Del-Val wins District 12 title

The heck with ESPN Classic. This one should go straight to Hollywood.

On second thought ... Those folks would probably laugh and find it too unbelievable.

After all, how can a guy leave a game with an injured ankle, reach the level of shutdown mode where he removes his jersey and shoulder pads, then later return to score the decisive touchdown while covering 89 yards and zoomin' like Carl Lewis?

"I know," Brad Wilson said. "I guess it did look funny."

That was only half of it. After briefly enjoying an end-zone celebration with a teammate, Wilson collapsed to the turf and needed the assistance of two more guys to make it back to the sideline.

After the game? Coach Barry Thomas flipped Wilson the game ball and, holding it aloft, Brad took a brief ride on the shoulders of extra-large lineman Fred Ruff.

All of this took place Saturday at Simon Gratz High's Marcus Foster Memorial Stadium as Delaware Valley Charter bested Future, 34-20, to capture the Public League and District12 ClassA football championship. (The Catholic League has no A schools.)

Long receptions that produce TDs are nothing new to Wilson, a 5-11, 170-pound junior wideout, as this season he boasts 10 scores and 519 yards on 18 snags (28.8 average).

This was his first brush with major drama.

Wilson injured his right ankle after making an 18-yard catch on the game's first play.

"A guy twisted it while he was making the tackle," Wilson said. "On defense, I couldn't make a cut and I thought I was done. I went to the sideline and the trainer said it looked like a pretty bad twist.

"I thought, 'That's it for today.' It bothered me because I wanted to be out there for my team. But they iced it and taped it and put a brace on it, too. I prayed to God and asked Him to give me the strength to go back out there."

Very late, he did.

The situation: D-V owned a 22-20 lead. Having stopped Future inches short of a first down at their 15 just beforehand, the Warriors, due in part to a procedure call, faced third-and-14 at the 11.

"I had to call a pass," Thomas said. "I didn't have faith that my defense would stop them."

Said Wilson: "I was telling the coaches to call the 'razor.' I told them I'd make the play."

Wilson lined up to the right, then ran a slant. He made the catch of Sean Williams' pass at the 22 - after the ball was slightly deflected by safety Xavia Witherspoon, who appeared to jump a split-second too early - and zoomed the rest of the way up the left sideline.

"I put that play, and the game, in God's hands," Wilson said. "I felt a lot of pain as I was running down there. As the end zone was getting closer and closer, it was hurting more and more ... I was also getting happier and happier."

Of Witherspoon's involvement, Wilson said, "I didn't see him over there at first. I was mad when I saw him tip the ball. It was like, 'Man, I shoulda been jumpin' with him.' But the ball came into my hands and I just took off."

D-V's fans would quickly get even more delirious.

On the kickoff, Khalil Hobson, so tremendous all game for Future, lost a fumble. Aaron Baker gained possession and raced 35 yards for a clinching TD with 3 minutes, 17 seconds remaining.

"The ball hit the ground and that boy was trying to swipe at it," Baker said. "I just took it away from his hands and went."

Few (no one?) would have predicted such a competitive contest, as D-V had skunked the Firebirds, 50-0, just 3 weeks earlier. Some standouts were missing due to injuries this time, however, and Future played with much more purpose.

Hobson (19-122) ran for TDs of 5 and 86 yards and tallied a third score on a 9-yard pass from Amir Martin. For D-V, Neal Warren, Barry "BJ" Devine and Brian Murray rushed for one score apiece. Williams finished 5-for-10 for 187 yards and the TD toss was his 17th of the season.

Nate Myers made four tackles behind the line while Jeremiah Mitchell and Tavon Holloway posted interceptions. Holloway also contributed a 43-yard catch to a scoring drive.

Wilson, who lives near Chew and Upsal in Mt. Airy, never played competitive football until the ninth grade. After spending a year at cornerback, he now owns 32 career catches for 842 yards and 17 TDs. The city record in that last category is 27 by 2007 Archbishop Wood grad Chris Lorditch.

"I love playing wideout," Wilson said. "I like to go get the ball and use my speed against the defenders. I figure it can get me out of trouble."

While providing Hollywood scripts.

In the Pub AA final:

Andre Frazier passed 5-for-8 for 100 yards and one TD apiece to Jihad Ward and Gary Jackson, and added a score of his own as Bok topped Imhotep Charter, 32-8, at the South Philly super complex. Faison Perry also posted a rushing TD while Robert Quarterman had an interception. Imhotep's Christopher Lewis passed 7-for-16 for 71 yards and the TD went to Dasir White on a 1-yard run. The Panthers' 18 rushes netted minus-11 yards.