High School

IMG Academy starts a 12,062-mile national schedule on Thursday night vs. Corner Canyon (Utah)

The Ascenders will have to travel over 12,000 miles roundtrip for road games in 2024

Andy Villamarzo

IMG Academy at Ben Davis Indiana football 9-8-23
IMG Academy at Ben Davis Indiana football 9-8-23 / Tyler Hart

12,062.

That's the total number of miles IMG Academy's national high school football team will have to travel this season. And it all begins Thursday when they board planes and head to Draper, Utah to face Corner Canyon High School.

The Ascenders will enter the contest as the No. 4-ranked team in the country, per the preseason SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 rankings. The Chargers begin the season at No. 19.

IMG Academy is one of the top high school football teams in the nation again in 2024.
IMG Academy is one of the top high school football teams in the nation again in 2024. / Photo by Tyler Hart

IMG Academy are no strangers to beginning the season on a long road trip, as the Ascenders started off the 2023 campaign against Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. In front of a packed house, the Ascenders rolled to a 35-10 win over the Mustangs.

For Ascenders' head coach Billy Miller, he's got another loaded bunch after completing the 2023 season with a perfect 10-0 record. IMG Academy picked up victories over Lipscomb Academy, St. Joseph's Prep (Pennsylvania), Ben Davis (Indiana), Glenville (Ohio) and St. Frances Academy (Maryland).

This last year's travel mileage pales in contrast to this fall's schedule, which IMG Academy traveled a total (roundtrip) of 6,136 miles. The Ascenders nearly double that total this year with an impressive slate of road games all lined up.

IMG Academy will play Corner Canyon then travel to the 'Battle at the Beach' in Ocean City, New Jersey against Bergen Catholic., the No. 12-ranked team in the country. Phenix City Central (Alabama; No. 23 in the country), East St. Louis (Illinois), St. Frances Academy (Maryland; No. 15 in the country) and a short trip down Interstate 75 South to face Venice.

Miller stated at Suncoast Media Day a couple weeks ago that his team is looking to answer the bell against any of the country's top programs, including in-state Chaminade Madonna and St. Thomas Aquinas.

"Yeah, it would be great to play (Chaminade Madonna)," Miller said when asked why hasn' there been a game between the two schools. "There's been several conversations year in and year out and a contract has never been executed and it hasn't been from our side. We want to play the best teams in the state. There's great football here. We'd love to play teams like St. Thomas Aquinas too."

Make no mistake about how good this specific IMG team might be, because they've got some of the best talent at every position in the country.

Transitioning from Jayden Bradford, who is now at Liberty, to a potential new signal caller will be a storyline to watch for as Miller has yet to name a starter. One name to tie in with the position is Texas transfer Ty Hawkins, who came over the off-season from San Antonio Johnson. Hawkins is a SMU commitment and threw for over 2,200 yards and 25 touchdowns last fall.

The weapons on the offensive side of the ball might be the gargantuan offensive line the Ascenders feature, that averages in height around 6-foot-4, over 300 pounds across. Only a handful of high schools across the country have the size and strength to match up with IMG's offensive front.

Ascenders' defense is led by hard-hitting linebackers Gavin Nix (Miami commitment), Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and defensive lineman London Merritt (Ohio State commit).

Stock loaded with talent all over the place, a top notch coaching staff and some of the finest facilities in the land, IMG Academy on Thursday takes flight multiple time zones away.

The start to 12,062 miles round-tripping around the country and the road to a mythical national championship all begins this week. Buckle up.

IMG Academy vs. Corner Canyon football: How to watch & get live score updates (8/22/2024)

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl

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Andy Villamarzo
ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.

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