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High School Top 10: St. Joe Prep's Khari Jones Shows What Perseverance Is All About

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — It always seemed to be something, and it always occurred under the oddest circumstances. Khari Jones fell wrong, or someone fell wrong on him. A cut or a turn while running was followed with a tweak. It was frustrating, it tested the St. Joseph's Prep senior tailback. It made him take a deeper look at himself each time he got hurt.

In his sophomore year, he was sidelined with a concussion. Last year as a junior, his hamstrings were a constant problem, and early this year, he overcame a high ankle sprain.

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Now, for the first time, Jones is healthy—and it shows.

He's rushed for 200 yards and caught five passes for 65 yards, while scoring two touchdowns. The explosive 5-foot-9, 190-pound Jones will be play an increasingly vital role in the Hawks' stretch run for a PIAA 6A state title—which would be Prep's third in four years.

"It's been good, other than the little ups and downs in my high school career, but I'm happy," said Jones, the son of renowned Penn Wood state champion basketball coach Clyde Jones, who is now the head coach at Girard College. "My dad and my coaches, my teammates kept me up when I was down, and that meant a lot to me.

khari-jones
(Photo courtesy of St. Joseph's Prep)

"It was frustrating watching your brothers out there playing and you can't do anything to contribute to them. But I kept staying with it. My family and my football family kept me coming back. I put a lot of hard work into it and I know it's not going to waste. I trust myself more. I haven't been hurt, and I'm trusting my body more. You can't play with doubt and I trust everything. It's why I go hard. I do know what it's like to watch. This season does mean a lot to me."

One person certainly pleased that Jones is healthy and contributing is Hawks' coach Gabe Infante. He knew what Jones was capable of, it was just a matter of being able to prove it.

"Khari has had a hard road, suffering a lot of whacky kind of injuries, and his mental toughness is as strong as anyone you'll ever met," Infante said. "You do root for a kid like Khari, because he kept coming back. Steadily over the last few weeks, he's been getting better and better, and if anyone is ready to explode and have a good night, it's him.

"Khari is finally back to his old self. I'm excited for him. Khari really deserves this time."

This is the meat grinder time of the season. Infante has adroitly played the role of the master sergeant preparing his team for this time of the season.

"It could be a difficult thing to plan, because our preseason is very challenging for us, and now we're in our league schedule and that changes things," Infante said. "The Catholic League teams are very physical. In Pennsylvania, there are so mammy moving parts, we as a coaching staff prepare for that. This time is critical for us. We have to make sure we're playing our best football this time of year, and we've played some pretty good football. So how do keep finding ways to get better. It's hard, but we'll keep working at it."

CBS Philly's Area Top 10 Power Ratings For Oct. 28, 2016
1. St. Joe's Prep (Record: 7-0)
2. Imhotep Charter (Record: 7-0)
3. North Penn (Record: 9-0)
4. Neshaminy (Record: 9-0)
5. St. Augustine (NJ) (Record: 6-0)
6. Timber Creek (NJ) (Record: 5-0)
7. Perkiomen Valley (Record: 9-0)
8. Archbishop Wood (Record: 5-2-1)
9. Lenape (NJ) (Record: 5-0)
10. Coatesville (Record: 8-1)

Southeastern PA Top 10 For Oct. 28, 2016
1. St. Joe's Prep (Record: 7-0)
2. Imhotep Charter (Record: 7-0)
3. North Penn (Record: 9-0)
4. Neshaminy (Record: 9-0)
5. Perkiomen Valley (Record: 9-0)
6. Archbishop Wood (Record: 5-2-1)
7. Coatesville (Record: 8-1)
8. Downingtown East (Record: 7-2)
9. Ridley (Record: 8-1)
10. Spring-Ford (Record: 7-2)

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