FLEMING ISLAND - In a not-so-surprising fast start of the girls golf season, Fleming Island High looks to have another freshman sensation with newcomer Sophia Moody smashing a one-over-par 37 in her first regular season match as a Golden Eagle.
"I saw her playing over at Eagle Harbor the last few times I was over there and made a point to introduce myself to her parents at the time," said Fleming Island golf coach Brian Nedrich. "She was this little tiny kid that was smashing drives at 12 years old, and I asked where she was going to go to high school. She's here now, and what a start."
In boys play, Fleming Island senior Tyler Mawhinney shot a 3-under 65 to win the Back 2 School Invitational hosted by Ponte Vedra High. The team finished third with a total score of 289.  Beachside (280) won, followed by Ponte Vedra (282).  Episcopal was fourth, while Bolles and Tocoi Creek were tied for fifth.

 Mawhinney was second last year in Class 2A, while the Golden Eagles won the state title. He had six birdies and one bogey.
Nedrich was excited when Moody arrived on campus and posted her first score.

"We have had some pretty good girls golfers here and some pretty good ones that have come in as freshman and stole the show - Alyzabeth Morgan, Sarah May and Lauren Waidner in the past few years, and Sophia could very well get that first state title here," said Nedrich, noting May and Waidner both achieved great success in high school and as collegiate golfers at Stetson University and University of Florida, respectively. "She loves to practice, from what I hear. My friends and one of the graduated boys golfers, Emmett Kuhlenkamp, say she is always hitting at the driving range."
Moody finished against Buchholz and Creekside, both state-ranked programs, with her 37, beating Creekside's Sarah Beth Walters by five strokes, with Fleming Island junior Shayla Abbas third at 43.
Moody opened with birdies on her first and third holes, before making pars on her next four holes. She finished with two bogies.

Walters stayed close until a disastrous double-bogey on the third hole, then four bogies to the finish in the oppressively hot afternoon.
"It's tough to play nine in the heat we have been having," said Nedrich. "It's a mental toughness call out there, and Sophia has been in plenty of tough tournaments since she began winning things at age 12."
Creekside eventually won with 172 strokes, followed by Buchholz with 198 and Fleming Island at 208.

"We have no seniors, and I will say this team can do big things in the next few years," said Nedrich.
At Eagle Harbor, Orange Park won a three-way match with Ridgeview and St. Johns Classical, 191-196, with Ridgeview second and Raiders junior Elias Hernandez and Panthers senior Hayden Skrzypczak both tying for first with a 45.

At Starke, Bradford County took a dual match against Keystone Heights by nine strokes, with Keystone Heights' junior Nathaniel Bardier finishing in a tie with Bradford's Avery Burgin with the low score of one-over 37.

On Aug. 13, at Eagles Landing in Oakleaf, Middleburg beat Ridgeview, with Ridgeview's Dylan Skrzypczak as the top finisher at three-over 39 (three over) with teammates Kelvin Dixon Jr. and Ethan Merchant.