GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Clay High's girls flag football team stamped their ticket to the Class 1A Final Four with a rain-soaked and dramatic 13-0 win over ED White Tuesday night behind a sterling game performance from sophomore Cora Parker and tough-guy senior Shelby McClain while, around the county, the excitement and thrills came in buckets (just like the rain).
With softball and baseball districts just starting with semifinals for both sports highlighting the Tuesday bonanzas, Middleburg softball, in a tizzy after a quick 3-0 lead by visiting Ridgeview High, flexed some eighth inning muscle; Kerri Clarida and KK Hagen with homers, for a walkoff 4-3 win over a game and tenacious Ridgeview High team that blew up the final week of their season in championship fashion only to succumb to the former state champion Broncos' aura.
Down about six miles at Ridgeview, the Middleburg High Broncos baseball team, as has been history for the always tournament-ready Middleburg program, took Clay High to 12 innings of scoreless play before a loaded base passed ball shocked the standing-room-only baseball fans on both sides of the field for a 1-0 Clay win.
For the Clay flag football girls, a slim 6-0 lead was all the Blue Devils could muster with an interception from Cora Parker, her 16th of the season and a scoring pass from quarterback Teaghan Moses to Shelby McClain.
"We were glad to have scored our points before the rain and the defense held," said Clay coach Jared Moses, who had his long-time defensive guru sidekick from about a decade ago, Jay Stilianou, on the sideline offering some Blue Devil football mystique to the drama. "Cora has been our best defender out there and Tatum has gotten into the interceptions on the sideline. We knew they were going to try and pass to get points on the board, but the rain helped us a bit."
ED White jammed Moses on a fourth and one at the goal line just before the half, but defensive back Tatum Waugh stole an ED White pass near midfield and romped to the 10-yard line where Parker snagged a Moses pass in the corner of the end zone for the Blue Devils final score.
As a torrential downpour soaked the field and limited any passing potential, ED White was determined to get the ball over the Blue Devils' secondary and nearly punched in a score, but the Blue Devil defense held behind quarterback sacks and hurries from rushers Lily Kalil and Hayleigh Griffin. Clay made a Red Zone stop late in the fourth with four minutes left for ED White with defensive back Kirra Dodson breaking up a pass near the goal line on fourth down.
Clay's lone loss was to Class 2A Fleming Island.
At Ridgeview, with Clay and Middleburg amping up their rivalry with a playoff run at stake, pitching and defensive plays were at a premium with Clay's Easton McMahan striking out eight while Middleburg's Mason Lee kept the Clay bats on the ground and only capable of singles and a McMahan double in the third inning and Hunter Gammons double for Middleburg in the fifth the big hits of the night.
"This was our fifth or sixth extra-inning game this season including a 14-inning game against First Coast," said Clay coach Josh Persinger. "The season with all that was kind of a dress rehearsal for all this."
In the top of the eighth, Middleburg had their shot with Clay pitcher Parker Lowrance hitting Hunter Smith and Logan Wehrmeyer reaching on a ground ball error to put the Broncos in an upset position, but a fly ball ended the threat.
Lee walked McMahan in the bottom of the eighth with Lowrance moving McMahan to second with a bunt, but LJ Martin grounded out to end the inning.
In the 10th, Middleburg again got two baserunners, but could not capitalize with the Bronco defense stuffing three Clay at-bats in the bottom of the 10th.
"We obviously missed opportunities offensively, but pitching and defense, which has, knock on wood, been our backbone all year, stayed true," said Persinger. "Our MO is just tap, tap on the glass."
Lee kept the pressure on from the mound for the Broncos with three grounders in the 11th and the Broncos left another runner on base in the 12th.
In the fateful bottom of the 12th, a walk to Andrews, an error on an M Gunson bunt and a single from R McMahan loaded the bases with J Rosette at bat forcing a passed ball by Lee to score the lone run.
Clay advances to the district final against a resurgent Orange Park team that beat Ridgeview 7-2 to reach the championship game behind a three-hit night from Devon Moore; 11 total for the Raiders, and strong pitching from Robert Barnett.
In district 3-6A, Fleming Island, fresh off back-to-back comeback wins over Bartram Trail and Fletcher last week in their district opener, defeated No. 1 seed Tocoi Creek 5-3 with the Golden Eagles grabbing a quick 3-0 first inning lead off a Ben Abram single and a Josh Turner double. Tito Guerrero got the win from the mound with three strikeouts, but no walks.
Fleming Island advances to take on Buchholz, a 7-3 winner over Oakleaf. Oakleaf finishes at 17-9 with two major wins; over St. Johns Country Day School and also Trinity Christian Academy as highlights for the season.
Out in district 4-3A, Keystone Heights kept trucking with their second 12-0 win in the district playoff; the first over Taylor, the second in the semifinal against P.K. Yonge to move to 20-7 and a championship game on Thurs., May 2 against No. 1 seed Trinity Catholic (11-11).
St. Johns Country Day School (20-5) handled Harvest Community to the tune of a 15-0 rout to advance their final against St. Joseph Academy (18-8) on Thurs., May. 2.
In softball action, Ridgeview chased Middleburg senior pitcher Morgan Beckham in the third inning but got fiery junior Lily Bennett on the mound (eight strikeouts) as the Broncos used their late-inning firepower to erase Ridgeview six inning inning-long lead with a barrage of hits and a two-run homer from Clarida to tie the game at 3-3 before Hagan broke the game with a solo blast in the eighth for the win.
No. 1 Middleburg (21-3) hosts No. 2 Gainesville (19-4) on Thur., May 2 for the district title. Ridgeview finishes at 9-13.
In district 3-6A, Oakleaf will host Nease in the final on Wed., May 1 with the Knights beating Buchholz in a 13-3 blowout.
In district 3-5A, Fleming Island, the top seed, blasted Beachside 12-0 to advance and play Clay, a 9-4 upset winner over No. 2 Ponte Vedra on Wed., May 1 at Fleming Island High School. Clay trailed Ponte Vedra 4-0 into the fourth inning, but turned up the heat with freshman dragster phenom Savannah Highhouse blasting away for five runs on two hits; two doubles to turn the tables on the Sharks.
In District 3-3A, Keystone Heights opened tournament play with a BYE as top seed then beat Taylor 7-1 to get to the final against Palatka, an 11-6 winner over Bradford County.
In district 2-2A, St. Johns Country Day School (11-4) beat Bishop Snyder 11-8 to host St. Joseph Academy on Thurs., May 2 in that final.