East St. Louis and IMG Academy, both nationally ranked, battle in overtime thriller

Between the physical East St. Louis Flyers, the referees, and a hostile crowd, it was a rough evening, the IMG Academy football team had seemingly everything against them for most of the night.

But quarterback Ty Hawkins and wide receiver Eric McFarland made the trip from Bradenton, Florida worthwhile for the Ascenders.

Hawkins connected with McFarland 9-yard fade pass to the short left side of the end zone in overtime, and Joseph Collins kicked the extra point to push IMG Academy past East Side, 14-13, at Clyde C. Jordan Memorial Stadium in East St.Louis Friday night.

IMG Academy, a private boarding school for athletes, arrived in the metro-east ranked No. 6 by High School Football America. East St. Louis was No. 33.

The Ascenders overcome 18 penalties and what IMG coach Brian Miller said was his team’s toughest test so far this season.

“Getting past one of the top teams here in this environment and playing the way the game was going with a lot of calls on their side — and we probably had over 90 yards of penalties in the first half — I’m so proud of our guys,” he said. “We played out for fourth and goal for the win and we knew that we were gonna kick the extra point and win the game. So when they scored we didn’t flinch.”

The first half was controlled by strong defense from both clubs and untimely penalties. But East Side managed to get on the board in the final minute of the second quarter when Kendrick Lyons found Christopher Bennett Jr. on an acrobatic 21-yard touchdown reception that gave the Flyers a 7-0 halftime lead.

IMG Academy (6-1) tied the score late in the third quarter on an explosive 67-yard touchdown dash by running back Tranard Roberts.

East St. Louis came up empty twice in the red zone. East St. Louis coach Darren Sunkett blamed himself for not attempting a tie-breaking field goal in the third quarter. It would have won the game for the Flyers.

“When we got down, I wasn’t thinking,” Sunkett said. “I should have given our guys the opportunity to get that three points. The second time, that was out of our (kicker’s) range but the first was definitely on me to kick on a field goal and we should have had it.”

Neither team was able to score in the fourth quarter and the game went to overtime.

East Side (8-1) took the lead in OT on its only series as Lyons hit Ronnie GoMiller with a 9-yard touchdown pass making it 13-7. Reece Shanklin’s extra point attempt was blocked by the Ascendors, setting the stage for Hawkins and McFarland’s game winner.

On fourth down, Hawkins rolled left and threw off-balance to short left side of the end zone. A falling McFarland made the catch for the touchdown. Collons booted through the extra point to hand the Flyers their first loss of the season.

“We don’t get put into that situation too much in overtime and they had went and scored and so fourth down, it was basically our last chance of the game,” Hawkins said. “It was just make a play, get it to my guy, and hope he would make something happen with it. When I threw it and I let it go, ‘I said oh yeah that’s his.’”

Sunkett said he had no complaints about his team’s performance Friday and is looking ahead to the playoffs, which begin next week.

“It was a great environment with two of the nation’s best teams matched up and everybody left it on the field,” Sunkett said. “The season starts over, we’re 0-0and now its time for us to make this run to state. It’s going to fuel the fire.”

East St. Louis lost to IMG Academy 49-8 in Jackson, Mississippi in 2019.

In other area football action on Friday night, Belleville East routed Granite City at home 71-0 and Belleville West fell at home to Vianney 35-27.