Independent powerhouse beat five state champions en route to claiming first national title, narrowly edging unbeaten Florida state champ Stoneman Douglas.
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association but
it chooses not to participate in the organization's state playoffs, instead playing a national schedule that this year included opponents from six
different states as well as Puerto Rico.
For the first
time in the school’s history, the Ascenders finished undefeated (25-0)
with wins over five state champions and two other
teams that finished as state runners-up. No other past national champion
can make that claim.
IMG Academy outscored champions
Silo (Okla.),
Lakeland Christian (Lakeland, Fla.),
Poly Prep Country Day (Brooklyn, N.Y.),
Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.) and
Houston County (Warner Robins, Ga.) as well as runners-up
Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) and
Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.) by an overwhelming tally of 81-27.
Overall, IMG
Academy faced 23 teams that made the postseason. Those squads had a
postseason winning percentage of .743. The Ascenders’ 25 opponents for
the season had an overall winning percentage of .694.
The No. 1
finish marks the fourth time in five seasons the Ascenders have finished in the top 10, finishing No. 4 last year, No. 3 in 2021 and No. 6 in
2019. There were no national rankings in 2020.
1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 25-0 |
Last week: 1
2. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 29-0 |
Last week: 2
Class 7A state champions.
3. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 39-1 |
Last week: 3
Non-Select Division 1 state champions.
4. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Record: 35-2 |
Last week: 4
Division 1 state champions.
5. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)
Record: 31-3 |
Last week: 5
Division 1 state champions.
6. Flower Mound (Texas)
Record: 37-10-2 |
Last week: 6
Class 6A state champions.
7. West Monroe (La.)
Record: 34-4 |
Last week: 7
Non-Select Division 1 runner-up.
8. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)
Record: 26-5 |
Last week: 8
Class 6A state champions.
9. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Record: 24-9 |
Last week: 9
Southern Section Division 1 champions.
10. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Record: 29-7 |
Last week: 10
Southern California Division 1 champions.
11. Houston County (Warner Robins, Ga.)
Record: 36-6 |
Last week: 11
Class AAAAAA state champions.
12. Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.)
Record: 28-4 |
Last week: 12
Class 3A state champions.
13. Magnolia West (Magnolia, Texas)
Record: 35-5 |
Last week: 13
Class 5A state champions.
14. Magnolia Heights (Senatobia, Miss.)
Record: 40-3 |
Last week: 14
MAIS Class AAAAA state champions.
15. St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 30-1-1 |
Last week: 15
Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions.
16. Sickles (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 30-2 |
Last week: 16
Class 6A state champions.
17. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Record: 27-5 |
Last week: 17
Northern California Division 1 champions.
18. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Record: 36-8 |
Last week: 18
Class 4A state champions.
19. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
Record: 21-6 |
Last week: 19
Class 5A state champions.
20. Pearland (Texas)
Record: 38-7-1 |
Last week: 20
Class 6A runner-up.
21. Cypress Woods (Cypress, Texas)
Record: 38-5 |
Last week: 21
Class 6A semifinalist.
22. Westlake (Austin, Texas)
Record: 40-5 |
Last week: 22
Class 6A semifinalist.
23. La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.)
Record: 26-7 |
Last week: 23
Southern California Division 1 runner-up.
24. Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.)
Record: 31-4 |
Last week: 25
Northern California Division 1 runner-up.
25. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 27-5 |
Last week: NR
Class 5A runner-up.
Next 75
26. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Record: 28-4
27. Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
Record: 28-2
North Coast Section Class 3A champions.
28. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 20-12
Southern Section Division 1 semifinalist.
29. Sulphur (La.)
Record: 37-5
Non-Select Division 1 semifinalist.
30. Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 33-5
Non-Select Division 1 semifinalist.
31. Ketcham (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.)
Record: 28-2
Class AA champion state champions.
32. Novi (Mich.)
Record: 33-8
Division 1 state champions.
33. Vestavia Hills (Ala.)
Record: 34-11
Class 7A state champions.
34. Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.)
Record: 36-3
Select Division 1 semifinalist.
35. Oxford (Ala.)
Record: 37-7
Class 6A state champions.
36. River Bluff (Lexington, S.C.)
Record: 28-7
Class 5A state champions.
37. Argyle (Texas)
Record: 35-11-2
Class 5A runner-up.
38. China Spring (Texas)
Record: 37-5
Class 4A state champions.
39. Sinton (Texas)
Record: 37-4
Class 4A semifinalist.
40. Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Record: 37-8
Class 7A semifinalist.
41. Rio Rancho (N.M.)Record: 27-2-2
Class 5A state champions.
42. Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Record: 35-10
Class 7A runner-up.
43. Eastlake (Chula Vista, Calif.)
Record: 29-6
San Diego Section Division 1 runner-up.
44. Crespi (Encino, Calif.)
Record: 23-8-3
Southern Section Division 2 champions.
45. Huntington Beach (Calif.)
Record: 21-9
46. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 21-9
47. Franklin (Elk Grove, Calif.)
Record: 30-5
Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 champion.
48. Aquinas (San Bernardino, Calif.)
Record: 25-6
Southern Section Division 2 semifinalist.
49. Mountain Ridge (Glendale, Ariz.)
Record: 24-6
Class 6A semifinalist.
50. Rancho Bernardo (San Diego, Calif.)
Record: 22-10
San Diego Section Division 1 semifinalist.
51. North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Record: 27-5
Class 3A runner-up.
52. Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)
Record: 27-4-1
Division 1 semifinalist.
53. Lewisburg (Olive Branch, Miss.)
Record: 29-8
Class 6A state champions.
54. Casteel (Queen Creek, Ariz.)
Record: 27-6
Class 5A state champions.
55. Corona (Calif.)
Record: 22-11
Southern Section Division 1 semifinalist.
56. Eastlake (Sammamish, Wash.)
Record: 26-2
Class 4A state champions.
57. Har-Ber (Springdale, Ark.)
Record: 29-6
Class 6A state champions.
Record: 30-3
Class 6A semifinalist.
59. Whitley County (Williamsburg, Ky.)
Record: 39-4
Kentucky state champion.
60. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)
Record: 31-4
MAIS Class 6A champion.
61. Queen Creek (Ariz.)
Record: 28-8
Class 6A runner-up.
62. T.C. Roberson (Asheville, N.C.)
Record: 26-8
Class 4A state champions.
63. Edwardsville (Ill.)
Record: 32-9
Division 1 state champions.
64. Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.)
Record: 27-8
Class 4A state champions.
65. Villa Park (Calif.)
Record: 20-11
66. Providence School (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Record: 25-5
Class 3A semifinalist.
67. Hardin Valley Academy (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Record: 34-7
Class 4A runner-up.
68. Columbus (Miami, Fla.)
Record: 24-5
69. St. Charles Catholic (LaPlace, La.)
Record: 32-7-1
Non-Select Division 2 state champions.
70. Liberty North (Liberty, Mo.)
Record: 34-7
Class 6 state champions.
71. Loganville (Ga.)
Record: 33-8
Class 5A state champions.
72. Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.)
Record: 26-4
Class 5A state champions.
73. Cox (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Record: 23-3
Class 5A state champions.
74. Catalina Foothills (Tucson, Ariz.)
Record: 27-3-1
Class 5A runner-up.
75. Plant (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 21-8
Class 7A runner-up.
76. Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.)
Record: 29-13
77. Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)
Record: 32-8
Class AAAAAAA runner-up.
78. Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.)
Record: 29-4
Class 4A runner-up.
79. Bixby (Okla.)
Record: 32-8
Class 6A state champions.
80. Lakeland Christian (Lakeland, Fla.)
Record: 25-5
Class 2A state champions.
81. North Oconee (Bogart, Ga.)
Record: 34-5
Class AAAA state champions.
82. Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.)
Record: 22-6-1
MIAA Class A champion.
83. Collierville (Tenn.)
Record: 36-7
Class 4A semifinalist.
84. Park Vista (Lake Worth, Fla.)
Record: 22-4-1
Class 7A semifinalist.
85. James Madison (Vienna, Va.)
Record: 23-5
Class 6A state champions.
86. Summerville (S.C.)
Record: 23-9
Class 5A state champions.
87. St. Mary's Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)
Record: 33-6
88. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Record: 22-6
Non-Public A champions.
89. Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City, N.J.)
Record: 24-7
Non-Public B champions.
90. Nixa (Mo.)
Record: 35-7
Class 6 semifinalist.
91. Poly Prep Country Day (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Record: 24-2
NYSAIS champions.
92. West Linn (Ore.)
Record: 20-5
Class 6A state champions.
93. Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Record: 25-2
Class 6A state champions.
94. Shaler Area (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Record: 23-4
Class 5A state champions.
95. Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Record: 27-4
VISAA Division 1 champions.
96. Eaton (Colo.)
Record: 29-0
Class 3A state champions.
97. St. Croix Falls (Wis.)
Record: 28-3
Division 3 state champions.
98. Whitefish Bay (Wis.)
Record: 26-9
Division 1 state champions.
99. East Ridge (Woodbury, Minn.)
Record: 20-8
Class 4A state champion.
100. Warde (Fairfield, Conn.)
Record: 20-5
Class LL state champions.
