High school football rankings: IMG Academy looking for statement win against St. Frances Academy to improve Top 25 position

IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) looks to make a statement in its final game of the season Friday against St. Frances Academy (Baltimore). Winners of 17 in a row dating back to last season, the Ascenders are the No. 4 team in this week’s Top 25 high school football rankings and winning by an average margin of 29.2 points per game.

St. Frances Academy has recovered from a 1-5 start by winning four in a row.

This is the fifth meeting between the two programs since 2016. IMG Academy, which hosts Friday’s meeting, evened the series with a 27-16 win last year. Carnell Tate hauled in eight receptions for 103 yards and two scores while Jordon Johnson-Rubell made the biggest play of the game with a 97-yard pick-six to change momentum right before halftime. The game features 40 players rated as a three-star recruit or higher on 247Sports.

We named the CIF Southern Section Division 1 bracket the toughest in the country and it will feature two MaxPreps Top 25 matchups in the semifinals. No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) hosts No. 19 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) and No. 21 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) travels to No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). Both games are Friday.

St. John Bosco rolled to a 35-10 win over San Clemente after trailing 10-0 midway through the second quarter. Mater Dei shutout JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) for the second time this season with a 38-0 victory. Centennial beat Orange Lutheran (Orange) 63-39 as Husan Longstreet threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns while Cornell Hatcher Jr. added 184 yards and five scores on the ground. Sierra Canyon took down Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) 37-20 in its first Division 1 playoff game.

Julian Lewis put on a special performance as No. 17 Carrollton beat Harrison (Kennesaw) 54-14 in the opening round of Georgia’s AAAAAAA playoffs. The five-star completed 15 of 19 passes for 435 yards and broke the school record with seven touchdown passes. The 2022 MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year has thrown for 2,625 yards and 41 touchdowns against one interception this season.

In Utah, Isaac Wilson led No. 18 Corner Canyon (Draper) to a 63-24 win over Lehi in the 6A semifinals. Wilson completed 20 of 27 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns to go with 10 carries for 124 yards. Wilson enters Friday’s championship with 4,322 yards passing and 47 touchdowns to go with 1,112 yards on the ground and 10 more scores. The Chargers face Skyridge (Lehi), who beat Corner Canyon in last year’s title game.

(Photo: getty image)

Top 25 football rankings

1. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 1
Last week: Idle
Next week: Idle

2. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 2
Last week: Idle
Next week: Friday vs. Avant Garde Academy (Hollywood)

3. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 3
Last week: Beat San Clemente 35-10
This week: Friday vs. No. 19 Centennial (Corona)

4. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: 4
Last week: Idle
This week: Friday vs. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

5. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 5
Last week: Beat JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) 38-0
This week: Friday vs. No. 21 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)

6. North Shore (Houston)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 6
Last week: Beat Deer Park 42-14
This week: Friday vs. Clear Springs (League City)

7. DeSoto (Texas)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 7
Last week: Beat Harker Heights 50-10
This week: Friday vs. Wylie East (Wylie)

8. Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 8
Last week: Beat Osborne (Marietta) 42-17
This week: Friday vs. Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee)

9. St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia)
Record: 9-1 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat La Salle College (Wyndmoor) 35-7
This week: Saturday vs. Abraham Lincoln (Philadelphia)

10. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 10
Last week: Beat Plantation 63-6
This week: Friday vs. Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach)

11. Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 11
Last week: Beat Parkview (Lilburn) 51-25
This week: Friday vs. Westlake (Atlanta)

12. Walton (Marietta, Ga.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 12
Last week: Beat Mountain View (Lawrenceville) 66-7
This week: Friday vs. North Gwinnett (Suwanee)

13. Norland (Miami)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 13
Last week: Beat St. Brendan (Miami) 55-0
This week: Friday vs. Monsignor Pace (Miami)

14. Massillon (Ohio)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 14
Last week: Beat Lake (Uniontown) 35-6
This week: Friday vs. Green (Uniontown)

15. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 9-1 | Last week: 15
Last week: Beat Hutto 63-7
This week: Friday vs. Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall)

16. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 16
Last week: Beat Wheeler (Marietta) 50-0
This week: Friday vs. Norcross

17. Carrollton (Ga.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 17
Last week: Beat Harrison (Kennesaw) 54-14
This week: Friday vs. Valdosta

18. Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 18
Last week: Beat Lehi 63-24
This week: Friday vs. Skyridge (Lehi)

19. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Record: 9-2 | Last week: 19
Last week: Beat Orange Lutheran (Orange) 63-39
This week: Friday at No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower)

20. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
Record: 8-1 | Last week: 20
Last week: Beat North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek) 63-13
This week: Friday vs. King’s Academy (West Palm Beach)

21. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 21
Last week: Beat Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) 37-20
This week: Friday at No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

22. Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.)
Record: 9-1 | Last week: 22
Last week: Idle
This week: Friday vs. Hamilton (Chandler)

23. St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 23
Last week: Beat McKinley (Canton) 41-17
This week: Friday vs. Medina

24. Belleville (Mich.)
Record: 12-0 | Last week: 24
Last week: Beat Northville 49-7
This week: Saturday vs. Davison

25. Serra (San Mateo, Calif.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 25
Last week: Beat Salinas 47-7
This week: Friday vs. Wilcox (Santa Clara)