FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island High baseball friends and family will mourn the tragic death of Class of 2024 pitcher Aaron Hawkins II on Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Russell Baptist Church in Lake Asbury at 3 p.m.

A reception is scheduled for 2 p.m., and the public is invited to attend. Broadus-Raines Funeral Home will officiate the celebration of Hawkins' life. The Fleming Island High baseball team also hosted a community vigil on Thursday evening at the baseball field.

Hawkins, a right-handed pitcher and outfielder for coach Mike Martino, was 20 years old and killed in a two-car crash in Ponte Vedra Beach on Sunday, July 19, when another driver crossed the center line and struck Hawkins' car head on. The accident occurred on A1A South near Mickler Road.

Hawkins started playing baseball when he was 4. He was touted as a consummate player and teammate, and he was awarded the Team Player Award in 2024.

Hawkins is survived by his parents, Elizabeth and Michael; two brothers, Pierce and Caden; and two sisters, lana and Madeline.

Martino said Hawkins was a often found with his family after games, most times with sister Lana.

Hawkins attended Edward Waters University.

Family requested donations to Florida Fish and Wildlife Foundation, because Hawkins was as avid fisherman, or Walk Off Baseball Charities in Jacksonville.

Fleming Island finished the 2024 season with an 18-11 record. Nicknamed "Hawk," he was in the pitching rotation with a 5-3 record in 13 appearances. He had 42 strikeouts and a 3.95 earned runs average.

The Golden Eagles had wins over Fletcher and Tocoi Creek, and was the district runner-up to 6A runner-up Buchholz. Fleming Island earned a region playoff berth, losing 3-2 to Pace High in the quarterfinals.

Against Fletcher, Hawkins got the win with three strikeouts in six innings. He gave up just three hits against him.

Mawhinney meets familiar faces in U.S. golf Final Four

By Randy Lefko,

randy@claytodayonline.com

FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island High state champion golfer Tyler Mawhinney, who will attend Vanderbilt University in August, was a Final Four finisher at the U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championships in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania at Saucon Valley Country Club on July 20-25.

In his semifinal match, Mawhinney faced eventual tournament runner-up Miles Russell, 17, who attends Providence in Jacksonville. He was a second-place finisher in 2022 in Class 1A as a seventh grader.

Mawhinney won the Class 3A title in his sophomore season at Fleming Island. Then he finished second the following two seasons while leading the Golden Eagles team to two state titles and a runner-up last year.

At the U.S. Juniors, Mawhinney avenged his two second-place FHSAA finishes with a win over Sohan Patel from American Heritage (Plantation). Before facing Patel, a quarterfinalist in 2025, in the quarterfinals, Mawhinney defeated Louis Klein, a golfer from Czechia.

Against Patel, Mawhinney finished with a one-stroke win after an eagle, two birdies and a par with Patel landing just two birdies.

Russell got to the final with his win over Mawhinney but lost in an upset of sorts to Noah Maclauchlan of Virginia. Russell came in with a boat load of honors including the AJGA Rolex Player of the Year and as the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur quarterfinalist.

Maclauchlan, 2,047th in the world amateur rankings, is headed to Liberty University in the fall and qualified for the US Junior as a first alternate.

Against Mawhinney, Russell, ranked seventh and headed to Florida State in 2027, started with an eagle and birdie on his first two holes. Mawhinney responded by making his first of three birdies, then an eagle at the sixth hole. Russell finished strong with a eagle on 13 and a birdie on 17 to win six-up with five to play. Russell's eagle on 13 grabbed the lead, and he clinched it with a final birdie on 17.