FLEMING ISLAND - Clay High struck first, but in his first foray into the annual rivalry, Fleming Island High first-year head coach Damenyum Springs turned the tables with a vengeful defense and a cool-as-the-backside-of-a-pillow first-time quarterback to dethrone the Blue Devils as the first week kings of Clay County with a 24-14 non-district win Friday night at Fleming Island High School.

“We asked our kids to step up to the next level,” said Springs, who took over midseason 2015 amidst a tumultous coach shakeup that shook the football program’s foundation. “Our D-Line are our guys; big Mackey down there, big Jose, Jalyn, Ferendo and Darius all held their own against the Clay High offensive line which was big and strong.”

Springs, who finished 2015 with a strong 6-4 overall record, was referring to defensive linemen Brandyne Mackey, Jose Concepcion, Jalyn Robinson, Nick Ferendo and Darius Goodman, knew the matchup against Clay’s vaunted offensive line; all with a 40-50 pound advantage, would be the tale of the tape.

“We loved the doubts from everyone; noone gave us a chance,” said Fleming Island defensive coordinator Steve Creech. “We told our guys to play with love for each other and not hate for Clay. K.B. Ashe was our leader on the defense.”

Clay, winners of the previous two meetings, came in as a two-time Final Four team in the past three years; state semifinalist last year, with a history of big, burly offensive linemen; including Georgia Southern bound behemoth Jarrod Leeds, 6-4, 280 lbs., but, according to Clay head coach Joshua Hoekstra, the week’s practice prior to the contest plus a dismal 21-7 halftime score against Matanzas in their preseason game last week, left more to be desired on the biggest game of the new season.

“We had a terrible week of practice and it was evident tonight,” said Hoekstra. “We lost the battles on the line of scrimmage, that’s for sure. There’s no secrets up there. Colin (Clay running back ColinWilson) can’t go if the blocking is not there.”

Clay did strike first in their second offensive series after a missed field goal by Fleming Island left the score 0-0 with 6:56 left in the stanza.

With the Blue Devils starting at their own 20, Clay quarterback Jaylan Jenkins generated just five yards on two handoffs, but found Wilson all alone behind the Fleming Island defense for a 53 yard passing score the squelched the Fleming Island faithful on the west side of the stadium.

The Golden Eagles got started off the first miscue of the game, a Wilson fumble at the Fleming Island 40, just as the first quarter ended.

After a slant pass to wideout Rhodeo Gray put Fleming Island at the Clay 42, running back Chauncey Garrison, an Alabama-born transfer, punched out a 24 yard yard run to the Clay 37 and a nine yard run to the 23.

On first down, track speedster Anfernee McCaskill, a legit 11-flat 100 meter sprinter for Fleming Island, burst past the battling linemen for an apparent eye-opening score that resuscitated the Fleming Island fans with its ferocity to the end zone.

A penalty flag for a hold only simmered the fervor in the stands as McCaskill, all of just 5-foot-6, snuck behind his offensive line for a 15 yard gain to the Clay 24 where Garrison blasted straight up the middle for the score to tie the game at 7-7 with kicker Noah Hamlitt’s PAT.

“God blessed us with Chauncey Garrison,” said Springs. “He runs hard, he is coachable, and he is humble.”

Garrison, who ran for 151 yards and a score on 20 carries, spearheaded the Golden Eagles ground game that pounded out 255 yards against a Blue Devils defense that prides itself on its physicality. In the second half, though, Garrison left the field with an undetermined injury.

Orange Park High transfer quarterback Brian Brown, on first down after a 14 yard swing pass to Garrison put Fleming Island at midfield, struck again with wideout Jackson Bull snaring a drag pass in front of Clay defender Dakari Augustin, hitting the brakes before the Clay sideline and sprinting the rest of the 30 yards to paydirt as the Clay sideline watched in bewilderment.

Both teams would go four downs and out on two series to end the half at 14-7.

“We knew Clay would want to reset and come out strong in the third period,” said Springs.

Clay, with the score at 21-7 after a McCaskill 16 yard touchdown run off a 10-play scoring drive, was ramping up to deliver a Clay-like second half bludgeoning to get the score closer.

On first at the Clay 22, Wilson took command and ran over half of the Fleming Island defense for a 15 yard gain that stamped round one of the series heavyweight stanza. Three yards again from Wilson into the arms of Concepcion at nose tackle pushed the offensive further downfield. Jenkins would bound outside for four more before wideout Ajay Belanger caught a short slant and got slammed on the tackle by safety Isaiah Walker to the tune of an additional 15 for spearheading. Now at the Fleming Island 31, Jenkins kept the pressure with four more yards before Wilson smashed the interior of the Fleming Island defense for gains of 10, three and three before a pass to running back Tymious Goodman put the Clay offense within smell of the end zone at the nine yard line. Wilson would exact the revenge with a final two yard scoring plunge and a 21-14 score.

After the Clay defense gave Fleming Island just four downs on the ensuing series, Clay’s offense started at their own 20 and drove to first and goal and the Fleming Island five off their own 12-play drive. Wilson pushed the drive with a 30 yard run on first down after the punt.

For the Fleming Island defense, Concepcion, a standout wrestler at Fleming Island who just joined the team a week prior to the game, would come up big twice with stops on Jenkins on a sneak and Wilson on a plunge to put the ball at the five on third down. On the third down, Jenkins attempted to sneak off the right tackle a second time only to run into Ashe on the corner for the stop.

With 6:16 on the clock, fourth down for Clay on the Fleming Island seven and the score at 21-14, Jenkins dropped off the line and looked into the end zone for a pass. Jenkins found the 6-foot-3 Belanger in the back of the end zone a step ahead of the Fleming Island defense. The ball sailed through Belanger’s outstretched fingertips.

“We have to make that play and the other dropped passes,” said Hoekstra.

Fleming Island would get a final field goal for the 24-14 final score.

Fleming Island gets a BYE week to savor the win while Clay hosts 6A-Gainesville on Friday.