CREEKSIDE - The Fleming Island High Golden Eagles football team, looking to spoil a Creekside High homecoming celebration, suffered a heartbreaking 30-27 non-district loss against the 7A Creekside Knights at Creekside High on Oct. 3.

Fleming Island’s two defensive stars, seniors Sebastian Cruz (Rutgers) and Jarius Rodgers (Syracuse), made three impactful plays in the contest, but the efforts were not enough to propel the Eagles to victory. Cruz blasted a 98-yard kickoff return for a late score while Rodgers blocked two punts; one where he caught the floating ball above his head and returned for a score, the other leading to a Fleming Island score from quarterback Eric Gentry.

The game was a fight to the very last second, and the Fleming Island Eagles showed tremendous toughness and discipline.

“This week we responded really well [to adversity],” said Eagles head coach Tom McPherson. “At the end of the day, we snapped the ball to our best players.”

The crushing defeat was tough to swallow, as a win would have earned Fleming Island crucial points in the Florida high school football playoff race. Thirty-two 5A teams will make the FHSAA football playoffs this year, and the Eagles may need to win out to secure a district title and an automatic berth in the 32-team bracket.

Now 3–3, Fleming Island will travel to Beachside High School (5–1) for a 5A District 3 matchup on Oct. 10—their third district game of the season.

“Coordinators on each side of the ball will put us in a plan that says, ‘Hey, here’s what I think we need to do,’” said McPherson of the upcoming game against Beachside. “Obviously, they throw the ball all over the yard… I’ll trust those guys to come up with a plan.”

After a tied first quarter, the Eagles fell behind 13–3 in the second quarter. Cruz then took the game into his own hands, returning a kickoff 98 yards down the Fleming Island sideline for the Eagles’ first touchdown of the game. The huge play from the 10.61-second 100 meters track dash sprinter sparked life into his team, who continued to battle throughout the rest of the game. The Knights responded with a 45-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the half to extend their lead.

In the third quarter, Rodgers blocked a punt deep in Knights territory, setting up a 19-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Eric Gentry. The score gave Fleming Island its first lead of the game at 20–16.

Later in the fourth quarter, Fleming Island marched 80 yards down the field, coming within inches of the goal line. However, the drive ended in a goal-line stand after the Eagles failed to convert on fourth down. Creekside then executed a 99-yard drive, capped off by a one-yard touchdown run from Knights SS/RB Jaxon Earle, reclaiming the lead at 23–20 with 7:15 remaining.

After a failed Fleming Island possession and subsequent punt, Creekside regained the ball but was forced to punt as well. With 2:34 left on the clock, Rodgers came up clutch again, blocking his second punt of the night and returning it 32 yards for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a four-point lead.

Creekside, with limited time remaining, drove down the field and reached first-and-goal at the 7-yard line. On the final possession, every fan in the stadium was on their feet. The Eagles’ cheer team lined the sideline in support of the defense, and every player and coach was locked in. After three goal-line stops, it was fourth down.

The ball was direct-snapped to Jaxon Earle, who powered into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown with just 16 seconds remaining.

Fleming Island still had a shot at a tying field goal from kicker Parker Sirdevan, but a dropped pass in the rain spoiled the late efforts.