MANDARIN – Fleming Island High boys soccer opened their 2017 season without skipping a beat it seems with all-everything forward Reed Davis, a senior, continuing his high scoring bonanzas with six goals in two games as the Golden Eagles took two games over the Thanksgiving holiday to warm up for a Monday showdown with Bolles.

With newly-appointed head coach Michael Green, long-time coach Frank Pontore’s right hand man the past 10 years and part of two state titles at Fleming Island, Fleming Island brings a wealth of senior talent to 2017 including senior forward Reed Davis, who will undoubtedly be the focal point of the Golden Eagle offensive attack.

“Coach Pontore is the best as far I am concerned and his stats prove it,” said Green, who also won a state title as a player under Pontore at Orange Park High School. “This year’s team has 12 seniors, so they will be strong mentally and physically. As always, team defense is the focus. We play a simple and smart style of soccer.”

Davis, with 50 goals last year pushing the Golden Eagles to the Class 4A title over Doral Academy of Miami last year, has racked up nearly a dozen goals as the new season opens.

Against Mandarin on Fri., Nov. 24, Davis bashed two goals to make his season total 10 before punishing Stanton for four goals en route to an 8-0 mercy rule win on Saturday. Mandarin was the district 1-5A champion last year. Stanton was district 3-3A runnerup and a region 1-3A semifinalist losing to 3A state semifinalist Ponte Vedra High.

The Golden Eagles added senior midfielder Lucas Hauth to the front row mix to spell graduated Mark Suhrer, the hero the Class 4A final with two goals leading to Fleming Island’s 4-0 win. Pontore also got a state title for Orange Park about a decade ago.

“We need to progressively get better every game and peak at the right time, and of course have a little luck as well,” said Green. “We will see how good they are and if they come together as a team when it counts.”

Against, Stanton, Hauth teamed with senior Marcus Murphy, the lead assist man last year whose dynamic speed runs into the heart of opposing defenses opened up the goal for Davis’ deft footwork for shots on goals, to add three goals against Stanton with Murphy adding one.

Fleming Island opened with a 9-0 win over St. Augustine in district 4-4A play before scoring a 10-0 district win over Middleburg. Bolles comes to Fleming Island on Mon., Nov. 27 with Oakleaf on November 29 and Nease on December 1 to test the new Fleming Island regime very quickly. Oakleaf opened their season with an 8-0 win over Middleburg with new coach Matt Hollyoak leading a speedy Knights’ front led by senior Anthony Cooper. District 4-4A runnerup Creekside, at 4-1, has wins over Mandarin (4-3), Stanton (4-2), Episcopal (2-0) and Bishop Kenny (5-0) with their lone loss to region 1-5A semifinalist Spruce Creek (3-2) on November 21. Creekside lost the district title to Fleming Island then the region 1-4A semifinal in overtime to Fleming Island. Creekside comes to Fleming Island on December 8.