By Thomas Grant Jr.
In a season fraught with schedule changes, top-ranked Gray Collegiate’s final new opponent may be its most challenging.
The War Eagles will travel back to the Sunshine State to face national power IMG Academy on Thursday.
It’s part of a home-at-home agreement finalized by the two schools last week. The Ascenders will make the trip to West Columbia next season for their first matchup with a South Carolina-based school.
Back in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic canceled a matchup between IMG and Dutch Fork. Now the Ascenders face a Gray Collegiate team in a contest that will not be counted in its win-loss total.
Gray Collegiate head coach Adam Holmes said IMG is looking to reach out to a team for a game. War Eagles offensive coordinator Brett Bethune knew Seth Strickland at IMG and that led to a conversation with Holmes which resulted in the matchup.
This makes this technically a game between two undefeated teams. IMG Academy is 5-0 on the season and ranked fifth by USA Today, while Gray Collegiate is 10-0 after its latest forfeit victory over Newberry.
Former Chapin quarterback Jayden Bradford is on the Ascenders roster. The Liberty commit is one of 10 players committed to play at Power Five schools in 2024.
“Excited for our kids that we have been able to take the adversity we have faced over this year with not having six region games and to go out and find four top-tiered teams,” Holmes said. “For what we have been through at this point, and to still have games like this, has been huge for us.”
The game may be available on the IMG Academy YouTube channel.
