IMG Academy White suffers first loss of the season to NFL Academy (England)
Like the National Football League’s international games you see throughout the regular season, they happen on the high school football scene as well.
On Thursday night across the Atlantic Ocean, the IMG Academy White team played against NFL Academy at Loughborough University and the game didn’t disappoint.
Trailing 21-0 at one point, the Ascenders battled back to come within 10, but that would be as close as they’d get. IMG Academy White suffered its first loss of the season, 31-14 to NFL Academy.
For NFL Academy, it marked the first win ever against competition from a United States-based team.
The Ascenders won’t take the field again until Oct. 20 on the road when they face Lake Highland Prep.
Entering the game undefeated, IMG Academy hasn’t trailed in many games this season until they faced NFL Academy. The London-based program opened up the scoring when quarterback Jack Troni connected on a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dominik Tietz.
NFL Academy would add another touchdown via the same connection as Troni found Tietz in a tight window for the game’s second score. Up 14-0, NFL Academy wouldn’t settle for just a multiple score advantage as wide receiver Bryan Winter took the end around handoff and scored to go up 21-0 heading into halftime.
IMG Academy White (6-1) wouldn’t go down quietly as they were able to muster a couple touchdowns to get within 21-14 as running back Clay Ash scored on a pair of 9-yard runs.
An Andy Quinn field goal made the game a two-score with just under 11 minutes remaining in the game.
With under six minutes left in the game, IMG faced a critical 4th and 2 that would’ve helped its comeback efforts. They would be spoiled on a high snap to Ash, who ended up short of converting, becoming a turnover on downs.
NFL Academy tacked on one more touchdown on another Winters’ end around to complete the scoring.
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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl
