FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island showed a lot of quick strike capability against an overmatched Westside, and saw quarterback Eric Gentry be efficient and strong with downfield reads.

"Our defense was solid at times, and I think we know what issues we have to fix," said Macpherson, after watching a 75-yard pass play from backup Dalton Motes to wide out Jaden Counts for the Golden Eagles' final score, a 42-0 preseason win against Westside High. "I think we got antsy in the first half because they were playing a defense designed to make us run. I love our young guys getting in and making plays."
Macpherson, who has a unique first game of the season with the Clay rivalry game coming to Fleming Island on Friday, with Clay a 30-7 loser to Menendez in their preseason game under their new head coach, Jeff Gierke, said his first win as Golden Eagle head football coach had a cool vibe.
"I love being on the sideline here that scores 41 points," said Macpherson. "I'm used to being on the other sideline."
Fleming Island scored first with about eight minutes in the first quarter, with Gentry hitting kicker/wide receiver Parker Sirdevan with a 15-yard pass to the Westside 20 before Gentry rolled right to hit wide receiver Oliver Piechota five yards outside the end zone for the score.
In the second quarter, 3:14 before halftime and at the Westside 25, Gentry missed a sideline pass to Jace Thrift before hitting Gavin Boyson at the 5-yard line for his second strike of the half with 2:07 to go.
With 10 seconds until halftime and at the Fleming Island 42, Gentry cranked up a touchdown strike to a slashing Tristan Stephenson for a third score before the half to make it 21-0. Sirdevan was perfect on three PATS.
Fleming Island opened the third quarter with quarterback Kymani Pettaway finding wide out Jace Thrift in the back of the end zone from 17 yards out.

Raiders' slow start costly in 46-7 loss at Mandarin

By Mike Zima
Correspondent

MANDARIN - Orange Park running back Xzavier Jones’ 20-yard touchdown run was the lone bright spot for Orange Park as the Raiders imploded early in a 46-7 loss at Mandarin in a preseason game on Friday, Aug. 15.
Orange Park head coach Marcus Wimberly said playing a top-notch opponent like the Mustangs allows his staff to identify areas of the game that need improvement before the games count. He had not foreseen a lop-sided game.
“We made way too many mistakes,” said Wimberly. “We gave up two early touchdowns because our offense made some turnovers. Then our defense started making mistakes. When we played well. We were holding our own.”
Orange Park had early momentum when junior linebacker Jayden Taylor jarred the ball loose from a Mandarin receiver on the Mustangs’ first possession. Fellow linebacker Kendrick Baldwin pounced on the fumble for the Raiders at the Orange Park 45-yard line. But Orange Park returned the favor two plays later when Raiders quarterback Gabe Taylor looked downfield and decided to swing a pass to running back Aust'een Mills on the right side. Mandarin safety Keion Herring read the play, stepped in front of Mills, intercepted the throw and raced 45 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. The Raiders’ Achai Strother blocked Ermin Mehmedovic’s extra point attempt, leaving the score at 6-0 three minutes into the contest.
Disaster struck again in Orange Park’s ensuing series. A punt snap rolled through grass that had been slicked by a pregame rain shower, and Raiders punter Brock Affleje could not control the wet football. He ended up falling on it just before the Mustangs smothered him, resulting in a loss of 12 and a turnover on downs. Taking over at the 3-yard line, Mandarin’s Ayden Owens ploughed over the goal line two plays later. Mehmedovic’s PAT extended the Mustangs’ lead to 13-0.

At that point, Mandarin had just eight total yards of offense and yet held a two-touchdown advantage. The Raiders fought back, gaining good field position when Jayden Taylor broke up a Knox Annis pass on third down and then stuffed the Mustangs’ Malik Morrison for a six-yard loss on a fake punt attempt. Orange Park drove 45 yards in four plays. Mills ran up the middle for 17 yards. Two plays later, Gabe Taylor ran right, feinted inside, then pitched to Jones on the outside. Jones cut inside Mandarin cornerback Brody Jennings, broke tackle attempts of a linebacker and a safety and sprinted 20 yards to the end zone. Affleje booted the extra point to pull Orange Park to within 13-7 with 11:40 remaining in the second quarter.
At that point, Annis and his trio of talented receivers took over. The Mustangs scored on their next four possessions, turning a tight game into a runaway. Annis threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns as the Mustangs, ranked fifth in MaxPreps.com’s preseason Class 6A rankings, tuned up for a possible championship run. The scoring tosses went to three different receivers — Will Jones, Brysen Wright and Tian Wyche — who had no trouble getting separation from the Orange Park secondary.
They did not get many chances to display their skills on Friday, but Wimberly is also high on his receiving corps, which includes Jayden Fields, Daniel Gay, Brock Affleje, Robert Lewis, and freshman Lemari Johnson. He believes the Raiders will have a winning season and will focus on conditioning and reviewing the basics before they entertain the Ridgeview Panthers at Hoyt B. Cotney Stadium.
“Depending on how we grow up, if we can play mistake-free football, we will have a chance to win a couple of games and a sneak in and steal a couple more,” Wimberly said.