Fourth quarter dooms
Clay homecoming

GREEN COVE SPRINGS - The Clay High Blue Devils let one slip away as they were either tied or held the lead for nearly 44 minutes over the Menendez Falcons until a late fourth quarter touchdown pass doomed the Blue Devils on Homecoming night. Clay lost 22-18.
The game started as a defensive slugfest with both team’s defensive lines dominating the game. The Blue Devils combo of Aaron Stacy and Omar Goosby were outstanding at containing the Falcons running game. The Blue Devils defense frustrated the Falcons in the first two quarters holding them scoreless and forcing three punts and one interception.
The Blue Devil offense sputtered through the first quarter but got on track to start the second. Quarterback Merrick Rapoza converted a fourth down run to the 43 yard line then found Bowen Tashjian for a 21 yard gain to the Falcons 36 yard line. Rapoza then showed off his legs again on a nine yard run to the 27 yard line. The Blue Devils got to the 14 yard line after a personal foul penalty on the Falcons. The drive would stall and kicker Ethan Bellamore would connect on a 31 yard field goal to opening the scoring at 3-0 with eight minutes until halftime.
The two teams traded punts on their next possession then defensive back Payton Dykas would show his skills with a beautiful over the shoulder interception on a deep ball and return it to the Menendez 36 yard line. Unfortunately, the Blue Devils would turn the ball over two times in the final five minutes of the half but still took a three point lead into the locker room.
It wouldn’t take long for Clay head coach Kyle Kennard’s halftime adjustments to work as Rapoza found Dykas on a 67 yard touchdown pass on the second play of the third quarter for a 10-0 Clay lead. Menendez would strike back as they focused on their running game. The drive ended with an eight yard touchdown run by Brady Dugen to pull the Falcons to within three points at 10-7 with eight minutes left in the third quarter.
The Clay offense stayed hot on their next possession when Rapoza found Dykas again on a 58 yard touchdown pass where he simply out ran the Falcon defenders for the score. The extra point was wide left but Clay seemed to be in control leading 16-7 midway through the third quarter.
Again, Menendez held firm to the running game and scored on a 35 yard run with five minutes left in the third quarter to creep back to within two points at 16-14.
The teams would trade punts and in the fourth quarter the Blue Devils put together a solid drive that started at their own 20 yard line. Running back Chandler Thomas would bust a 22 yard run to the 42 yard line. Then later on third down, a personal foul penalty would give Clay the ball at the Falcon 42 yard line. Two more Thomas runs got Clay to the Falcon 29 yard line for a first down. The Blue Devils kept feeding Thomas and he got them to the 17 yard line. The Menendez defense would stiffen up and force a field goal that was a critical miss by the Blue Devils with just over four minutes left in the game.
Menendez would waste little time in throwing a long pass that was caught for a 67 yard touchdown to take their first lead of the game at 22-16 after a successful two point conversion.
Clay would respond with a kickoff return to midfield and get all the way to the Menendez 22 yard line but could not convert a fourth down and turned the ball back over to the Falcons. The Clay defense would force a Menendez fourth down with less than 20 seconds left and the Falcons opted for a purposely planned safety instead of a punt. The safety got Clay to within four points at 22-18 but allowed the Falcons a free kick from the 20 yard line. The Blue Devils would get two plays from just inside midfield. The first “Hail Mary” pass was batted down at the endzone and on the final play Rapoza was hit as he threw to end the game.

Indians take best Panther punches in tough loss

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - The Keystone Heights Indians knew they had a plateful coming into tonight’s game. Facing the undefeated Palatka Panthers, the cowboy strong kids with great heart needed to slow the Panthers to keep up with them. The opening 55 yard runback by Keystone’s Darrion Grady looked like a great start, but an incomplete pass on fourth down deep inside Panther territory killed the desperately needed opening drive. Palatka took over on the 28 yard line and used eight plays and lightning speed to get the first points on the board at 5:34. The Panther open field burst speed was the death nail to the Indians as they had one of their best games to date, but was still not enough to slow the Panthers march to their 48-30 road win to remain unbeaten.
“We played better, but we still have room to improve,” said longtime Indian Head Coach Chuck Dickinson. “Offensively, we had a whole full game, the first one of the season outside of our single win. Defensively we are just missing some tackles. Palatka has some great skills. Once they get into that open space, that speed kills you. There was nothing we could do other than try what we had to stop that in the early part of the game. If we could have held them to 20-8 at the half, it could have been a big difference.”
After the first Palatka score, the next Indian drive fizzled out with a fourth down and seven to go punt with :19 seconds until the end of the quarter. From the 49, a Panther 12 yard run to the sideline stopped the clock with the ball on the Indian 40. On first down, Panther quarterback Jamarrie McKinnon went 45 yards in the air to drop a pass into the endzone to have the Panthers ahead 14-0 with no time remaining to close the first quarter.
On the return drive, the Indians went into their battle tank mode using their ground attack with Cartez Daniels and Bryar Schenck as well as a nice eight yard dump pass to Schenck to march 70 yards, getting on the board at 5:09 with a Schenck 14 yard run, and a Daniels run conversion to bring the score to 14-8. After another Palatka passing touchdown at 3:52, the Indians desperately needed to stay close to keep the Panthers within striking distance. But a fumble on the 43 yard line set up another Panther touchdown with :42 seconds until half with a 35 yard pass to go ahead 28-8. “That’s a good undefeated football team there,” said Dickinson. “We improved from last week. That’s the goal, to keep improving.”
To open the third quarter, the Keystone kickoff was brought out to the 36 yard line and on third down, with five yards to go, Ty’ran Bush used a power sweep around the right side to go 56 yards to put Palatka ahead 35-8. On the Indian counter, Palatka picked off an Indian pass, but could not keep the drive alive, ending in the only Panther punt of the night.
In the final quarter, the Indians quickly found paydirt with Schenck backed up with a Daniels two point conversion at 11:51, 35-16. In just a little over a minute of play later, the Panthers punched right back with a Tommy Offord 25 yard touchdown run. Never letting up, the Indian’s Darrion Grady came across to block the point after attempt, 41-16.
The counter drive ate up another six minutes off the clock and resulted with a one yard Schenck touchdown run at 3:51. The fumbled point after try kept the score at 41-22. Only three plays later, Panther’s Offord saw open space and ran 71 yards to go up 48-22.
They never quit. After the kick back to the Indians, and a Panther Penalty; from their own 45, new Indian quarterback Jackson Parmeter came in for Ford Baylor and used a pass to Noah Branch for 20 yards, another pass to Branch for 10 yards, capped with a pass to Cartez Daniels for the touchdown, 48-28. Staying with what worked, Parmeter hit Bryar Schenck in the endzone for the two point conversion for the final 48-30 score.
“I thought our line got better and it showed. They probably had their best game on the offensive side of the ball. We just have to keep working,” said Dickinson
This Friday night, the State Champion Keystone Heights weightlifting team will receive their Championship rings in a pre-game ceremony. Additionally, prior to kicking off with the visiting Taylor Wildcats, the class of 2023 seniors will be honored.


Knights close but no cigar
GAINESVILLE - They say close only counts in horseshoes, but Oakleaf High football is still clinging to a playoff whim with the knowledge that the Knights football team has gone toe-to-toe with three of the area’s best teams; Chiles, Creekside and now Final Four Buchholz only to come away with Ls on the board.
In yet another act of Heavenly intervention, the game and courageous Oakleaf High football team, led by Captain America Drew Ammon fell short 45-31 to undefeated and Final Four finisher last year Buchholz High in another thrilling finish that ended with a sad ending.
With Devin Outlaw blasting a retaliatory strike to the tune of 50 yard scoring run, Taylor Bradshaw galloping for another and Isaiah Shevchook making gamechanging plays all night, Oakleaf got a Da’Jon interception and Ammon field goal to lead the topsy turvy game 17-14 just before the half.
Outlaw on a 35 yard scoring jaunt tied the game in the third 24-24; Buchholz throws touchdown pass.
Ammon to Shevchook, 31-31 with 11 minutes to go and Citizen’s Field in Gainesville simmering with an upset in the making of the unbeaten Bobcats.
Bobcat kickoff return to midfield, 32 yard scoring strike.
Oakleaf kickoff return to midfield for Ammon miracle, no go. Turnover on downs. Buchholz one more score, 45-31.

Spartans back in W column
OCALA - Trey Dubnansky toughed out 115 yards and Ian Mamea continued his long-distance phone calls to paydirt with a 45 yard scoring run as the St. Johns Country Day School football team returned to the W column with a 19-6 win over St. John Lutheran of Ocala on Thurs., Oct. 13 in Ocala. St. Johns improved to 4-2 St. John Lutheran falls to 1-6.
After a scoreless first quarter, defensive end turned running back Caleb Cameron crashed in from one yard out to put the Spartans on the scoreboard with Mamea rambling 45 yards and Lutheran scoring off a pass play to score the game at a tight 12-6 contest into the fourth quarter.
Dubnansky broke loose on his 30 yard scoring run to push the game to the Spartans. Mamea caught three balls for 40 yards with Dubnansky also catching two passes.
St. Johns will host Calvary Chapel Academy of Melbourne (2-6) on Fri., Oct. 21.

Raiders beat Panthers
LAKE CITY - Middleburg running back T.J. Lane had another banner night with 182 yards of tough running with one touchdown, but the Columbia Lake City Tigers prevailed in the fourth quarter to win a 28-14 district 3-3S win over the Broncos on Friday.
With the district win and a district win by Orange Park over Ridgeview (32-14), Columbia and Orange Park are at 1-2 in the district lineup.
Lane was the workhorse for the Bronco offense with 28 carries with quarterback Jaydan Jenkins adding 121 yards of passing with one interception. Jenkins also scored on the ground.
Tiger quarterback Tyler Jefferson had just 139 in the air and the Tiger offense was held to 67 total yards rushing behind 10 tackles from middle linebacker Austin Cruce and nine tackles each from Luke Wheeler and Kristian Russell. BJ Carter had one sack.
Tyler Jackson had 13 tackles for Orange Park.