Champagnat quits contest versus No. 49 IMG Academy

The high school football season ended earlier than expected for IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) as its opponents walked off the field with six minutes to play in the second quarter.

The Ascenders entered the week ranked No. 49 in the HSFB100 and were playing host to Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah, FL) — the defending Florida Class 2A Champions — but the contest never made it to halftime.

IMG scored seven touchdowns and lead 48-8 when a personal foul call against Champagnat Catholic lead to a player being ejected. Coaches for Champagnat protested the call and when the situation was unresolved to their liking instructed players off the field, board the bus, and leave the game unfinished.

The issue figures to come with consequences.

FHSAA Public Relations coordinator Corey Sobers said that the office has protocol to follow and that the process has not even started.

“Whenever there is an ejection from a game we get a report and look into the incident but we haven’t received that report yet,” Sobers said. “The team walking off the field is a separate event and I can not comment on that because this is the first I am hearing about it.”

Champagnat Catholic has built a reputation of unprofessional conduct and poor sportsmanship this season as it had previously canceled games with Cocoa (FL) and then Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, FL) the week of scheduled games prior to its walking off versus IMG Academy.

Champagnat did not give a reason to Cocoa for canceling but cited injuries for not keeping its game with Trinity Christian.

The team is scheduled to play a first round playoff game against Jupiter Christian (FL) on Nov. 14.

Sobers said that he was not willing to speculate on potential punishment nor whether it would affect the team’s playoff prospects.

IMG is ineligible for FHSAA playoffs and ends its second season of varsity football at 9-1.

Its most impressive victory was against St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, NJ), 36-20. The lone blemish was an opening week setback to St. John’s (Washington, DC) as the offense was unable to get in gear, falling 35-2.

Quarterback Deondre Francois ended the season with 17 touchdown passes versus four interceptions and will be headed to Florida State.

Receiver K.J. Osbourn was the primary target for Francois and he hauled in seven of the touchdown passes.

A trio of junior runningbacks paved the way for a successful season at IMG as Tony Jones, Jack Wegher, and Taven Birdow combined to score 30 touchdowns on the ground.

Do-everything Brayden Beard ended his senior season with a punt return for a touchdown in the win over Champagnat Catholic and was the sparkplug for the special teams as in the passing game most all of the season while flying under the recruiting radar.

The private school will be sending most all of its offensive line to the next level as Tyree St. Louis is committed to Miami, Evan Mallory has pledged to Cincinnati, Mirko Jurkovic plans to attend Nebraska, and Miki Fifita is a verbal to Oregon State.

Defensively the group had three lineman also headed to the next level.

Hjalte Frohold is committed to Arkansas, Scott Patchan as well as Ryan Fines will head to Miami.

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