilkinsburg on Friday night likely expected a high-scoring affair between two of the most explosive offenses in the WPIAL.
Instead, both defenses flipped the script, as Class 3A No. 1 Imani Christian eked out a 12-10 win against Class 3A No. 5 Highlands to remain unbeaten. Despite an injury to dual-threat quarterback Menage Lucas, the Golden Rams held the lead for three-and-a-half quarters before Saints sophomore Gabe Jenkins raced into the end zone for a go-ahead, 68-yard touchdown reception on a dump-off from Steve Vandiver midway through the fourth. The highlight-reel TD was the second score of the game for Jenkins, a newly minted four-star recruit ranked as the No. 54 overall player in the 2027 class by Rivals.
“I had to step up,” Jenkins said. “They came out strong, so we had to come out stronger.”
Jenkins finished with 124 yards from scrimmage (56 rushing, 68 receiving) and a pair of TDs for Imani (5-0, 2-0), giving him 301 yards rushing on 46 carries this season to go with 130 yards receiving on only three catches. The big-play threat has five TDs on the year, and he shouldered even more of the load on Friday without standout junior running back David Davis, who is out with a minor injury.
Together, Jenkins and Davis provide a one-two punch in the backfield few teams in the WPIAL can match, regardless of classification. It took a while for Jenkins to get going against Highlands, but when the game was on the line and the Saints needed a spark, Jenkins put the team on his back and delivered in the clutch, just like all great players do.
“I’ve always said Gabe is a phenomenal player. He’s an outstanding talent,” said Imani coach LaRoi Johnson. “I’m happy about his rankings, but he should be up higher. … We’re always constantly pushing him to be great and pushing to see how much he can do.”
As impressive as Jenkins is with the ball in his hands, his future likely lies on the defensive side of the ball. At 6 feet 1, 186 pounds, Jenkins has the ideal frame coaches look for in top-tier defensive backs at the next level — and he plays with a mean streak while impacting the game as a cornerback, safety and even at linebacker. On the game-clinching fourth-down stop, Jenkins laid a big hit on Golden Rams running back Darius Cherry to break up a pass and seal the win for the Saints.
“If I needed him to play tight end or tackle, he could probably do that, too,” Johnson said. “He’s just a phenomenal athlete who can do so many different things. You just find a way to get him the ball. … He works his butt off and prepares himself well.”
For Highlands (2-2, 1-1), it was a complete turnaround from its first three games of the season, in which the Golden Rams averaged 51.3 ppg on offense while allowing 42 ppg on defense. Part of that can be attributed to the first-half injury sustained by Lucas, who entered the game with 525 yards passing, 546 yards rushing and 16 total TDs (6 passing, 10 rushing) in only four games.
As dynamic as any quarterback in the WPIAL, Lucas scored on a spectacular 57-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the game for Highlands, but he appeared to come up limping after having his heel stepped on by a defender toward the end of the run. He initially remained in the game, but the injury severely limited his ability to move, forcing Golden Rams coach Matt Bonislawski to pull him late in the first half.
“Menage is probably our most electrifying athlete. … You got a glimpse of what he can do, even against a team like this,” Bonislawski said. “It was deflating, but give our kids credit. They kept fighting and kept battling.”
Although he could barely walk, Lucas pleaded with Bonislawski to keep playing, but instead he could do nothing but watch from the sideline as backup quarterback Jamarkus Prager did his best to finish what he started. The Highlands defense certainly held up its end of the bargain, limiting Imani’s high-powered offense to just six points through three quarters. But as they say, big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games — and Jenkins is as big-time as they come.
“It’s tough. You have [Dayshaun] Burnett and Jenkins, even without Davis. And the quarterback can make plays, too,” Bonislawki said. “We may not have any four-star [recruits], but we have a lot of guys who can run and play with this type of team. I’m happy and ecstatic with our effort. Our effort was there, there’s no doubt about that.”
Now, with an unbeaten record and a pair of top-five wins under their belt at the midway point of the season, the Saints have proven they can find ways to win with both their offense and their defense. And although Friday’s game showed they still have plenty to clean up in the second half of the season, Johnson won’t complain about a pivotal victory against a quality opponent like the Golden Rams — no matter what the score was.
“That’s what a team is for. Finding a way to make plays together,” Johnson said. “Some games are going to be better than others, but do we play together? That’s all that matters to me.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
