FLEMING ISLAND - With a dramatic penalty kick finish that ended, ironically, off the foot of goalie Emily Poucher, the Fleming Island girls soccer team won their district 3-5A title 4-3 (2-2 after regulation time) over Orange Park, but, more dramatically, earned a home game on Tuesday, February 4 in their first round region playoff game.

"I didn't even know that the ball went in," said Poucher, who watched as her kick went from the left post, took a 90 degree ricochet across the face of the Orange Park goal and landed across the goal line for the winner. "When I turned and saw my teammates coming toward me, I had to turn around to make sure we had just won the game."
Orange Park, despite the loss, advanced into the region and will travel to Chiles for their opener with a possible region final between the two schools; Fleming Island and Orange Park.
Fleming Island, though the fifth seed, earned the home game because of being a district champion with fourth ranked Mosley having to make the four hour drive.
The second half of the Fleming Island High double header; girls game at 5 p.m., is the boys game at 7 p.m. with the top seeded Golden Eagles hosting Chiles.
In the opposite side of the bracket, a Fleming Island win gets the winner of Arnold and Ponte Vedra. Also from the area is Beachside, in the upper bracket facing Gulf Breeze in their region opener.
Fleming Island's boys team has pushed its way back to a higher scoring offense behind the trio of Ryker Dailey (16 goals), Ethan Medlock (15 goals) and Blake Gaucher (8 goals) with Daniel Vizcarrando adding 11 and Cooper Stewart with nine as coach Roger Dailey has juggled his lineup for most of the season to figure out the six ties that his team has accumulated along the way.
"We didn't feel like we had the big power shot taker up front after Ryker and Ethan and we have moved people around to find guys who want to take the garbage shots around the goal," said Dailey. "Blake has come on strong as an outside midfielder and Cooper has been on point in the box with some pretty good shots on goal. That makes our whole attack very versatile."
In district play, Fleming Island's boys won 7-0 over Ridgeview and 6-0 over Clay to take the district title and the number one seed with a 14-1-6 overall record.
Chiles, 9-3-5, is ranked 10th in Class 5A with Fleming Island at fifth behind Booker T. Washington (15-0-1), Arnold (14-1-4) Tampa Jesuit (16-2-1) and Pembroke Pine Charter (15-0-2).
Last year, Chiles lost a 1-0 region final to Niceville in Class 6A with Niceville eliminating Chiles in 2023 in region semifinals.
In region 3-1A, St. Johns Country Day School also has a double header although the Spartan boys will be traveling about 30 minutes south to top seed St. Joseph Academy after their own dramatic overtime win; a 4-2 win after a 2-2 regulation finish for the 5-10 Spartans.
At the opposite bracket, Christ's Church Academy travels to Oak Hall.
Though ranked just 25th in Class 1A, the Spartans 5-10 season record belies their finish with University Christian, at 9-7-1, ranked 38th.
St. Johns has scored just 23 goals for the season led by seven from senior Corban Berrang.
For the Lady Spartans, with coach Mike Pickett looking to return to state champion status after two years falling short (Final Four 2A last year, 2A runnerup 2023 to Lakeland Christian), a 15-3-1 record with a strength of schedule of 18.8 has earned a 13th ranked nationally, 12th ranked in Florida and No. 1 in Class 1A finish of regular season play.
St. Johns rolls into the playoffs off the momentum of a 3-0 win over defending 2A champion Lakeland Christian in the final regular season game after a season of powerhouse game against the likes of Bartram Trail, Niceville, P.K. Yonge, Ponte Vedra and Lakeland Christian twice with wins plus 4A champion Bishop Moore that wound up a 3-1 loss.
St. Johns hosts eighth seed St. Johns Paul II (9-8) on February 11 with Mount Dora Christian hosting Christ's Church Academy in the opposite bracket. Rocky Bayou Christian, 11-2-2, would be a likely region final candidate.
St. Johns has a plethora of goal scorers led by Regan Ropero and CeCe Nowicki with eight apiece, with none in double figures.
"Our defense could be the best backline we have had in a long time and our goalie, Alyvia Bishop has 61 saves and just eight goals against her," said Pickett. "We meet teams at the 50 and keep the ball on the opposite side of the field."
The Spartans have 14 shutouts on their schedule with Ponte Vedra's four goals and Bishop Moore's three goals the highest goals against total.