IMG White squad earns decisive first win, whipping Kingdom Prep

Just two games into its inaugural season and the IMG Academy White team has its first victory.

The Ascenders, shut out by Saint Stephen’s in their season opener, evened their record at 1-1 with Saturday night’s 34-8 win over Auburndale Kingdom Prep (0-3).

After lauding his team for a solid effort, albeit with a few miscues and numerous penalties, coach Ken Stills put the outcome in proper perspective by pointing out that Saint Stephen’s won the Independent state title last season while Kingdom Prep is a second-year team with just 23 players.

“Tonight, our kids had a chance to feel what it’s like to get the lead and they grabbed it,” Stills said. “We’re just trying to get better. It was good for us. They showed some improvement. I was real happy for the kids.”

Quarterback Bryson Lucero led five of IMG’s six scoring drives, passing for two touchdowns and scoring on a 1-yard plunge into the end zone that gave the home team a 17-0 halftime lead.

Lucero, who completed 6-of-10 for 88 yards, capped a nine-play, 57-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jay Taylor and later hooked up with Nick Toppino on a 38-yard scoring pass.

Taylor, who led the Ascenders with 109 yards on 16 carries, also scored on a 12-yard run and A.J. Worsley kicked a 27-yard field goal.

Linebacker Gentry Hawkins got IMG on the scoreboard by sacking Kingdom Prep quarterback Equan Anglin in the end zone for a safety in the first quarter.