FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island High volleyball coach Amy Yoder predicted her district title aspirations would most likely have to go through Bishop Kenny, a three-time state champion program, and her prophecy was proven true last Thursday night.

"Both teams really wanted it tonight, and they (Bishop Kenny) came out swinging," said Yoder, whose team dominated in a 3-1 win over the Lady Crusaders. "We had to make a lot of adjustments. We know our game, and how we play."

The net prowess of senior Lauren Brosky and junior Lillie Eason were critical. 

Fleming Island, now 22-3, won in dominant fashion with games of 25-13, 22-15, 25-21 and 25-13. The Eagles were the top seed in Region 1-4A, and hosted eighth-seed Wakulla in the state tournament on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

"We are going to take this momentum into regionals," Yoder said. "I think we are ready to take this on the road."

Wakulla, the District 3-4A runner-up to Arnold High, comes to Fleming Island with a 14-10 record. Ironically, in 2025, Wakulla lost a 3-0 region semifinal to Bishop Kenny. Fleming Island, then in 5A, lost to Ponte Vedra in the Region 1-5A opener.

Yoder said her front line has grown from a two-player power attack featuring Brosky (291 kills) and Eason (381 kills), to a four-player cadre that keeps opposing defenses scrambling for block coverage.

"We have five hitters up front that can get hot at any time: Kaylee Clark, Zahaviah Sanders and our newest player, Sadie Matthews, that keeps defenses on their toes," Yoder said. "Our setter, Shelby Jackson, just got her 500th assist tonight, and she has been a key part of getting the kill shot set to the right hitter. She and Moe (setter Moe Aseta) both have great vision."

Along with Jackson, who has 522 assists for the season, senior Moe Aseta has 369 assists.

"I try to spread my offense, and our defense and services did a really good job making my job easier," Jackson said. "It's good to have good hitters up front."

In the rest of the Region 1-4A bracket, fourth-seed Bishop Kenny hosted fifth-seed Yulee. In the bottom half of the bracket, Choctawhatchee hosted Fort Walton Beach and Arnold, the second-seed, hosted Booker T. Washington.

In Class 4A, Fleming Island is second ranked behind 18-7 Bishop Moore, while Arnold is seventh, Choctowatchee is eighth, Bishop Kenny is ninth and Yulee is 14th. Fort Walton Beach is 21st, Washington is 24th and Wakulla is 25th.

At Oakleaf, Middleburg had to did deep to thwart a comeback attempt of long-time foe Gainesville High. The Broncos scored wins in the first two games, 25-21 and 25-17, but they let the Hurricanes back into the chase with two wins in Games 3 and 4 - 20-25 and 23-25 - to set up the thrilling fifth game.

Middleburg won the decisive fifth game, 15-13.

In the fifth game final, and with just two players with double-figure kills for, sophomore Katelynn Laezza had 10 and senior Maysie Bader finished with 11. The Broncos survived on defense up front against a taller Gainesville front line that featured three players in double figures for kills - 19, 15 and 14.

"Yes, defense and aggressive serving got us the win tonight," said Middleburg coach Meredith Forkum. "Gainesville had some players that are hard to stop, so we worked hard to keep them out of the system and to find a way to execute on our end."

Middleburg is 16-11 and the fourth seed in Region 1-5A seed, hosted fifth-seed 18-5 Gulf Breeze, 18-5 on Oct. 21. Opposite the Broncos in the bracket is top-seed Ponte Vedra, which hosted eighth-seed Leon. In the bottom half of the bracket, third-seed Niceville hosted sixth-seed Fletcher and second-seed and two-time defending state champion Chiles hosted seventh-seed Gainesville.

In regular season play, Middleburg has two wins against Chiles, and it has split with Ponte Vedra.

In Class 5A, Ponte Vedra, Chiles and Gulf Breeze are ranked fourth, fifth and sixth, while Middleburg is seventh. Niceville is eighth, Fletcher 12th and Gainesville 13th.

In the District 2-1A final, St. Johns Country Day School (11-7) lost a 3-1 match to Christ's Church Academy. But the Spartans still advanced to the region playoffs with a road game against 13-11 and fourth-seed St. Francis Catholic Academy on Oct. 20. St. Francis is the fifth-seed. In the opposite end of bracket, top-seed Christ's Church hosted eighth-seed Countryside Christian. At the bottom end of bracket, Beaches Chapel hosted Wakulla Christian School and Community Christian hosted Covenant School of Jacksonville.

Rookie Donaldson steals game-changing highlight

By Mike Zima, Correspondent

FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island High football first-time starter Colbe Donaldson had two tackles for loss, a sack and a game-changing 75-yard interception return for a touchdown, sparking the Golden Eagles to a crucial 31-19 District 4-4A victory against visiting Middleburg on Oct. 16.

Fleming Island improved to 4-3 and 3-0 in District 4-4A. Middleburg fell to 4-3 overall, and 1-2 in the district.

Donaldson was inserted into the lineup at defensive end because starting linebacker Garrett Dewey was sidelined by a concussion sustained Oct. 10 against Clay. Fleming Island also wanted to play a four-man defensive front against Middleburg, rather than their customary three-man line.

“Colbe is not heavy enough to play defensive end, so we were going to make him an outside linebacker,” said Fleming Island head coach Tom MacPherson. “Then we went from three-down [linemen] to four-down. I needed another end, and I just said, he is not ready right now, he is a little bit light, but he has got to go. He gives us athletic ability. He gives us a burst, and a chance to make plays.”

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Donaldson seemed to unable to be blocked. He harassed Middleburg quarterback Dalton Motes all evening. The sophomore’s biggest play came at the 5:32 mark of the second quarter with the Golden Eagles trying to protect a 14-13 lead.

Middleburg had driven to the 24-yard line and tried to set up a middle screen to fullback Chaz Brittain. Donaldson took two steps toward Motes in the pocket, then retreated when he saw Brittain sneaking out of the backfield. He stepped in front of Brittain, intercepted the short pass and outran Motes to the opposite end zone to give Fleming Island a 21-13 lead. The Golden Eagles never relinquished their position out front.

“Colbe was not playing man on the fullback. He was not spying him. He was an edge rusher,” MacPherson explained. “I think he read it and made a great play.”

The Clay County rivals traded touchdown drives in the first quarter. Middleburg struck first, taking advantage of a bizarre interception on the game’s first play. Fleming Island quarterback Greyson Critch swung a pass toward Chase Donaldson, Colbe’s older brother, in the flat. The ball went off Donaldson’s hands and was batted around by Golden Eagles split end Gavin Boysen and Middleburg cornerback Darrick Marshall.

At least one referee blew his whistle, thinking the ball had hit the ground before Marshall had corralled it at his ankles. After first ruling the pass incomplete, the referees conferred and determined that Marshall in fact caught the ball. Middleburg was awarded possession at the Fleming Island 35-yard line. Five running plays later, Braydon Ventura ran seven yards over left tackle for the game’s first score.

Fleming Island responded with a 71-yard drive to tie the score at 7. Critch hit Boysen on a slant pattern, and Boysin broke a tackle attempt by Ventura, and he coasted the rest of the way for a 31-yard touchdown.

It took only three minutes for Middleburg to drive back down the field on the ensuing possession, using two bubble screens to freshman Khaden Robinson ahead of Ventura for a one-yard plunge to put the Broncos back in front. C.J. Williams was short on his extra point attempt, leaving the score at 13-7.

Antonio Watkins returned the following kickoff 41 yards, permitting the Golden Eagles to take possession at the Broncos 28-yard line. Brady Digman capped the short drive with a four-yard run up the middle on the final play of the first quarter. Noah Graston booted the extra point to give the Golden Eagles their first lead, 14-13.

It appeared the game would be a shootout until Donaldson’s pick-six buoyed Fleming Island and broke the backs of the Broncos. After driving a combined 140 yards on two possessions in the first quarter, Middleburg had just 126 total yards in the final three quarters.

The Golden Eagles kept the Broncos at bay with two more interceptions. Levi Cox jumped high for an interception early in the second quarter, snaring a fluttering pass near midfield. Nose tackle Zion Longmire’s hit on Motes forced a wobbly throw. Chase Donaldson sealed the game with an interception from his safety position with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Motes’ pass was intended for Ravi Elliott on a hook route, but the throw was off the mark and sailed right to Donaldson, who caught it on a knee at the Fleming Island 22-yard line.

Middleburg did make things interesting in the third quarter. After Graston had nailed a 36-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give the hosts a 24-13 lead, C.J. Williams started the second half with a 44-yard kickoff return to set the Broncos up at midfield.

Ventura carried six times on a nine-play drive, finishing it from the one by taking a direct snap and following two upbacks over right tackle for his third touchdown of the game. Digman and Chase Donaldson sandwiched Brittain at the two-yard line on the ensuing two-point try, leaving Middleburg’s deficit at 24-19 with 7:32 remaining in the third quarter.

Fleming Island responded again. Digman suffered leg cramps after carrying twice and catching a pass to move the ball into Broncos’ territory. Longmire came in for Digman, and he converted a fourth-and-one, taking a direct snap and plowing up the middle. With Middleburg blitzing both inside linebackers and a safety, the full-time nose tackle then burst through a hole and, with no defenders left in the secondary, cruised 20 yards to the end zone to give the Golden Eagles a 31-19 lead at the two minute mark of the third quarter.

“This was a huge game because it is district, but it is also county,” MacPherson said. “This was as hard fought as it can be. Our kids fought back from some adversity being down early, so I am really proud of our kids.”

Digman had 70 yards rushing, while Critch threw for 94 yards. The Golden Eagles’ next game is Oct. 23 at St. Augustine. The Yellow Jackets, ranked ninth in Florida’s Class 4A by Maxpreps.com, sport an 8-0 record, and have demolished their four District 4-4A opponents by a combined score of 192-27.

Middleburg head coach Ryan Wolfe, who was the offensive coordinator at Fleming Island 2017 through 2020, noted that dynamic freshman receiver/running back Khaden Robinson, who led the Broncos with more than 600 yards rushing yards before the game, left the game midway through the second quarter with an apparent leg injury and did not return. Before he departed, Robinson had 28 yards on two rushes and four receptions for 42 yards.

“Brayden [Ventura] is a big, dominating back and can pound the rock, but Khaden is as electric as they come,” Wolfe said. “Once he went down, that limits the stuff we can do. Our game plan shrank by a half.”

Ventura led all rushers with 84 yards on 19 carries.