Nick Lincoln respects the Bethlehem Catholic football program. He has faced it the past two years, when he coached Imhotep Charter past the Golden Hawks in the PIAA Class 4A semifinals.
Lincoln heads into a third straight state semifinal against Bethlehem Catholic (7 p.m. Friday, Northeast High School) certain his Panthers are ready for whatever the Golden Hawks can throw at them. He built a schedule to prepare them for this stage.
Imhotep Charter played early-season games against DeMatha Catholic (Md.) and St. Joe’s Regional (N.J.). It lost them both but reaped long-term rewards from the challenge.
“Being in tight games early on, it let us see where we’re at and where we needed to fix some things,” Lincoln said by phone Monday afternoon. “I would take those games again. It didn’t harm our confidence. It made us a bit tighter as a program.
“Knowing we went against some of the best players in the country gives us the mentality that we can go against anybody.”
Imhotep Charter had little trouble with its last opponent. Valley View headed into the state quarterfinals 13-0. The Panthers cruised past it for a 37-9 win to earn their date with Bethlehem Catholic.
Defense has moved Imhotep Charter to the doorstep of another state final. The Panthers boast a secondary that features safety Tykee Smith, a West Virginia recruit. He tortured Bethlehem Catholic as a fill-in running back last season, gashing the Golden Hawks for 235 yards and five touchdowns in a 34-14 win.
Another defensive back, sophomore corner Shafeek Smith, has already received Division I interest. Fellow sophomore defensive back Javon McIntyre could be next in earning D-I looks. The Panthers also feature senior safeties Scott Thomas and Anthony Gordon, making it hard to beat them downfield.
Three linebackers who started last season play in front of Imhotep Charter’s loaded secondary. Symear Williams mans the middle, with Tahmir Johnson and Nasier Dean on the outside.
Imhotep Charter’s offense took time to catch up with its defense. Senior Jalen Sutton-Christian, who split quarterback reps for the first four weeks, has piloted the offense since then. The Panthers want him to distribute the ball to playmakers rather than try to win on his own.
“It’s the same kind of Imhotep that they’ve been,” Bethlehem Catholic coach Joe Henrich said. “They’ve got some size up front. They’ve got skill all over the place. They’re obviously a confident team based on what they’ve done and their track record.
“It’s going to be a good game. The biggest thing for us is just trying to contain their athleticism, their speed.”
While Imhotep Charter faced challenges early in its schedule, it has rolled since its 14-8 loss to St. Joe’s Regional on Sept. 8. The Panthers haven’t allowed more than 12 points in a game during a nine-game winning streak.
They expect Bethlehem Catholic to push them more than any Pennsylvania team they have played this season.
“They’re really big up front,” Lincoln said. “They block well. They get hands on bodies. Their running game is solid. Defensively, they’re just smart and keep things in front of them.
“This is going be more of a heavyweight bout. We’re preparing for a 10-round fight, going back and forth. It’s going to be a high-quality playoff game.”