The 2018 Imani Christian Academy Saints smashed opponents on both sides of the ball, scoring nearly 40 points per game while giving up less than half as many.
The Saints prefer to pass the football because they have playmakers, great athletes and players who have religiously attended drills and committed themselves.
WPIAL president Tim O’Malley could not be reached for comment, but the tandem of Rahmon Hart Jr. and Dashaun Wright are believed to be the first set of receivers from the same team in recent WPIAL history to go over 1,000 yards in the same regular season.
Hart, a Ball State University recruit, was vital on both sides of the ball for Imani. Featured on defense at linebacker and on offense, he had 62 catches for 1,380 yards and a whopping 16 touchdowns this year.
“I give a lot of credit to my quarterback (Israel ‘Izzy’ Reed, 2,880 yards, 31 touchdown passes) for making some great passes and getting me the ball. In addition to that, a lot of success that I had this season was due to the hard work I did in the offseason,” said Hart, in an exclusive interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier. “I had some trainers who really prepared me well. I also think the hours of training with the JUGS machine helped me, too. Those were the things that I think gave me the advantage.”
Hart is recognized for his tireless work ethic and enthusiasm to get down and dirty at wide receiver, sacrificing his body to block, catch balls across the middle, and maul cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage.
“We always expect Hart to be a dominant player,” coach Ronnell Heard told the Courier. “To have played as a freshman means he is a special guy. That’s so rare. Hart is so athletic and he works hard in the weight room. We expect him to continue to play well in college. He’s got a great opportunity. He just needs to take advantage of it.”
The Saints have practiced what coach Heard has preached and they entered the season with expectations for success. The Saints began the 2018 season with 80—yes, 80—points in a dominating win over Richard Wright Charter School (a team from Washington, D.C.). Next, they defeated Springdale, 38-0, and picked up wins over Greensburg Central Catholic, Riverview, Valley, Leechburg and Chartiers-Houston en route to a 7-4 regular season record. The Saints lost in the WPIAL 1A playoffs to Our Lady of Sacred Heart, Nov. 2.
“I tell them that champions usually are people who work really hard when no one else is looking,” Heard said. “We have a good group. They are individuals with team goals.”
The contrast in stature is great: Hart is 6’3 and powerfully built and Wright is 5’10 and only weights 170 pounds.
Wright’s role on offense had to be expanded because he is a threat to score every time he touched the football. He is the jack of all trades at the wide receiver position and can return kicks, run reverses and intercept passes.
“Dynamite” Wright finished the season with 45 catches for 1,071 yards, 13 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
“He is just a great athlete,” Heard said. “He makes big plays on both sides of the ball. We stressed getting him the ball a little more this year.”
When summer camp opened, only 17 players requested equipment, which is a number that makes head coaches lose sleep at night, worrying about how much damage an injury to a key player or two could do to a depth chart.
In times of trouble, Heard reacts like a strong leader should—calmly.
It is easy to remain stress-free when you are blessed with the “Wright Hart.”
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