Preseason high school football games rarely draw any sort of attention, but that will not be the case in Florida this August when two of the state’s premier programs meet for a tune-up.
According to The Crib South Florida, American Heritage and IMG Academy will meet at American Heritage on Aug. 20 for a preseason matchup. IMG Academy finished 2020 with a perfect 8-0 record and ranked atop the USA Today Super 25. American Heritage, meanwhile, went 11-2 and won its third state championship under head coach Pat Surtain.
Both programs will likely be ranked high in the USA Today Super 25 at the beginning of the 2021 season.
IMG Academy’s loaded roster is expected to feature 10 class of 2022 recruits ranked in 247Sports’ composite top 200. The Ascenders also have eight class of 2023 players ranked in 247Sports’ composite top 135. American Heritage has five players ranked three-stars or higher in 247Sports’ composite class of 2022 rankings and features three players ranked inside the class of 2023 top 135.
American Heritage and IMG Academy will use its preseason battle to work out the kinks before moving on to take on challenging regular-season schedules. American Heritage’s 2021 schedule features notable games against Brookwood (Ga.) High School and Edna Karr (La.) High School, while IMG Academy’s 2021 slate includes La Salle (Ohio) High School, Our Lady Good Counsel (Md.) and St. Frances Academy (Md.)
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