PALATKA - The Clay High School Blue Devils rolled past the Palatka Panthers, 35-0, in a lightning-delayed game Friday, Sept. 4, at Bennett-Cooper Field. The dominant shutout triggered a running clock in the fourth quarter as Clay improved to 2-1 on the season.

Despite the lengthy weather delay, Clay High head coach Jeff Gierke praised his team's focus and resilience.

"Sitting in that locker room for three hours, you can't ask much more from a bunch of kids," Gierke said. "They work so hard and deserve to have a win like this."

The Blue Devils once again showcased their defensive strength by holding the Panthers to just 103 total yards. The offense piled up 260 rushing yards on a rain-soaked night in which the inclement weather played a significant role. Through three games, Clay's defense has not allowed more than 200 yard a contest, highlighting just how dominant the unit has been.

Captain and Liberty University commit Jay'Shawn McCloud, and running back Kamari Davis were the stars. McCloud recorded one sack, three tackles for a loss and multiple quarterback pressures from his defensive tackle position. Meanwhile, Davis rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries. Their performances played a pivotal role in the victory.

The game, which was delayed until approximately 8:30 p.m., began slowly as both teams adjusted to steady rain that fell throughout the evening. Clay opened the game with an onside kick and recovered it, aided in part by the wet conditions. Despite the momentum swing, neither team could capitalize early, and the first quarter ended scoreless.

Clay broke through in the second quarter when Davis scored on a three-yard touchdown run. After forcing a Palatka punt, the Blue Devils took possession near their own 10-yard line and embarked on a methodical 90-yard drive powered by the running game.

The drive's biggest play came when senior quarterback and team captain Landon Martin escaped pressure to connect on a 46-yard pass to senior Daylen Brown, who made a leaping catch near the 4-yard-line. Martin later capped the drive with a rushing touchdown, giving Clay a 14-0 lead before halftime.

The Blue Devils continued to control the game in the second half, adding three more touchdowns. Davis scored twice on the ground, while Carson Beck added another rushing touchdown. Clay's two leading rushers combined for 198 yards as the offensive line consistently won the battle at the line of scrimmage.

The Blue Devils return home Friday, Sept. 11, to face Orange Park in their first district game of the season. Clay will look to carry the momentum from its last two victories into the important district matchup.

Week Four

Friday, September 11

Keystone Heights, Oakleaf byes

Keystone Heights gets a break after a 56-7 loss to unbeaten Hilliard. Oakleaf gets two weeks to prep for a trip to Bolles, which opened with a 20-19 loss to Columbia and a 21-14 win over Archbishop McCarthy last week. Bolles and Oakleaf will face off after a bye and two weeks to prepare for each other. McCarthy lost 25-20 to eventual 4A champion American Heritage last year in their region final. Bolles was the 2A runner-up after losing 52-28 to Cardinal Mooney in the championship.

Orange Park at Clay

These are two programs projected to turn seasons around, so this one counts more than a rivalry game in the new district 4-4A. Orange Park and Clay both got first wins in the season last week. The Raiders beat Atlantic Coast, 27-16, while Clay won at Palatka, 35-0. Both teams feature a lot of senior players looking to leave a legacy.

Ridgeview at Fleming Island

A second district matchup that has some weight for programs that look to get a step on playoffs. Fleming Island went toe-to-toe with Oakleaf for three and half quarters before losing 47-15. Ridgeview was on a bye week. Can Panthers coach Jason Smith summon up his first county rivalry win? Plenty of Ridgeview guys were at the Fleming Island-Oakleaf game last Friday.

Game of the Week

St. Augustine at Middleburg

If Middleburg wants to be one of those elite programs, it needs to win this one. The Broncos got major upset last year against Beachside in overtime on its home field. This game rises to that level. Middleburg flexed some muscles in a 35-0 blowout of North Marion. Can Coach Ryan Wolfe devise a scheme against the perennial powerhouse? The game is in the Broncos' backyard, which will be an important factor. The Yellowjackets won a big game over Nease in the second week, and they have two blowout wins - Palatka, 49-0, and Menendez, 38-7. The only common opponent for both teams is Menendez, while Middleburg beat, 23-7.

Week Five

Friday, Sept. 18

Newberry at Middleburg

Newberry is quality small school program that went 5-6 last year, but it has a strong football history. The Broncos can't blink after its big game against St. Augustine. Newberry lost in region finals two years ago to powerhouse Cocoa, the eventual 2A champion. They beat Bradford along the way, then graduated everyone. This year Newberry is  1-2 with a 30-16 loss to Sante Fe and an 8-0 loss to Hawthorne 8-0. However, the Bulldogs returned the 2024 favor with a 14-13 win against Cocoa.

Clay at Fernandina Beach

Clay got the best of Fernandina Beach last year when quarterback Landon Martin finished with 200 passing and 269 rushing yards. But Martin will be tasked to not be the workhorse. The weapons around him have to be contributing with the Blue Devils being scheduled for road trips to St. Augustine and the county blockbuster at Fleming Island.

Keystone Heights at Bell

Keystone Heights should have a solid won-loss record at this point, and they will be tested in a face off with Bell, which was 5-5 last year.

Ribault at Ridgeview

Ridgeview got a impactful boost in Panthers land before heading to games with Middleburg and St. Augustine in next few weeks.

Ponte Vedra at Fleming Island

Fleming Island is 2-2 with a high-flying Ponte Vedra team coming to town. Passing is the Ponte Vedra forte, and Fleming Island has three great athletes in secondary - Chase Donaldson, Ryan Siliac and Brady Digman - and interior defenders Landon Howard, Kaleb Thrasher and Zion Longmire to chase the quarterback as Head Coach Tom MacPherson continues to play a chess game with the roster.

Game of the Week

Oakleaf at Bolles

This is one of those games Oakleaf coach Chris Foy likes to put the program on the map of elite teams. Bolles coaches Matt Toblin and Joshua Hoekstra are former Clay head coaches, and they know what the rivalry can do on both sides of the ball. Game was a shootout two years ago with Bolles winning 57-50.