Yusuf Terry, Isheem Young shine as Imhotep edges Northeast

Imhotep coach Nick Lincoln wasn't even happy with his team's postgame performance after the Panthers ran away from Northeast, 27-6, Friday evening.

As is its custom, Imhotep lined up in the end zone and locked arms to recite — in unison — the school's affirmation statement.

The squad's first go-round, however, lacked gusto. And not every mouth moved.

So Lincoln, the Panthers' first-year coach, had them do it again, this time with pizzazz.

The scene was emblematic of the Panthers' performance in Friday's Public League rivalry game.

Imhotep started slowly and needed some prodding to prevail late.

Penalties — 14 total — also marred what was mostly a dominant defensive performance by the Panthers, led by Omar Speights, and Isheem Young.

"We just had to finish," said junior wideout Yusuf Terry. "We had to play through adversity like coach said with all the flags. We had to come together as a team. We just had to fight it out. It was a great win, though."

Terry, a 6-4, 175-pounder, got the Panthers started early on the first play from scrimmage, a 55-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Sutton-Christian.

Terry, buried on the depth chart behind talented seniors last season, caught the ball with one hand because his defender had grabbed the other.

He finished with five catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns.

His second came after the Vikings got within six points, 12-6, after Marlon White had scored from 3 yards out with 1 minute, 36 seconds left in the third quarter.

Terry caught a screen pass on the left side, broke a few tackles, and skedaddled 58 yard toward glory.

"I just attack the ball now," Terry said. "At first, I wasn't coming to the ball. Now I just attack it. I see the ball, it's mine."

Sutton-Christian finished 7 of 12 for 146 and two touchdown tosses. Northeast managed just 106 rushing yards on 47 carries.

Young, a Penn State commit, added a rushing touchdown and an interception return for an 87-yard touchdown that was negated by a block behind the play that was flagged.

Imhotep's defense was flagged seven times. The offense was ticketed five times, and special teams was caught twice.

"Like I told our guys," Lincoln said, "we gave ourselves adversity. We gave up 60 yards of penalties off personal fouls. Can I sit here and blame the refs? Yeah, but that's not it. We're doing stuff (wrong). But I think this showed that we can keep fighting through situations. I just think we have to keep getting better."

Box

Imhotep 6 6 8 7 27
Northeast 0 0 6 0 6

IM: Yusuf Terry 55 pass from Jalen Sutton-Christian. Kick failed.

IM: Isheem Young 17 run. Run failed.

NE: Marlon White 3 run. Run Failed.

IM: Terry 58 pass from Sutton-Christian. Symear Williams run.

IM: Carl Jones 15 run. Myles Nicholson kick.