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The St. James Soars To No. 8 In SC Next Top 25 After Stunning St. Frances
The St. James Academy Strivers (Springfield, Virginia) overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the St. Frances Academy Panthers (Baltimore, Maryland), 28-20, in Manassas, Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 9.
The thrilling victory lifted the Strivers to No. 8 in the week eight SC Next Top 25, placing The St. James among the nation's top high school football programs and one spot ahead of St. Frances Academy.
Saturday night's landmark victory was built on the Strivers' strong showing against the nation's No. 1 IMG Academy in the previous week. Although the St. James fell 44-42 on a last-second field goal, their performance against the Florida powerhouse demonstrated that they have the ability to compete with the nation's top high school football programs.
A Slow Start, Followed By A Resilient Comeback
St. Frances Academy controlled the game early, jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Quarterback Justin Merriman opened the scoring with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Jefferson. Running back Sa'Nir Brooks added another touchdown with 48 seconds remaining in the quarter, extending the Panthers' advantage.
The momentum of St. Frances continued with a field goal in the second quarter, that put The St. James in a 17-point hole. However, quarterback Kash Carter sparked the comeback just before halftime, delivering a touchdown pass to running back Aveon Cobb with just 50 left to cut into the deficit.
The Strivers carried that momentum and came alive in the second half. Carter connected with wide receiver Vincent Hill for a touchdown early in the third quarter, bringing The St. James within three points. The Strivers' quarterback then found wide receiver Camden Simmons for another touchdown strike, giving the St. James its first lead of the night.
With the Panthers' threatening to reclaim the lead in the fourth quarter, Strivers' defensive back Kyami Bridge delivered a crucial interception in the end zone, disrupting the Panthers' drive and preserving the Strivers' advantage.
The defensive stop set the stage for Carter and Hill to connect again. With just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Carter scrambled to his right and found Hill in the back of the end zone for touchdown, extending The St. James' lead.
St. Frances added a late field goal to the score, but the Strivers stood firm and out the clock to complete the ultimate comeback.
A Statement Victory For The Strivers, What's Next?
The victory carries added significance after The St. James suffered a 35-point defeat against St. Frances last season. The Strivers have proudly shown how far the program has progressed since its inaugural campaign, when they finished 8-1 under head coach Darryl Overton.
The St. James opened the 2026 season with four consecutive victories, outscoring it's opponents by a combined 235-20. After narrowly losing to IMG Academy, the team responded with a statement performance against St. Frances, reinforcing its stature on the national stage.
The Strivers have three games remaining on their 2026 regular-season schedule, including their final two contests on the road. An October matchup against Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada) had been previously scheduled but no longer appears on either teams' published schedules. But this weekend, the Strivers are set to host their homecoming game against MU Sports Academy on Friday, Oct. 13.
As the No. 8 ranked team on the SC Next Top 25, The St. James has turned a narrow loss into a defining victory and established itself as a program to watch for the remainder of the season.
