6 Standout Performers from St. Frances’ (MD) Upset of IMG (FL)

St. Frances Academy shocked the world in mid-November with their upset victory of the would be national champions- IMG Academy. This win displaced IMG from their #1 ranking position, and it made St. Frances a contender for the throne. The Panthers dominated this game from the get go, leading 26-3 early, but IMG stormed back late in the second quarter to make the score 26-18 at halftime. The second half was a defensive battle all the way until the end, and St. Frances Academy’s defense proved to be too much for the Royal Ascenders, as the contest finished at 34-24 in favor of the Panthers. Let’s take a closer look at the top performing players from St. Frances Academy in this game. &nbsp; <strong><u>ST. FRANCES ACADEMY </u></strong> <strong>2022 6’2 190 RB – Durell Robinson </strong> Durrell Robinson opened up the scoring early for the Panthers with an electric 60 yard touchdown run. Robinson was untouched throughout the entire run, and his blazing speed was on full display. Robinson played exceptionally well all season long, and the tandem of his size and speed will bode very well for him at the next level. He has offers from Ole Miss, Penn State, and Georgia Tech, to name a few, and he will make a huge impact on whichever program he chooses to become a part of in the near future. &nbsp; <strong>2024 6’0 175 QB – [player_tooltip player_id="172210" first="Michael" last="Van Buren"] </strong> [player_tooltip player_id="172210" first="Michael" last="Van Buren"] will be the full-time starting quarterback for St. Frances Academy next season, and the reason is because he can flat out sling the football with incredible accuracy. The current Sophomore has the ability to run the read option, which we saw against IMG, and that will really open-up the offense for the Panthers going forward. Van Buren threw an easy touchdown strike versus IMG, and he demonstrated full control of the offense. He also has an extremely quick release combined with supreme athleticism. MVB, [player_tooltip player_id="172210" first="Michael" last="Van Buren"], has a five star ceiling, and he should be recognized as a top 5 quarterback in the nation for the 2024 class. &nbsp; <strong>2022 6’1 205 QB – [player_tooltip player_id="90510" first="John" last="Griffith"] </strong> [player_tooltip player_id="90510" first="John" last="Griffith"] had a very strong career at St. Frances Academy, and he has definitely proven that he will be a valuable asset next year at Bowling Green. Griffith possesses tremendous deep ball accuracy combined with elite level arm strength. He’s also a leader on and off the field who handled St. Frances’ quarterback situation this year with great maturity. He mentored his fellow quarterback, [player_tooltip player_id="172210" first="Michael" last="Van Buren"], and he truly embraced his teammate as the future of this program. [player_tooltip player_id="90510" first="John" last="Griffith"] is most certainly a player that college coaches want in their locker room. He is going to do great things at Bowling Green. &nbsp; <strong>2022 5’11 190 WR – [player_tooltip player_id="136032" first="Malik" last="Baker"] </strong> [player_tooltip player_id="136032" first="Malik" last="Baker"] caught an 80 yard touchdown against IMG, and he did so in emphatic fashion. The speed specialist absolutely torched multiple defenders off of the line of scrimmage, and he caught the pass wide open on the fifty. Baker then ran fifty more yards to the house, extending the lead early for St. Frances Academy. [player_tooltip player_id="136032" first="Malik" last="Baker"] was one of St. Frances’ most elusive receivers all year, and he will absolutely continue to make big time plays at the next level. He is a division one level talent. &nbsp; <strong>2022 6’0 195 DB – [player_tooltip player_id="90514" first="Jamal" last="Hood"] </strong> There is a great argument to be made for [player_tooltip player_id="90514" first="Jamal" last="Hood"] to be named cornerback of the year in Maryland. He locked down opposing receivers every single game, and in the IMG game, specifically, he had a pick six that would have sealed the game for St. Frances. The interception was called back because of a bogus penalty call, but, regardless, Hood still played an unbelievably efficient game. He broke up every close passing play around him, and he made tackles on ball carriers that saved touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id="90514" first="Jamal" last="Hood"] recently committed to Boston College to play next year, and there’s no question that he will continue performing at an elite level in the ACC. <strong> </strong> <strong>2023 6’0 180 WR – Azizi Thomas </strong> Azizi Thomas was all over the field for the Panthers in their final game of the season against IMG. Thomas converted on a crucial two-point conversion, which made it a two possession game, and he hauled in multiple passes for key yardage. Thomas is a dynamic wide receiver whose speed allows him to run plays out of the backfield as well. He has phenomenal hands and athleticism that also allow him to stretch the field for deep ball passing plays. Azizi Thomas proved in this game that he will be one of St. Frances Academy’s most effective receivers next season. He will no doubt continue to breakout and shine bright for his Senior campaign in the Fall of 2022.