MANDARIN - The Fleming Island Golden Eagle defense had no answers tonight as the team needs to find a way to stop a five-game losing streak. With the second 50-plus point game given up by Fleming Island in as many weeks, tonight the Mandarin Mustangs racked up 379 total yards. On offense, Golden Eagle quarterback Cibastian Broughton could never step up and set to pass, scrambling around as he looked downfield only to find his receivers covered like a blanket. Broughton would account for a majority of Fleming Island 230 offensive rushing yards including a 72-yard touchdown run which would still not be nearly enough as the Mustangs put a 58-19 beatdown on the Golden Eagles.

“If you watch Fleming Island football this year, that’s been our Achilles Heel,” said Fleming Island Head Coach Chad Parker. “We’re pretty good against the pass. Stopping the run has been a problem. The teams we struggle with; Bartram, Titusville, once the running backs get going, Oakleaf 260 yards rushing against us, we have to figure out a way of stopping the run.”
On offense, it wasn’t that Fleming Island could not get anything done. The team amassed 309 total yards. The team only had 79 passing yards with Broughton’s best target tonight being wide receiver Trace Burney. Burney had notable yards with his best a 23-yard shot to help the Golden Eagles move the ball. The Fleming Island offense would suffer two turnovers on the evening, both getting returned for touchdowns, one a 70-yard run back.
For the Mustangs, running back Tiant Wyche would have a highlight game against the Golden Eagles starting with a 41-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive. Wyche would rack up several big runs including two 49-yard touchdown runs, a 50-yard run, an average 20.6 yards per carry, and 185 total yards. Quarterback Tramell Jones had 10 completions on 20 attempts for 171 yards.
The Golden Eagle running backs could never find a gap in the front offensive line to break the big plays, being held to two or three yards a carry. “Their linebackers were really good,” said Fleming Island running back Tyler Beverly. “They filled the holes and were right there. They executed very well and that’s all I can say.”
Friday night, Fleming Island faces off in a district game against the Creekside Knights. The Knights, third place in class 4S district 3 behind Gainesville Buccholz and Bartram Trail, are coming off a loss to the Bartram Trail Bears 31-19. The Knights know beating Fleming Island can have post-season implications.
Asked if the team looks to next season now or try to be the spoiler with a win over the Knights, Parker said “We’re always looking to play spoiler. We never cash it in. We’re young anyways. We’re not starting many seniors. We are starting true freshmen, sophomores, and juniors starting most places, maybe five seniors out of our 22 starters. We are really, really young.”
Being a senior and one of the leaders on the team, Beverly was asked about what he does this week to lead his teammates into the district matchup. “Getting them hyped up, getting them ready to go, getting them focused on football. At the end of the day, that’s what we’re not doing. But we’re going to get back on Monday and we’ll be back to winning, it’s as simple as that.”