TFA vs. national No. 1 IMG; Edgewater at Jones in Week 5 | Football Live Report

Sports admin September 18, 2026 0 Comments

TFA vs. national No. 1 IMG; Edgewater at Jones in Week 5 | Football Live Report

Friday night’s high school football menu includes tasty home games against tough opponents for the No. 2 through No. 5 teams in the Sentinel Super 16 rankings.

DeLand figures to be too much for visiting Deltona but most of the other ranked teams could be challenged.

No. 2 The First Academy plays the underdog role at home in a clash of unbeatens against top-ranked national power IMG Academy.

In Thursday games, Ocala Forest (5-0) won 17-7 at East Ridge (3-2) and Tavares (3-1) won 42-34 at Lake Minneola (1-4).

We’ll be posting live updates from selected games right here once games kick off Thursday. Check back often.

CHECK HERE FOR SCOREBOARD UPDATES ON ALL GAMES

Here’s a link to all of the Sentinel’s 2026 football preview stories: 2026 previews.

Go to the Sentinel Varsity home page for news on all high school sports.

Games listed are scheduled for 7 p.m. kickoffs unless noted otherwise. Rankings in bold are from this week’s preseason Sentinel Super 16 coaches poll.

Friday marquee games

IMG Academy (3-0) at No. 2 The First Academy (4-0)

Coverage by Chris Martucci

IMG, which plays a national schedule outside the FHSAA playoff system, has pummeled teams from Utah, Texas and Hawaii by a combined score of 159-13 and is ranked No. 1 nationally by a MisterFootball online site that tracks and compiles 13 different polls.

Can TFA slow that truck?

The Ascenders were listed with 27 players rated as three-star recruits or higher coming into the season. That includes the No. 1 quarterback in the junior class, Jayden Wade. He has completed 77% of his passes for 643 yards, 9 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

IMG finished 9-0 last season against a national schedule and is on a 13-game winning streak dating to 2024.

No. 9 Edgewater (3-1) at No. 3 Jones (2-1)

Coverage by Jean Racine

Downtown Orlando rivals have clashed nine times in the past seven seasons, with Edgewater holding a thin 5-4 edge after pulling out a 20-17 win last year. Jones won the two playoff rematches (2022 and 2023).

The Eagles will again play without standout running back Jahmari Hammonds, who has missed the past two games with a leg injury.

No. 4 West Orange (4-0) at No. 8 Lake Mary (1-2)

Coverage by Philip Rossman-Reich

For the fourth time in four outings 2025 state champ Lake Mary plays a Super 16 team.

Last time they met the Warriors won 34-7 in 2020.

No. 5 Seminole (4-0) at Mainland (1-1)

Coverage by Chris Hays

The Seminoles leave Seminole County for the first time this year.

MaxPreps rates Seminole No. 6 and Mainland No. 7 in Class 6A.

The Buccaneers are 4-0 vs. SHS since 2012.

No. 10 Oviedo (2-2) at Hagerty (2-0)

Coverage by Noah Greene

Oviedo is 10-0 against the Huskies since 2016 – including two wins in 2021. The Lions won 41-26 last year.

Oviedo’s 6-foot-4 senior receiver Jordan Donnahoo (13 catches, 317 yards, 2 TDs, 24.4 yards per catch) is an Ohio State commit.

Hagerty’s dual threat quarterback, Royce Jenkins, who last season broke school passing records set by NFL QB Jeff Driskel, was hurt in the Huskies’ 21-20 win against Lake Howell in Week 3. But sophomore Charlie Beniot (6-4, 235 pounds) has completed 63% of his passes (17 of 27). Hagerty did not play last week.

Gateway (3-0) at Poinciana (3-1)

Coverage by Ken Jackson

Gateway (Kissimmee) looks to start the season 4-0 for the first time in program history, dating to 1985.

The Panthers won 19-8 last season after losing to the Eagles in 2023 and 2024.

Gateway junior Nydrell Thigpen has carried the ball 71 times for 557 yards and 6 TDs.

Other games of note

Deltona (2-1) at No. 1 DeLand (2-1)

DeLand cracked HS Football America’s top 100 at No. 98 this week. Its loss was to St Frances Academy of Baltimore, which is No. 10 in that ranking.

DeLand leads the “Battle for the Bone” rivalry 26-2 with 13 consecutive wins.

South Lake (0-3) at No. 6 Bishop Moore (2-2)

The Hornets are 4-0 vs. South Lake, but they haven’t met since 2016.

No. 7 Lake Nona (3-1) at Wekiva (2-2)

The Lions scored a milestone 24-3 win against Edgewater last week.

No. 11 Evans (2-2) at St. Augustine (4-0)

Evans is No. 10 in MaxPreps’ 5A rankings. The Yellow Jackets are No. 12 in 4A.

No. 12 Osceola (2-2) at Lake Wales (3-1)

The host Highlanders are ranked No. 2 in 4A and lost only to DeLand, 35-34.

The Kowboys beat Lake Wales in 2024 and lost to them last year.

Dr. Phillips (1-2) at No. 15 Winter Park (2-2)

First time the Orange County teams have met in 12 years. DP won 28-17 at Showalter Field in 2014 to even the all-time series at 8-8.

No. 16. Lake Brantley (2-2) at Lake Howell (2-2)

Seminole County teams meet for the first time in 14 years. Brantley is 14-0 against the SilverHawks (1998-2013) since Lake Howell in 1997.

Innovation (4-0) at Freedom (2-1)

OCPS teams square off for the first time as FHSAA Independent League teams. Innovation is the top-ranked team in that new division.

Freedom, which went 3-7 last year, is coming off two shutout wins.

Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at [email protected].

This story was originally published September 18, 2026 at 11:35 AM.