PIAA Football: Stopped at the end, Barlow proud that Strath Haven ‘never gave up’

RIDLEY TWP. — Junior Sam Milligan put his arm around the shoulders of senior running back/linebacker Chase Barlow as the Strath Haven duo walked slowly toward the exit gate Friday night at Phil Marion Field

Milligan, the quarterback, had handed off to Barlow for the last time on the final play of Haven’s unforgettable season. Barlow took the carry at the 1-yard line, but was stopped from scoring as time expired.

Imhotep Charter, the juggernaut from District 12, had put the finishing touches on a 36-0 shutout victory in the PIAA Class 5A semifinal round.

“That was the best team I have ever played,” said Milligan, who gave it all he had at quarterback, defensive back and punter. He was particularly excellent on defense, making several open-field tackles on a laundry list of Division I-level skill performers on Imhotep.

“We never gave up, but that’s how we are,” said Barlow, who was on the field the entire time, too, and put forward another gutsy performance at linebacker. “That’s Strath Haven football.”

Barlow, who ended his senior campaign with more than 1,400 yards and 25 touchdown runs, had a team-high 66 yards against the likes of Enai White, who is considered one of the best edge rushers in the nation. White has more than 30 Division I scholarship offers.

In so many ways, this game was the polar opposite of last week’s, when Strath Haven defeated West Chester Rustin in double overtime on a two-point conversion run by Milligan for the District 1 Class 5A championship. That emotional high was impossible to replicate. Haven players also played most of the game with one teammate front and center on everybody’s minds.

In the second quarter, junior defensive lineman Jason Williams, while making a tackle on a quarterback sneak, suffered a significant leg injury. He stayed on the turf for several minutes before an ambulance was summoned. Moments later, Williams was transported to a nearby hospital.

“With everything that happened tonight, all the adversity our guys faced, I couldn’t be more proud of them,” coach Kevin Clancy said. “They battled and they did everything they could. I wish I could have helped them get into the end zone there at the end, but the kids played with heart and poise right to the end of the game. That’s not easy to do in a game like this. They’re mentally and physically tough, and they’ve done a lot all year. All the young guys that saw the seniors play, they’re going to grow from this. I think it was a real positive experience and it was a great year.”

Imhotep Charter (11-2) scored on its first four possessions. Rahmir Stewart scored the first two touchdowns on runs of 24 and four yards to give Imhotep a 12-0 lead. Late in the second quarter, quarterback Mikal Davis and wide receiver Rohjhii Atkinson connected on a 32-yard touchdown pass with 2:37 to go before halftime.

Imhotep coach Devon Williams admitted he was concerned facing Clancy’s patented Wing-T offense. Williams credited assistant coach Pat Fisher, who played under Clancy at Strath Haven in the 2000s, for providing a bit of an insider’s knowledge on how to game plan for the offense.

“I’m not going to lie, that’s something I was nervous about,” Williams said. “It’s something you can’t really prepare for, but Coach Fisher really showed us the nuances of it. It was really about being disciplined. I challenged our defense. Yeah, we’re really athletic and we’re really fast, but I wanted to see more discipline. It’s not a sack game for our D-line. They were able to step up.”

Jabree Wallace-Coleman’s 44-yard run put Imhotep in front, 28-0, early in the third quarter. Sybree Williams-Rockeymoore accounted for Imhotep’s final touchdown a minute into the fourth period.

Imhotep’s Panthers wanted to put the exclamation point on the blowout of Strath Haven’s Panthers. It was determined to stop SH from getting points on the board. Sure enough, the collection of big guys up front got the job done.

“I just had to make sure I got penetration, let the other guys get through. If I can take on that block, my linebackers get free and they can make a big play,” Imhotep lineman Jahsear Whittington said. “That’s just something, once we go through a whole game, we don’t want to give up those six points. We’re up 36, but keep it 36-0. Why not? That’s what great defenses do, and we want to be labeled as a great defense.”

While Imhotep moves on to Hersheypark Stadium next week to play for the PIAA Class 5A title, Strath Haven rode off knowing it had one heck of a year. Only a non-boundary school that recruits throughout the city of Philadelphia could slow them down. Strath Haven ended the season 13-2 overall and took home its first District 1 championship in 11 years.

Not bad at all.

“I’m happy that I experienced it with all my boys,” Barlow said.