The Mandarin Mustangs will challenge the IMG Academy Ascenders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Mandarin's defense has only allowed 7.8 points per game this season, so IMG Academy's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Mandarin is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Florida's top teams: Bradford, who was ranked 12th in their home state at the time (Mandarin was ranked 23rd). Mandarin fell to Bradford 18-13. The Mustangs' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, IMG Academy entered their tilt with Mt. Zion Prep Academy on Thursday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They claimed a resounding 57-0 victory over the Warriors at home. The match marked the Ascenders' most dominant win of the season so far.
IMG Academy's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jayden Wade, who rushed for 74 yards, and also threw for 40 yards and a touchdown. The dominant performance gave Wade a new career-high in rushing yards.
Mandarin's loss ended a seven-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 3-1. As for IMG Academy, their win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-1.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
