Timite paves way to Gratz victory
Charly Timite must have been really lost as a freshman at Engineering and Science. Timite, a senior two-way lineman at Simon Gratz, spent his first three years of high school at E&S, where he once searched the North Philadelphia campus in vain for something it didn't have.
Charly Timite must have been really lost as a freshman at Engineering and Science.
Timite, a senior two-way lineman at Simon Gratz, spent his first three years of high school at E&S, where he once searched the North Philadelphia campus in vain for something it didn't have.
"I was new to the area, and I didn't know anything about North Philly," said Timite, who lives in Southwest Philadelphia. "So I went to Engineering and Science and I was looking for the football team."
On Thursday afternoon, the 6-foot-4, 270-pounder had no trouble finding footballs, as Gratz overwhelmed Bartram, 52-0, at the Marcus Foster Super Site.
Timite, who didn't play high school football until last season, recovered a pair of fumbles. He also helped the Bulldogs (2-2, 2-0) finish the Public League AAAA Liberty division contest with 210 rushing yards.
Junior running back Amir Lewis finished with 71 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries.
Gratz also held the Braves (2-2, 0-2) to just 97 total yards of offense.
Senior linebacker Shawn "Woozy" Jenkins forced two fumbles while senior defensive back Rashad Hawkins added an interception.
"It was a good win," said Timite, who started in place of Raquan Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 335-pound lineman. "We're just trying to stay humble and keep working."
Thomas, who has an offer from Temple - with other schools in pursuit - twisted an ankle in practice this week, but expects to return next week.
Such is the strength of Simon Gratz, a team that can bring Timite, a player with Division I offers from Massachusetts, Maine, and Towson, off the bench as a reserve.
"Shout-out to my whole O-line," Timite said. "We're all gifted, but those guys - Raquan, Cameron Brown, Clifton Marney, Kaiden Crawford, and Amir Blaylock - they push me every day to work harder."
His first high school nudge, however, put him on the soccer field.
Engineering and Science, of course, does not offer football.
So, Timite chose soccer. But what does a 6-foot-4, 270-pounder look like on the pitch?
"I'm African," he said, laughing. "Soccer's just natural. I played backyard football with my brothers."
Charly's mother, Fatoumata Meite, and father, Charles Timite, emigrated from the Ivory Coast.
Charly was born in Newark, N.J., and his family moved to Philadelphia when he was 6 or 7, he said.
He grew up playing youth football for the Southwest Jaguars, but in high school, a knee injury during soccer season scuttled his freshman year. Grades precluded his participation as a sophomore.
Before his junior year, however, Timite's size and strength caught the eye of Gratz's team members, whom he grew to know during summer workouts.
He played for the Bulldogs last season and then transferred to Gratz for his senior campaign.
"I had to come out," he said. "I was in the gym and they were like, 'You have size!' I always loved football, but I couldn't play my first two years. I'm a football player, so I knew I had to play football."
Now, Timite is trying to make up for lost time.
"I know if I would have done better in the classroom my first two years, I could have been way better," said Timite, who added that his grades are now in order.
"I was young. I didn't know how much talent I had. Now I just have to keep on working."
Bartram 0 0 0 0 - 0
Simon Gratz 14 19 13 6 - 52
G: Amir Lewis 30 run (run failed)
G: Quashah Carter 27 pass from Amir Gillis (Luke White run)
G: Lewis 4 run (Gillis kick)
G: White 6 run (kick failed)
G: Rahmir Johnson 2 run (kick blocked)
G: Johnson 60 kickoff return (Gillis kick)
G: Lewis 5 run (kick failed)
G: Samir Thomas 1 run (kick failed)
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