GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Fleming Island flag football continued their trek to a second straight Class 2A championship game, Clay High broke open a 6-0 halftime to a 33-0 win and Middleburg avenged a district championship loss a week ago to stay alive in the FHSAA flag football region playoffs.

Ridgeview, who surged near the end of the season with the return of senior quarterback Nia Blocton from an injury, took No. 2 ED White to an 18-7 game with two late scores by the Lady Commanders ending the Panther's season at 6-9 overall. ED White moves to 15-3 and advances to play No. 3 Paxon on April 23. Ridgeview was the lone region qualifier from last season, losing to Choctowhatchee in round one.
For Fleming Island, now 15-0 in Class 2A, interceptions were the play of their 21-13 region opening win over Mandarin as linebacker Gabi Musa snatched a Mandarin pass on the last play of the first quarter that turned into the first score of the night from running back London Jenkins.
That score stood for the half before Fleming Island quarterback Devyn Dudones hit Jenkins with a 17-yard scoring pass to put Fleming Island up 14-0.
"She has matured to understand what she has around her and to be patient in the backfield and let her athletes do what they do," said Fleming Island coach Clint Lyons, speaking about Dudones, a defensive back on last year's Class 2A runner-up squad led by quarterback Mykala Maddox, an all-state selection. "His ability to keep her eyes downfield as she rolls around the pocket gives London and Emily Poucher time to get open downfield."
Mandarin would battle back to a 14-7 game before Jenkins snapped up an interception and smiled as she sped past the Mandarin bench to paydirt.
Fleming Island, top region seed and eighth-ranked in Florida, advances to host No. 4 Fletcher (11-3) on Tues., April 23 with Navarre (15-2) and Pace (13-5) in the opposite end of the bracket. Fletcher defeated Chiles 20-6 to advance. Navarre, the No. 2 seed, beat Ocala Forest 39-6 while Pace, the No. 3 seed, passed Niceville 39-0.
In 2023, Fleming Island defeated Sandalwood, Pace, Spruce Creek and Western to advance to the Class 2A final, a loss to Tampa Alonso.
For Clay, a 6-0 halftime lead off a Teaghan Moses pass to wide-out Kirra Dodson turned into a 33-0 blowout off three interceptions in the second half.
"Teaghan just moved the ball downfield methodically," said Clay fan Cody Mobley, noted Clay High football commentator. "She has a good knack for finding Yuliana Garcia on crossing routes. Kirra has used her speed to get downfield and that makes defenses having to adjust to cover one or the other."
For Middleburg and first-year coaches James Black and Rodney Ivey, who lost a tough 7-0 district final game to Bradford County a week ago, the return match between the two teams; No. 6 Middleburg (9-5) turned the tables on No. 3 Bradford with a 12-7 score to advance to play at No. 2 FSU High (12-1) in Tallahassee. FSU beat Suwannee 27-0 to advance. Bradford led 7-0 into the third quarter with Middleburg scoring twice in the fourth for the win.
On the opposite end of the bracket, No. 1 Choctawhatchee (13-1) hosts No. 4 Fort Walton Beach (10-7). Choctawhatchee beat Booker T. Washington 32-0 and Fort Walton Beach beat Lincoln 20-13 to advance.
Clay (11-1), No. 1 in their seeds, will host No. 4 Stanton (10-4) on Tues., April 23 with ED White (15-3) hosting Paxon (13-3) on the other side of the bracket.
In 2023, Stanton was defeated by Choctawhatchee in the region final with Robinson beating Choctawhatchee in the Class 1A championship game.