FLORIDA TOP 25 PREVIEW: No. 1 IMG Academy Ascenders team preview

With the 2022 high school football season here we are previewing the Top 25 teams in our Florida Top 25 rankings that we have already debuted on Varsity Sports Network’s Florida Gridiron Report last week. Rankings for the Florida Top 25 will be updated each Wednesday night on the Florida Gridiron Report and on FloridaHSFootball.com along with all classification rankings.

NO. 1 IMG ACADEMY ASCENDERS

Head Coach: Billy Miller, 1st year

Classification & District: Independent

2021 Record: 9-1

Key Athletes: OT Francis Mauigoa, Sr; DE Samuel M’Pemba, Sr; DE Jayden Wayne, Sr; WR Carnell Tate, Sr; TE Riley Williams, Sr; DE Gabriel Harris, Sr; LB Jordan Hall, Sr; DE Cameron Lenhardt, Sr; OL Knijeah Harris, Sr; WR Devin Hyatt, Sr; OL Antonio Tripp, Sr; LB Phil Picciotti, Sr; CB Jarvis Lee, Sr; OL Jordan Church, Sr; QB Parke Leise, Sr; QB Mason McHugh, Sr; OC Jahzare Jackson, Sr; CB Desmond Ricks, Jr; RB Jerrick Gibson, Jr; CB Ellis Robinson IV, Jr; DL David Stone, Jr; ATH Jonathan Echols, Jr; QB Jayden Bradford, Jr; S Jordan Johnson-Rubell, Jr; OT Jimothy Lewis, Jr; DE Ernest Willor, Jr; S Jordan Pride, Jr

2022 Schedule

Kickoff 7:00 PM ET unless noted

Fri. 8/26 (Week 1) – Miami Central

Fri. 9/2 (Week 2) – @ St. Louis De Smet Jesuit, Mo.

Fri. 9/9 (Week 3) – Salt Lake City East, Utah, 7 MT

Fri. 9/16 (Week 4) – BYE WEEK

Fri. 9/23 (Week 5) – @ Phenix City Central, Ala., 7 CT

Fri. 9/30 (Week 6) – Orlando Jones

Fri. 10/7 (Week 7) – Oakdale St. Thomas Moore, Conn.

Fri. 10/14 (Week 8) – BYE WEEK

Fri. 10/21 (Week 9) – BYE WEEK

Fri. 10/28 (Week 10) – Middletown, Del.

Fri. 11/4 (Week 11) – West Toronto Prep, Ont., Canada

Fri. 11/11 (Week 12) – BYE Week

Fri. 11/18 (Week 13) – Baltimore St. Frances Academy, Md.

Season Outlook: I know we take some flack for even ranking IMG Academy, but as they are a member of the FHSAA and have at consistently scheduled some of the best teams in the state every year we must look at what they do as well compared to other teams. Although the Ascenders don’t compete for a state championship, they will contender for a national championship along with the teams that are inside our Top 10. The Ascenders are loaded with top talent from around the country and a few from Florida that will keep them on top or towards the top for the entire season. Overall, this team will be very interesting to watch given the competitive schedule they put out each season as the Ascenders enter their 10th season of playing high school football in the Sunshine State.