GAINESVILLE - With dominating wins in their specialties, Fleming Island High's Noah Stotler and William Shoesmith advanced to repeat their state titles after strong performances at the Region 1-3A Swimming and Diving Championships in Gainesville on Oct. 27.

"We are in good shape overall with a lot of swimmers probably going to state," said Fleming Island first year boys and girls coach Morgan Ray. "Right now, we are focusing on this meet and their races right here. It's not time to start thinking of the state meet. They are really bringing their energy to lock in their spots for the state meet."

Ray's preclusion to concentrate on the regionals resulted in the Golden Eagles sending swimmers for 15 individual and six relay races on Nov. 6 at the Class 3A State Championships at Ocala.

Orange Park also got qualifying performances from three individuals and one relay teams.

In Class 4A, Oakleaf senior Brylee Wood will be in the 50 freestyle as the ranked 23rd-ranked swimmer.

Stotler, the Class 3A defending state champion in the 200 free, was dominating during his district and region races. He finished with a 1-minute, 40.83 seconds time to win the region. That speed was slower than his championship time of 1:36.74 at last year's state meet.

"He's doing enough to get through with a little bit of a flu or something," Ray said. "He's got some rest and taper to go still. He'll be okay at state."

Stotler also finished fifth in the 100 butterfly last year, but he put himself in the 100 free this year with a 45.44 regional effort to be third behind defending champion Owen Ekk of Chiles' time of 45.04 and Cypress Creek's Kevin Johnson in second at 45.31. Ekk was clocked in 44.74 seconds at last year's 100 free final.

In the 500 free, Shoesmith deployed his usual tactic of a fast start, mild middle and a fast finish to get the top spot ahead of the state meet with a 4:29.91 split - nearly six seconds ahead of runner-up Cobe Hehenberger of St. Petersburg. Shoesmith also was slower than his 2025 championship time of 4:25.41.

Shoesmith will also get a second crack at Ekk, who won the region 200 individual medley. Ekk won in 1:47.88, while Shoesmith was second at 1:51.71.

"In the 200 IM, Ekk is just a fast guy," Ray said. "William would like to repeat and, again, we are just getting to state today. Rest will make everyone a little faster."

Ray also said his boys team will have six swimmers competing in relays, including Jake Hall, Jackson Strickland, Kade Karney, Beau Arnold and Grant Robertson.

Where Ray sees an opportunity for some big finishes is with the girls team that finished third at the region meet behind powerhouses Ponte Vedra and Bartram Trail. The Golden Eagles lost a close battle for second, 252.5-241.

"Girls have really emerged with some power players [like] Klara Shoesmith, Ellie Strombeck, Natalie Kendall and Caroline Kuhl, [who are] all sophomores," Ray said. "Natalie is a sophomore transfer and has been a cool surprise for the team. Reagan Robertson is a freshman, too, that will score points."

With two swimmers in multiple events in the Top 24, Ray sees relays as a major point-getter for the Eagles.

"Give us a year or two and those girls will be even faster with Audrey Hall, Summer VanWagenen and Kinsey Yarbrough, our big seniors, Ellie (Strombeck) a sophomore, Reagan (Robertson) a freshman, Natalie (Kendall) a sophomore, Caroline (Kuhl) and Klara (Shoesmith) a sophomore. We will be strong the next two years," said Ray. "We had a talk about the points that relays bring and how big they are at every level of this sport."

Orange Park got a handful of individual qualifiers with Isaac Gutierrez and Dakota Blake in the backstroke; Zephan Leak in the breaststroke; and Gutierrez in the 200IM. But coach Susan Johnson is the master of her boys relays that may emerge as a Top 10 team.

State Championships swimming, diving qualifiers 

Class 3A: Fleming Island: boys and girls in the 100 medley relay, boys and girls in the 200 free relay, boys and girls in the 400 free relay, Ellie Strombeck in the 200 free and 100 fly; Noah Stotler in the 200 and 100 free; Jake Hall in the 200 and 500 free; Klara Shoesmith in the 200IM and 100 breast; Caroline Kuhl in the 200IM; William Shoesmith in the 200IM and 500 free; Kinsey Yarbrough in the 50 and 100 free; Rylan Mills in diving; Jackson Strickland in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke; Audrey Hall in the 100 back; Niccolai Torres in the disable 50 and 100 free; Corey Deamus in the disabled 50 and 100 free.

Orange Park: Isaac Gutierrez in the 200IM and 100 back; Dakoa Blake in the 100 back; Zephan Leak in the 100 breast; boys in the 200 free relay.

Class 4A: Oakleaf: Brylee Wood in the 50 free

FHSAA Volleyball

Eagles, Broncos head to state's Final Four

By Randy Lefko, randy@claytodayonline.com

FLEMING ISLAND - The Fleming Island and Middleburg highs volleyball teams took two different paths, but, ultimately, landed in the same spot with scintillating region finals victories. Both teams will now move to the ultimate prize: the state championships.

Fleming Island dominated Arnold in the Region 1-4A finals, 3-1, to advance to their first Final Four, while Middleburg had to stage a dramatic comeback, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to eliminate Niceville, 3-2, to advance in Class 5A.

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FHSAA Final Four brackets

At Polk State College's Winter Haven Health Center, Nov. 5-7

Class 4A: No. 2 Fleming Island (25-3) vs. No. 3 Legacy (Port St. Lucie) (24-7) on Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. No. 1 Bishop Moore (22-7) vs. No. 4 St. Petersburg (19-6), Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. Finals on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Fleming Island-Legacy matchups

Kills: Fleming Island 1,226 (Lillie Eason with 440), Legacy  1,178 (Taylor Smith 294)

Blocks: Fleming Island 116 (Kaylee Clark 78, Legacy 157 (Bailey Johnson 73)

Aces: Fleming Island 266 (Moe Aseta 59), Legacy 252 (Taylor Smith 57)

Digs: Fleming Island 1,500 (Addison Blom 475), Legacy 1,685 (Paisley Woods 875)

Assists: Fleming Island 1,153 (Shelby Jackson 590), Legacy 1,118 (Meredith Price 875)

Class 5A: No. 2 Middleburg (19-11) vs. No. 3 Charlotte (22-8), Nov. 5 at 4 p.m.; No. 1 Archbishop McCarthy (24-4) vs. No. 4 Viera (21-9), Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. Finals on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. 

Middleburg-Charlotte matchups

Kills: Middleburg 1,146 (Katelynn Laezza 340), Charlotte 1,152 (Sammy Vega 398)

Blocks: Middleburg 161 (Abigail Grybb 74, Charlotte 169 (Nikaila Price 67)

Aces: Middleburg 212 (Amelia Cobb 43), Charlotte 258 (Reagan Davis 68)

Digs: Middleburg 1,764 (Reese Forkum 522), Charlotte 1,840 (Reagan Davis 455)

Assists: Middleburg  1,056 (Allie Anschuetz 438), Charlotte 1,125 (Juliet Hurley 541)

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Middleburg, the fourth seed in Region 1-5A, powered past fifth-seed Gulf Breeze 3-0, then had to face off against host and top-seeded in the semifinals. The Broncos earned a spot in the Final Four by upsetting the Sharks.

"I just told the team [before Ponte Vedra] that everyone on the team had to have big games," said Middleburg coach Meredith Forkum. "We had big plays from everyone on the team, and we played our game about as good as I could expect."

Forkum now has the momentum following a 3-1 win against Ponte Vedra. The Broncos will travel nearly five hours to face third-seed Niceville (23-5), which lost to defending two-time 5A champion Tallahassee Chiles earlier in the season. The common denominator for the Broncos was two wins over Chiles - one at Middleburg, the other in Tallahassee.

In their region final, Middleburg won in dramatic fashion, 3-2. The Broncos opened with a quick 25-20 first game win, but Niceville followed with 21-25 and 20-25 wins to put Middleburg in precarious position for a return to the Final Four after its 2023 state championship.

With Niceville up, 2-1, Middleburg executed an 8-0 run to get to the decisive fifth set. The Broncos scored 22 of the last 30 points in the match. The game-winner was a smash by senior Maysie Bader from a feed from freshman Reese Forkum.

Niceville led in the middle of both Game 2 and 3, but in Game 3 the Broncos' resilience came through with Abigail Grybb striking at the net and an ace from Forkum tied the fourth game, 23-23.

In the final set, Middleburg blasted to a 7-0 opening salvo, with Grybb and sophomore Katelynn Laezza delivering blows as the net, and Forkum continuing her laser-like serves. Laezza led the Broncos with 16 kills.

Fleming Island opened with two games in dominating fashion - 25-12 and 25-11 - en route to a 3-1 first regionals victory. Some "encouragement" from Golden Eagles coach Amy Yoder for junior hitter Lillie Eason after a 20-25 loss in Game 3 that sparked a devastating finish by Eason in the final 27-25 win.

"Her [Eason] teammates and I lit a fire under her butt [after the third game]," said Yoder, who was a former a player at Fleming Island, as well as Southeastern University. "We are excited about being the first time in school history. I'm excited to see who we will play."

The double dynamic duo of Eason and senior Lauren Brosky delivered salvos at the net. Eason had 22, while Brosky had 15. Fleming Island was able to command exact punishment enough to keep Arnold on their heels.

Defensively, Kaylee Clark knocked down five blocks, while Sadie Matthews added three and Amelya Spratley added two more.

Addison Blom repelled 28 Arnold serves to set up Shelby Jackson and Moe Aseta, who combined for 50 assists.