GREEN COVE SPRINGS - With just a game and a half to finish his second season, Clay High football coach Jeff Gierke's prophecy that this season was going to better because of his senior-strong roster proved fruitful Friday night in a 35-6 dismantling of Middleburg.

The victory made the Blue Devils a top county prospect to earn a region playoff berth.

"I said from the beginning, that this team of seniors is going to return Clay High football back to its place in the county as the top football program here," said Gierke, who saw senior quarterback Landon Martin rip a 62-yard sprint on the Blue Devils' first offensive series that put Clay in scoring position. "I know these seniors love playing here, and I'm getting the feel of the Blue Devil traditions."

Although Middleburg kept Clay from scoring touchdowns on its first two drives, the first of two field goals from kicker Andrew Riddling kept constant pressure on Bronco quarterback Dalton Motes with defensive ends Jay'Shawn McCloud and Reimey Johnson. McCloud, who's committed to Liberty University, grabbed a touchdown pass in the first quarter to give Clay a 10-0 lead. Wide receiver Eric Gentry set up the score with a nifty swing pass for 35 yards to the Broncos' 15.

"We were just tired of everyone saying we weren't the team we were," McCloud said. "We wanted to make them quit on the field."

Gentry struck again with a 31-yard swing pass. He split two tacklers, then charged to paydirt - and an 18-0 lead - with just a minute into the second quarter.

Middleburg went to its running game behind Braydon Ventura, who went off tackle and moved into Clay territory behind a rugged 25-yard run by Ventura. But Clay defender Adam Whigham blew up Bronco tailback KK Robinson on second down and Motes misfired on third down.

Just before halftime, Clay safety Wyatt Rapoza upended Robinson to cause a fumble that linebacker Donnie Ford recovered to put Clay at the Broncos' 20.

"We knew if we got the ground game open, we would be able to get some passes downfield," Martin said. "Daylen just found an opening and hit the jets."

Martin completed a lightning-fast slant pass play to wide receiver Daylen Brown that ended in the endzone to put the Blue Devils up 25-0 at halftime.

In the third, Riddling added his second field goal. Then Rapoza rumbled 55 yards to set up running back Kamari Davis' TD run.

Middleburg avoided the shutout with a bobbling catch by wide receiver Michael Bulls for the Broncos on the final play.

Yellow Jackets clinch district title with win over Eagles

By Brandon Pajkuric,

Correspondent

ST AUGUSTINE - Traveling to face one of Northeast Florida's perennial powerhouse programs, the Fleming Island Golden Eagles football team entered the matchup in second place in District 4A-4.

Despite their strong season, Fleming Island was a clear underdog against a St. Augustine team accustomed to competing in high-stakes games. That was proved when St. Augustine ran out to a 42-0 halftime lead and eventually won, 42-7.

St. Augustine seized control and never looked back. The Yellow Jackets executed on both sides of the ball, capitalizing on opportunities and showcasing why they remain one of the favorites to make a deep postseason run.

"For me, I would love to get to a place where Fleming Island is St. Augustine," Fleming Island head coach Tom MacPherson said.

On the ground, Brady Digman led the Eagles' rushing attack with 51 yards, battling for tough yards against a relentless St. Augustine front.

Defensively, senior cornerback Chase Donaldson turned in Fleming Island's most impactful play of the evening. Donaldson intercepted a Yellow Jackets pass and returned it 10 yards, creating one of Fleming Island's few momentum-changing moments.

To their credit, the Golden Eagles continued to compete throughout the second half despite the lopsided score.

Fleming Island found the end zone late in the third quarter when quarterback Greyson Critch connected with junior receiver Ryan Siliac on a six-yard touchdown pass with just 51 seconds remaining in the period. The scoring drive provided a rare bright spot for the offense.

Fleming Island will travel to Bishop Kenny on Friday, Oct. 30, before closing the regular season at home against Clay to resume a game that was postponed by weather on Oct. 9 by threatening weather. The Eagles will likely need strong performances in both contests to strengthen their case for a FHSAA Class 4A playoff berth.

Mills' late TD propels Orange Park to win

By Chapman Sellars, Correspondent

ORANGE PARK - Ridgeview High took a risk on a fourth-and-one at its own 20 yard line with a slim 21-19 lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Orange Park High defense made the stop to set up a winning touchdown.

The winner came from running back Austee'n Mills to give the Raiders a 27-21 district win. Orange Park is now 3-5 with a road trip to Flagler Palm Coast and the resumption of its game with Middleburg on Nov. 3 second. That game was halted in the second half on Oct. 9 by threatening weather.

Orange Park opened with a nine-play, 65-yard scoring drive that ate up nearly six minutes. After Ridgeview fumbled their opening snap, Mills and the Raiders increased the lead to 13-0. However, Ridgeview had an answer of its own on the ground behind junior running back Tyaun Edmonson, who led the Panthers’ running game throughout the night.

Early in the second quarter, Ridgeview constructed a grueling seven-minute, 16-play drive, and Amani Blount hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-long to put the Panthers within six.

After forcing a punt, Ridgeview put together another long drive capped off by a 20-yard rushing touchdown from Tyaun Edmonson to take the lead 14-13. After a dramatic end to the first half that included a Ridgeview interception with 48 seconds remaining and subsequent fumble at Orange Park’s 20-yard line, the Panthers went into halftime with a one-point lead.

Orange Park opened the second half just as they had opened the game. The Raiders ran 12 plays during the course of seven minutes, finishing the drive with a rushing touchdown by quarterback Daeveon Williams to take a 19-14 lead after a failed two-point attempt.

Ridgeview answered in the fourth quarter with a methodical drive that included a 24-yard end-around handoff to wide receiver Amani Blount. He took the to the 1-yard line. After punching in a short touchdown two plays later, Ridgeview retook the lead 21-19.

In the final quarter, after Mills' go ahead score, on Ridgeview's final drive, the Panthers were able to pass their way to the Orange Park 43. With just 1:39 remaining, Raider senior linebacker Corey Johnson came away with an interception to seal the deal for the Raiders.

Delaune heroics not enough for Knights

By Mike Zima,

Correspondent

GAINESVILLE - Oakleaf quarterback Jaiden Delaune passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns, but the visiting Knights could not overcome a mistake-proned first half as they fell to Gainesville Buchholz 37-22 in district action on Oct. 23.

“There is a reason why they are five-time district champions and are 9-0," said Oakleaf coach Chris Foy. "They are big, and they are heavy, and they are strong, and they move well up front.”

The win clinched the District 3-5A title and a spot in the FHSAA playoffs for Buchholz after it ran its record to 9-0, and 4-0 in district play. The Knights fell to 4-5 overall, and 2-2 in the district. Their playoff hopes ride on beating Class 6A First Coast (1-8) in a non-district game on Oct. 30 and hoping their Maxpreps.com Class 5A ranking qualifies them for the playoffs as a wild card. The region’s four district winners and the next four highest-ranked teams earn playoff berths.

Buchholz shot out to a 21-0 first quarter lead, thanks to quarterback Andrew Whittemore and a huge special teams play. The Bobcats drove 65 yards in eight plays on the game’s opening possession. Whittemore converted on third downs with runs of four and 12 yards along the way and capped the drive with a 21-yard slant pattern to Florida Atlantic commit Dominick Harvey.

Buchholz held the Knights without a first down on the Knights’ ensuing possession, forcing Oakleaf into punt formation. Knights punter Giovanni Garcon had to stretch to catch a high punt snap, forcing him to quickly reset himself before punting. The delay was just enough to allow oncoming Bobcats Troy Fleming to block the punt. The ball bounced backwards into the Oakleaf end zone, where Francis Kealey fell on it to give the hosts a 14-0 lead with 4:33 remaining in the first quarter.

“That hurt,” Foy said. “We ran a shield and they overloaded one side. We did not get it off in a timely manner, especially being down in our red zone with our backs up against the wall.”

After being out-gained 163-4 in yards, and earning no first downs in the first quarter, Oakleaf regained some balance in the second. Delaune converted a fourth-and-eight with a nine-yard scramble as the Knights marched 70 yards to cut their deficit to 21-7. Delaune finished the drive with a 10-yard slant pass to Savion Williams.

Oakleaf then forced a turnover on downs when linebacker Sean Smith tackled Whittemore one yard short of a first down at the Oakleaf 32. But Buchholz linebacker Messiah Gent drove a shoulder into Oakleaf running back Jordan Battles, jarring the ball loose. Tackle Demetric Bass recovered the fumble for the Bobcats at the 37. Buchholz cashed in on the turnover, taking the remainder of the half to score the game-clinching touchdown.

On a fourth down from inside the one-yard-line, Whittemore nudged just across the goal on a quarterback sneak, giving the Bobcats a 28-7 halftime lead.

With Battles held to 11 yards on five carries in the first half, Foy put the fate of the Knights in Delaune’s hands in the second. All 36 plays called by the Knights in the second half were passes. Despite a fierce Buchholz pass rush that sacked him seven times, Delaune threw for 241 yards over the final two quarters. The senior connected with Terrance James for a 59-yard touchdown at the four-minute mark of the third quarter to draw Oakleaf within 28-14. He then engineered a 75-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that culminated with an eight-yard pass to Syncere Murphy in the back of the end zone. After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Knights, Delaune found Mike Conner on a deep in route for an 18-yard two-point conversion.

Delaune finished with 23 completions on 36 passes and no interceptions. Foy was proud of the effort of his senior signal-caller.

“Jaiden is good at a lot of things,” he said. “He is a big kid, and he can extend plays. He had been struggling the past couple of games. We looked at some stuff and said, ‘Let’s get you to do what you do well.’ And we just went with that.”