FLEMING ISLAND - In the vernacular of boxing history, the name Frazier; more Joe Frazier, was synomous with hard-hitting knockout punches with notable heavyweight battles with arch-rival Muhammad Ali.

For Clay High School, wide receiver D’Maurion Frazier, all of about 175 pounds, delivered several knockout blows for the Blue Devils with his career night against Fleming Island, two touchdowns grabs; three exactly with one being deemed just out of bounds, as the Blue Devils won a 21-14 heavyweight battle of sorts over the Fleming Island High Golden Eagles in what was up to par for the in-county rivalries excitement meter.

“We knew they were going to put a lot of guys on Ray (Clay running back Al’Querious Ray) and that we had to step up to take some of the pressure off him,” said Frazier. “The refs took one touchdown away, but Billy (Clay quarterback Billy Mobley) kept talking because I was getting open. He kept finding me.”

One of the key matchups for both sides of the ball was the quarterback situation with Mobley being a backup to Tre Griner last year, but having reps at the varsity level and Fleming Island coach Damenyum Springs having two possibilities; freshman Cibastian Broughton and junior Connor O’Shields, both with no varsity reps.

“We were going to give them two series each to start the game and see which one caught fire,” said Springs. “Clay’s defense did a nice job keeping Sam (Singleton, just 50 yards total rushing) bottled up and that didn’t help our game plan. I take the blame for not adjusting.”

Springs also lost the defensive skills of defensive back Joe Stephens to a Monday knee injury.

“He would have been on the Clay guy (Frazier) with a little more experience, but Devante Lewis had great position on a few of the Clay kids catches,” said Springs. “That Clay kid had a great night and he made plays.”

Frazier, who blitzed the Eagles secondary which was minus one of its top defenders; Joe Stephens (out with recent knee injury), with a slant catch in the first quarter and a floating back of the end zone grab late in the game.

“He just makes plays,” said Clay coach Kyle Kennard. “We had some depth issues in our secondary and he stepped up and make a big play for us.”

In the second half, Frazier even stole an pass interception from a defensive back position to thwart one Fleming Island scoring drive that had made its way into Clay territory.

“I just play where the team needs me,” said Frazier. “Coach asked if my legs were holding up and I told him I could go. Whatever it takes.”

Frazier’s first near-score was a nifty sideline grab near the Fleming Island 10 yard line that he stretched to put the ball inside the end zone pylon for a highlight reel effort that went for naught with the catch deemed out of bounds at the point of reception.

“It’s good to know that I was an unknown coming in,” said Mobley, who hit Frazier on a quick slant on fourth and three to keep the Blue Devils’ first scoring drive going with Frazier snagging a 25 yard short post pattern pass for the touchdown just two plays later with 16 seconds left in the first quarter. “Last week, we played a team that brought a lot of pressure (St. Augustine) and I kind of had a bad night with a couple of interceptions, but I worked this week to improve by mechanics with coach Brian Flaherty, improved my reads and not get frustrated.”

In the second quarter, Frazier snagged an acrobatic, bobbled pass catch in front of defensive back Devonte Walker to put Clay in scoring position a second time. At the seven yard line, with Ray being stuffed twice, Mobley, on third down, smoothly rolled right and lofted to Frazier in the back of the end zone to put Clay up two scores with 6:15 left in the half.

Fleming Island got to the Clay red zone (22 yard line) late in the first half with Domenick coming in at quarterback in a Wildcat formation, but a fumbled handoff pushed the Golden Eagles back to the Clay 35 yard line. A procedure flag on Singleton pushed Fleming Island five yards further back before linebacker Chris Goldstein almost scooped up a second fumble.

At third and 32 to go, Fleming Island put junior quarterback Connor O’Shields back and a third fumble and another penalty flag pushed Fleming Island back to a punt finish of the drive. A shanked punt put Clay back in charge near midfield with the Blue Devils just running the ball with Fleming Island defensive end Joey Couch sacking Mobley to end the half.

For Springs, O’Shields was ineffective mainly due to a great outside rush from Clay ends Jaycob Colson and Blake Thompson with Martez Martin bottling up the middle.

“We could not put him in position to make the plays we wanted,” said Springs. “In the second half, Broughton kind of started to get into a rhythm and we let him work it. He showed a lot of poise that we didn’t factor from practice reps for a freshman and the team responded just a bit too late though.”

For Clay coach Kyle Kennard, the win; his first in his very short tenure of two years, was a tone-setting remark after his equally-remarkable rookie season last year.

“I was on the other side not too long ago when Fleming Island was king of the mountain,” said Kennard, a former Fleming Island defensive coach. “I know what this rivalry means to open the season with and, even though we had a great season last year, not playing this game was something that the seniors on last year’s team missed. It’s a great rivalry.”

In the prelude to the game, which was delayed for lightning just prior to teeing up for the opening kickoff, both teams were showcasing new quarterbacks with top-draw pass catchers with both employing massive offensive lines and, by the way, two pretty good running backs.

For the “two pretty good running backs”; Fleming Island junior Sam Singleton and Clay senior Al’Querious Ray, the obvious defensive strategy to shutdown that part of each team’s attack was effective in the first three quarters.

“I knew it was on me and Jaycob (Colson) to keep their running back (Sam Singleton) in between us,” said Clay defensive end Blake Thompson. “Our key was to keep him in between the hashmarks. He got out late in the game and hurt us a little, but it was too late at that point.”

In the second half, with the humidity taking its’ toll on the field with several players on both sides cramping up, it was Ray who struck first with a fourth quarter 60 yard romp that belied a rather quiet first three quarters.

“Coach Leeds (Clay offensive line coach Jarrod Leeds) just kept telling us to not let up and we will break one,” said Clay senior tackle Desiron Gantt, the leader of the aptly named Train Depot (Ray being nicknamed the Ray Train). “We knew Ray was behind us and running hard all the way to the finish. He finally busted one.”

For Singleton, the same lockdown defensive strategy was installed by Clay with wide receiver Darion Domenick, at 6:30 in the third period, breaking open the game with a scintillating 90 yard pass and catch sprint that put the Golden Eagles within striking distance of the 14-0 deficit in front of them. Fleming Island missed the PAT kick to leave the score at 14-6.

“Him (Singleton) and I have been playing against each other since junior high school,” said Ray. “I was getting the cramps, but I was wanting to break one. My offensive line was staying on it the whole game.”

In the fourth, Ray broke out for his lone score of the night with 5:57 left in the game, to score from 60 yards out.

“It was just there and ran as hard as I could with the cramps in my legs,” said Ray, who put Clay up 21-6.

From there, into the fourth quarter, with freshman quarterback Cibastian Broughton, a Lakeside Junior High product, able to move the ball downfield efficiently behind his own scrambles; one for 35 yards that put Fleming Island on the Clay one yard line and gave Singleton his lone score of the night a play later to score the game 21-14.

Fleming Island coach Damenyum Springs opened with junior Connor O’Shields behind center and interchanged Broughton and even Domineck at times to try and find a rhythm for the his offense. Broughton, showing good poise for a youngster in big-boy football, seemed undeterred by the rabid Clay defense chasing him and was able to wiggle his way downfield on scrambles and also to find open receivers on the run.

Fleming Island continues on a tough opening round of games with an away contest with Class 6A runnerup Lake Minneola while Clay has a bye week. Lake Minneola whomped 8A-Tohopekaliga High 71-0 in their opener. Tohopekaliga, near Kissimmee, was 5-4 last year as a Class 7A school. Clay returns September 10 at Bradford County.