High school football's No. 1-ranked team
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) has one of the best passing combinations in the country with Michigan-bound quarterback
J.J. McCarthy and Alabama commit
Jacorey Brooks at wide receiver. The duo combined for the first score of the game Thursday night against No. 28
Edgewater (Orlando, Fla.), but it was all running game and defense from there as the host Ascenders dominated 48-7.
Kaytron Allen rushed for three touchdowns while
Lovasea’ Carroll and
Xavier Terrell also found the end zone on the ground as IMG Academy (2-0) showed off a physical brand of football against the 2019 Class 7A Florida state finalists.
Playing its season opener, Edgewater hung tough with the Ascenders for a little over a half but eventually ran out of juice, especially during the fourth quarter when IMG scored 20 straight points, including a fumble return of 20 yards for a score by
Malik Bryant on the game's final play.
IMG running back Kaytron Allen had three rushing touchdowns in the victory.
Photo by Annette Wilkerson
After a scoreless and sloppy first quarter, IMG Academy took a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter — a 25-yard touchdown pass from McCarthy to Brooks, who was well covered. McCarthy simply dropped the ball right in place.
After a three-and-out, Georgia commit Carroll struck quickly with a 65-yard touchdown jaunt up the middle, making it 14-0 with 9:24 left in the half. The future Bulldog sprinted into the secondary, broke one tackle, then wasn't going to be caught the final 40 yards.
Edgewater didn't back down and immediately drove down field, took advantage of three IMG Academy penalties before quarterback
Canaan Mobley snuck it home from the 1, closing to 14-7 with 5:06 left until halftime.
Seemingly back in the game, the Eagles watched a 50-yard kickoff return from Carroll and added a personal foul, putting the ball on Edgewater's 35-yard line. Another long pass from McCarthy to Brooks set up a 2-yard TD plunge from Allen that made it 21-7 with 4:20 left in the half.
That sequence seemed to take the steam out of the Eagles.
Allen's second touchdown run, another short 1-yard plunge with 4:46 left in the third quarter made it 28-7. An interception by
Omar Burroughs set up the scoring drive.
Terrell, a fleet sophomore, burst through the left with a 12-yard TD burst with 8:31 left in the game to make it 35-7. Allen put the finishing touches on this one with a 3-yard touchdown run with 3:21 left before Bryant's final score.
IMG head coach Bobby Acosta leads his team onto the homefield.
Photo by Annette Wilkerson
Edgewater quarterback Canaan Mobley scored his team's only touchdown.
Photo by Annette Wilkerson
IMG defensive back Kamari Wilson brings down an Edgewater player.
Photo by Annette Wilkerson
IMG receiver Jacorey Brooks scored the game's first touchdown on a 25-yard pass.
Photo by Annette Wilkerson
