Undefeated powers to clash in WPIAL Class 3A title game when Avonworth, Imani Christian meet

By: Kyle Dawson
Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 7:22 PM

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On one side of the coin in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game Saturday is the reigning, defending champions in the Avonworth Antelopes, who are set for their fourth consecutive appearance in the title game.

The ‘Lopes (12-0) won their third WPIAL title last year, getting over a small hump at Acrisure Stadium with a 17-0 victory over Central Valley.

It was the first WPIAL football title won on the North Shore for the ‘Lopes in their fourth try, as they were losers at then-Heinz Field in 2014 to Clairton before losing the first two in this run against Belle Vernon in 2022 and 2023.

In between those trips, Avonworth won a Class 2A title in 2019 by beating Washington, 28-6, at Norwin.

Avonworth’s first title was a co-championship with Union in Class A in 1959, a game played to a 13-13 tie.

Their opponents on Saturday evening? The Imani Christian Saints, who are appearing in only the second title game in program history.

The Saints (12-0) have never marched into Acrisure Stadium. The 2017 title game was a loss, 35-34, in a thriller played at Robert Morris.

Just prior to the start of this four-year run for their opponent in title games, Imani Christian turned the reins over to LaRoi Johnson after three seasons that saw the Saints go 4-22 with two forfeits in 2021 and fewer than 20 players on the roster.

Now they’re here after coming close last season and falling to … who else … Avonworth, in the WPIAL semifinals.

So maybe the advantage goes to the group that’s familiar with it?

“It’s chaos down there. It’s a crazy environment,” said Avonworth coach Duke Johncour. “It’s a different experience, and it’s eye-opening. The kids are familiar with it. They know the process and what it takes. It helps for sure.”

Johnson, meanwhile, knows it’s a trip his group has been waiting on. He’s been to a few championship games — in his time at Sto-Rox.

“You just have to play your game, focus and try to not make the game more than it is,” said Johnson. “Our kids have been waiting on this stage. They wanted it last year and knew we were good enough to be there. We welcome the bright lights, and we’ll never run away from those things. We want to let the emotion come out when it needs to come out but do the small things well.”

The ‘Lopes dispatched the Saints last year in the semifinals, 14-6. Luca Neal scored a 32-yard touchdown to break a scoreless tie near the end of the third quarter before pushing the lead to two scores with a 50-yard touchdown with 8:19 left in the game.

Just 59 seconds later, David Davis, now a senior North Carolina commit, took Imani’s only touchdown to the house from 81 yards out.

Neal ran for more than 200 yards in the victory, with 120 yards coming in the second half. The Antelopes contained Imani Christian’s rushing attack, holding Gabe Jenkins to 32 yards and Davis to 85 yards on five carries, with 81 of those coming on the touchdown run.

Now, two unbeatens clash for gold at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Avonworth arrives to the North Shore with playoff victories over Freeport (56-7) and North Catholic (44-24), with a lot of the Trojans’ points last week coming against the backups for the ‘Lopes with the game out of hand. The ‘Lopes got a touchdown pass from Carson Bellinger in the win last week while Dimitri Velisaris powered the ground game with a 100-plus-yard game and three scores.

This year, Avonworth is scoring 41.5 points per game while allowing only 9.5, which is the second-best scoring defense in 3A, behind only Imani Christian’s 7.2 points per game against. Avonworth’s nonconference schedule included wins over Class 4A champion Aliquippa and 4A semifinalist Thomas Jefferson.

Bellinger has thrown for 26 touchdowns and just one interception with nearly 2,000 passing yards in his senior season. The touchdown total ranks sixth among WPIAL passers.

Neal has run for more than 400 yards and six scores and has nearly 800 yards and 10 scores as a pass catcher while Velisaris had nearly 1,500 yards on the ground and 24 scores. He’s got nine 100-yard performances.

“They’ve been practicing and playing all year like a championship team, and that’s why we’re here,” said Johncour. “We’re balanced on offense, and our line is good. We’re playing good, fundamental defense. We’ve done a good job of keeping our opponent in check, and we’ve got a tall task to do that with Imani. They’re very talented.”

The ‘Lopes will have their hands full.

The Saints are averaging 48.5 points a game and own wins over Hopewell (59-21) and Central Valley (48-0) in the postseason. Davis, who flipped his commitment from Penn State to UNC, is not the only big-time recruit on the roster. Will Gorman is headed to Youngstown State while Gabe Jenkins, Da’Juan Craighead and Maurice Williams, all juniors, have Power 4 offers.

Jenkins leads all passers in 3A with 29 touchdowns and was also committed to Penn State before reopening his recruitment. The Saints scored twice last week on defense. Jenkins had thrown for 1,646 yards and has eight picks while he’s run for 1,357 yards and 12 scores with seven 100-yard performances. Davis has run for 659 yards and four touchdowns while Anthony Portis has run for nearly 500 yards, as has Ty Sewell.

Davis has 511 yards receiving while Robert Toress-Johnson has just over 400 yards and six touchdowns receiving.

“It’s been a growing season. We’ve grown in every shape and form,” said Johnson. “We figured out a lot of things with ourselves and have played together. Every kid is about the team.”

The Saints want their ball back.

“Whenever you come so close, you only hope to get back there to get another opportunity and here it is,” said Johnson. “It’s like if someone took your favorite ball and a year later you see them again and they still have that same ball. The question is, do you take your ball back? Some of us got in this to take the ball back and others will let them keep it. We have to figure out who we’re going to be.”

The ‘Lopes will look to keep that ball and keep their mission going after a WPIAL title and state runner-up finish last year.

The conclusion of the district playoffs will crown a champion and net the winner a semifinal berth in the PIAA playoffs, where the WPIAL champ will play the winner of District 6 champ Penn Cambria and District 10 champ Sharon, who play Friday night in the quarterfinals.

Listen to the game free on the TribLIVE High School Sports Network at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Tags: Avonworth, Imani Christian