Mission Viejo, CA
A national spotlight came to Southern California on Saturday night, as St Louis Crusaders took on one of the biggest names in high school football, IMG Academy. The Crusaders traveled to Saddleback College in Mission Viejo looking to make a statement against the national powerhouse No. 3 ranked Ascenders, but IMG would control the matchup from start to finish, taking down Saint Louis 41-0. The win pushed IMG to 3-0 on the season, while Saint Louis dropped to 0-3.
St Louis entered the matchup already having faced a difficult opening stretch, with games against the Kahuku Red Raiders and the Mililani trojans before making the trip to California. The Crusaders then faced an IMG Academy team that came into the night undefeated and nationally ranked. IMG had already put up 59 points against Lone Peak and another 59 against Cornerstone Christian, making the matchup one of the biggest challenges on St Louis early season schedule.
The Ascenders offense once again showed why they entered the night among the nation's top programs. Sophomore quarterback, Jayden Wade, threw four touchdown passes, with three of those scores going to senior wide receiver, Eric McFarland III. The connection between Wade and McFarland helped IMG continue its explosive start to the season as the Ascenders added another dominant performance to their resume. McFarland was recently selected in the 2026 Polynesian bowl, where he also displayed his talents back on o'ahu.
IMG's performance against St Louis also continued an impressive three game run. Through its first three games, the Ascenders have now outscored their opponents 159-13, showing just how difficult it has been for opposing teams to slow down the Florida powerhouse. The 41 points against Saint Louis also marked IMG third straight game scoring at least 41 points.
For St Louis, the night was another difficult test against elite competition. The Crusaders have been thrown into the fire early this season, facing some of Hawai'i best programs before taking on one of the country's most nationally recognized teams. Despite the result, the experience gives St Louis another opportunity to learn and grow before returning to Hawai'i and continuing its season.
The matchup also represented another chapter in St Louis continued effort to test itself outside of Hawai'i. The Crusaders have made mainland trips a part of their schedule in recent seasons, taking on some of the nation's strongest programs and giving Hawai'i football another presence on the national stage.
For IMG Academy, Saturday's win keeps the Ascenders perfect at 3-0 and adds another shutout to an already impressive opening stretch. With the offense continuing to put up big numbers and the defense holding St Louis scoreless, IMG remains firmly in the national conversation as the 2026 season moves forward.
St Louis will now look to regroup after a challenging opening three games, while IMG turns its attention toward the remainder of its national schedule. the crusaders will shift their focus to powerhouse, sierra canyon trailblazers and img academy will shift to
Final Score: IMG Academy 41 - Saint Louis 0
For more photos, head over to our photo gallery
pictures taken by: Kennedy Velasco - @kennnchapo
