IMG Academy repeats as Honor Bowl winner in San Diego
The IMG Academy Ascenders (2-0) ventured west Saturday to San Diego to take on California’s Corona Centennial Huskies (1-1) in the 2017 Honor Bowl.
Entering the fourth quarter, Ascenders running back Trey Sanders put the game away with touchdown runs of 75 and 65 yards to give IMG a 40-20 victory.
The game was a rematch of the 2016 Honor Bowl thriller between the two programs, where the Ascenders came out on top with a last second touchdown and two-point conversion to win 50-49.
IMG’s first points came when kicker Aidan Swanson connected on a 36-yard field goal to the game 3-3.
The Ascenders’ next score came later in the second quarter to knot things up at 10-10 when quarterback Art Sitkowski connected with wide receiver Brian Hightower on a pinpoint 18-yard strike.
Sitkowski would guide the team to its first lead of the game later in the half with a 23-yard passing score to wide receiver Jalen Jordan.
THE MAIN ATTRACTION@Bookie_44 • @6sixGod_ • @uno_tj • @___HG3 • @t_lova23 • @honorgroup • @IMGAFootball • @IMGAcademy#HonorBowl pic.twitter.com/yzAxFmroK9
— Highlight Sports (@HSP_Studios) September 3, 2017
After taking down the No. 6/No. 9 (Max Preps/USA Today) ranked Huskies, the Ascenders will face another top-25 squad when Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy comes to town on Saturday.
No. 2 @IMGAFootball (Fla.) downs No. 9 @Cen10Football (Calif.) in Honor Bowl rematch https://t.co/EH28WqP8Xx @thehonorgroup1 @6sixGod_
— USA TODAY HSS (@usatodayhss) September 3, 2017
No. 3 @IMGAcademy prevails over No. 6. pic.twitter.com/aBpemHV5mX
— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) September 3, 2017
Up next
Who: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) at IMG Academy
Where: IMG Academy, Bradenton
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
TV: ESPNU, ESPN3
This story was originally published September 3, 2017 at 11:39 AM with the headline "IMG Academy repeats as Honor Bowl winner in San Diego."