MIDDLEBURG – Clay High senior running back Tymious Goodman scored three times to lead the Blue Devils to a resounding 48-0 non-district win over 6A-Middleburg High Sept. 2 at Middleburg High School.

Clay rebounded from their 27-6 season opening loss to Fleming Island last week with their traditionally rugged ground game as four ball carriers answered with strong games. Junior Aundre Carter pounded for 100 yards on 12 carries with two scores; senior Christian Swilley, with a 41 yarder, finished with 90 yards on just seven carries with two scores; Cedrick Brown, with a long 23 yarder, finished at 65 yards on nine carries and Goodman, with a 39 yard scoring jaunt, finished with 69 yards on 12 carries with two scores.

“Our season has progressed and we used a tight end and our fullback more,” said Clay coach Joshua Hoekstra. “We tried to take what they gave us in the passing game.”

Clay wide receiver Ajay Belanger scored on his lone pass play; a 23 yarder.

“He was targeted four times and we didn’t execute on those,” said Hoekstra.

Quarterback Caleb Eason finished with six passes on 12 throws for 77 yards with the Belanger touchdown.

On defense, Clay High defensive end Josh Griffis stood out with four tackles, a sack and a caused fumble. Clay’s other defensive end, Connor Davies had one fumble caused and one fumble recovered. Middle linebacker Marchel Robinson also recovered a fumble.

“Cody at outside linebacker is working well and the defensive line of Kenny

Johnson, Connor Davies and Colby Butler (nose tackle) is doing well with Griffis,” said Hoekstra.

Clay next heads to 7A-Bartram Trail. Bartram Trail, the district 3-7A runnerups to Gainesville Buchholz and a region finalist that lost to Robert E. Lee High 61-59 in an offensive explosion. Lee would lose in their state semifinal to eventual runnerup Tampa Plant. Plant lost to St. Thomas Aquinas. Bartram Trail lost in their opener against two-time consecutive AAAA champions and unbeaten (3-0) Cartersville (GA) 52-45 despite 28 second half points.

Bartram Trail upset third-ranked 6A-Daytona Beach Mainland 35-24 on Mon., Sept. 4 in a game moved for weather.

Clay, the district 5-5A runnerup, ran the table through regions before losing 52-42 to Ponte Vedra High in the state semifinal. Ponte Vedra lost to American Heritage in the Class 5A title game.

“Bartram Trail is one of the best teams I’ve seen in recent years on film,” said Hoekstra. “They execute, they are big, fast and great on special teams.”

Middleburg, 0-2 with just 13 points scored, travels to unbeaten Fleming Island on Friday.