BEACHSIDE - Fleming Island running back Brady Digman ran for 75 yards and a touchdown, but the Golden Eagles could not stop a Beachside aerial attack led by Eddie Jordan as the host Barracudas downed Fleming 31-10 in a crucial District 3-5A clash on November 4.
The win nets the district title for Beachside, which improved to 7-3 overall. The Barracudas tied Ponte Vedra with a 3-1 district record, but won the tiebreaker by virtue of their 33-20 win over the Sharks on September 12. Fleming Island (6-4, 2-2), ranked 20th in Florida’s Class 5A in the Maxpreps.com rankings which are used to determine at-large playoff berths entering the game, saw its hopes for a berth almost assuredly dashed.
Middleburg, 8-2, and Oakleaf, 8-2, both advanced into the region playoffs in Class 5A and Class 6A, respectively.
Jordan, a senior, was phenomenal, completing 21 of 25 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns. The Lafayette commit also ran for 37 yards and a touchdown.
Fleming Island leaned on its ground game to keep Jordan and his dangerous receiving trio of Maddux Hunstad, Drew Watson and Brennan Monaco off of the field in the first half. Digman capped an 80 yard drive—all on running plays—with a three yard run to put the Golden Eagles ahead 10-3 halfway through the second quarter. Beachside tied the game on the final play of the first half on a one yard pass from Jordan to Monaco.
In the second half, the Golden Eagles offense was stymied by penalties and a turnover while Jordan got hot. Jordan completed all 13 of his pass attempts in leading the Barracudas on touchdown drives on their first three possessions of the second half. Forced to play catch-up, the Fleming Island passing attack was not up to the task. Fleming Island quarterback Eric Gentry was intercepted by Beachside safety Aidan Tan at the Barracudas 25 yard line with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, ending the Golden Eagles last realistic chance to mount a comeback