OLSH dominates Imani Christian in Class A quarterfinals

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, November 3, 2018 | 12:48 AM

In the first two years Our Lady of the Sacred Heart made the WPIAL football playoffs, 2016-17, the Charters were sent home by Imani Christian.

Behind Tyler Bradley’s six-touchdown performance, OLSH overcame its playoff kryptonite and handed the No. 6-seeded Saints their worst loss since their first year in the WPIAL (2012), 60-6.

Many expected this game to be a closely-contested matchup with two high-powered passing offenses. However, the tone was set on the first play of the game by the No. 3-seeded Chargers. Starting at its own 43-yard line, OLSH’s Austin Wigley took a 55-yard carry to the 2-yard line and punched it in three plays later from 1-yard out to make it 7-0. Wigley ran for 105 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns for the night.

OLSH (10-1) never looked back, and Bradley took over from there. In the first half alone, Bradley threw for 134 yards and three touchdowns on 9 of 13 passing. In the half, he found Richard Banks (34 yards) and Ricco Tate twice (7 and 43 yards) for touchdown passes. Tate’s 43-yard touchdown reception came on a double reverse flea flicker.

With a 33-0 lead at the half, the Chargers kicked away to open the second half and immediately forced an Imani Christian (7-4) turnover. Just moments later, Bradley connected with Wigley from 29 yards out to make it 40-0 and put the mercy rule into effect. Bradley continued his strong play, throwing for 93 yards and three touchdowns on 7 of 12 passing in the second half.

Tate caught a third touchdown pass in the second half and ended the game with five catches for 102 yards and three touchdowns. Noah Campalong added a receiving touchdown in the final 24 minutes.

Bradley finished 16 of 25 for 227 yards and six touchdown passes. After starting the night 0 for 2, Bradley connected on his next nine pass attempts in the first half.

Imani Christian had no answer offensively. Israel Reed, one of the WPIAL’s top passers during the regular season, managed to throw for 204 yards and a touchdown on 13 of 23 passing. However, the Saints totaled just 187 yards as it ran for minus-17 on the night.

The lone Saints score came when Reed found RJ Hart for a 20 yards touchdown, which made it 54-6 in the third quarter. Hart ended his career by catching six passes for 102 yards.

OLSH moves into the semifinals for the first time in program history and will face perennial power Clairton at a site and time to be determined next Friday. Imani will lose 10 of the 18 players listed on its roster to graduation.

Sean Saputo is a freelance writer.

Tags: Imani Christian, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart