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Golden Eagles fingers crossed; Phase 1 done

By Ray DiMonda Correspondent
Posted 10/27/21

FLEMING ISLAND - Knowing they must win out every game if they want a post season and have lady luck work some magic on other district teams, the Fleming Island High Golden Eagles did not have their …

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Golden Eagles fingers crossed; Phase 1 done


Posted

FLEMING ISLAND - Knowing they must win out every game if they want a post season and have lady luck work some magic on other district teams, the Fleming Island High Golden Eagles did not have their best performance against the visiting Atlantic Coast High Stingrays, but survived enough to steal a 21-12 district 3-7A win over Atlantic Coast High Friday night at Fleming Island High School.

“You hear coaches say, which team is going to show up,” said Fleming Island Head Coach Damenyum Springs. “You have good ones and bad ones. This was the bad one tonight. Some games we have penalties like this.”

Fleming Island has one final test; Friday’s game against Nease (5-3) that, if the plan is to work, must be a win with a win in the finale against Oakleaf a big RPI point-getter and Springs feels his Golden Eagles could slide into the region playoffs.

“We only control what we can control and if we win out, that’s the best we can do to finish,” said Springs, who now has a four game win streak flowing. “Tonight was phase one. When the FHSAA finishes up their computer ratings, we’ll see where we sit at the end of the season.”

Against Atlantic Coast, a team that knocked off Creekside and Ponte Vedra in two back-to-back district games, the game was slowed by over a dozen penalties, two double Atlantic Coast personal fouls, and a player ejection on the Stingrays.

“Both teams had a lot on the line and everyone was amped up,” said Springs, now 5-3. “Once we settled down and played our football, we looked a lot better.”

After what could only be described as a crazy start to the game, the Golden Eagles went three downs and punted on the opening drive, only to have the punt blocked, picked up and ran in for a touchdown to put Fleming Island behind very early. With Fleming Island getting the ball back, it took junior running back Sam Singleton a single play to go 65 yards to counterpunch the initial score and begin what would be a tug of war between the two teams.

Where Atlantic Coast (4-4) racked up 397 yards on 51 carries against the undefeated Creekside Knights only 14 days prior, tonight it was the talon claw that stung the Rays with only two conversions for first down the entire game as the Golden Eagle defense went on a tear with a fumble recovery, and an interception to keep their offense just enough in the game to pull out a 21-12 victory to keep any playoff hopes alive for the 2021 season.

“We had a lot of our injured guys back on the field,” said Springs. “We kind of gutted out the past couple of games with young kids playing and some guys going both ways. It is a tribute to the team that we survived the gauntlet of games with a makeshift lineup on both sides of the ball. The kids really stepped up.”

After the blocked punt and score at 9:30 of the first quarter to put the Stingrays out 6-0 due to a blocked point after try, Singleton needed only 12 seconds to find daylight off the left side of the offensive line, slide one tackle, and it was off the races. With a good point after senior Chapman Sellars kick, the Golden Eagles held a slim one point 7-6 lead at 9:18 of the first quarter. After the Stingray fizzled drive and punt, the Golden Eagles went back on attack.

Fleming Island started deep in their end of the field and used a mix of pass and run to keep the Rays guessing. The drive was highlighted by a Rays facemask and personal foul pair of penalties for 30 yards, putting the ball on the Rays 30 yard line.

Enter regular wide receiver, six foot, four inch junior Darion Domineck to try his hand at a Wildcat quarterback. On the first play, Domineck handed off to TayShaun Smith to chip away six yards, then on second down and four yards to go, keep the ball to bull his way to the Rays five yard line.

“We saw TayShaun (Smith) getting great runs and noticed we needed a bigger, stronger guy who can break the arm tackles and stick the ball in there,” said Springs.

On first down and goal to go, Smith showed his size as he blew up the Rays front line to pound the rock the final five yards to push Fleming Island up 14-6.

Each time Atlantic Coast had the ball in the first half, they would go three downs, and punt. On the evening, Atlantic Coast was held to a paltry 120 total yards.

Atlantic Coast continued to point and shoot themselves in the foot in the third quarter as they deferred the opening kickoff to the second half, only to fumble the third quarter kickoff back to Fleming Island on the Rays 27 yard line. The drive didn’t convert, but momentum was firmly in the Golden Eagle’s grasp. With two more volleys of possession with zero to show for the effort, Atlantic Coast finally converted a first down to end the third quarter.

At 10:27 to play, Atlantic Coast punched it in and attempted a two-point conversion which was swallowed up by the Golden Eagles, 14-12. On the counter drive, Fleming Island freshman quarterback Cibastian Broughton looked like a Texas gunslinger as he wheeled and dealed all the tools in the toolbox to pass and drive to the Rays four yard line. Again enter Domineck to drive his human steam roller the final four yards to get his team ahead 21-12 with 6:40 to play.

“Cibastian is showing great poise for a freshman out there; no mistakes, good reads and not forcing plays,” said Springs.

With Atlantic Coast driving, junior Abram Wright picked off Rays quarterback Jacob Corley to kill the drive.

“The defense played lights out tonight. Defensive Coaches Sean Coultis and Johnathan Jean had these boys ready to play and they executed it well. By the fourth quarter, we learned their tricks, made the adjustments and stopped them.” said Springs.

Atlantic Coast would have another chance late in the game, but the Golden Eagle Defense spearheaded by freshman middle linebacker Demhir Jackson and senior defensive tackle Ricky Joseph wreaked havoc on Corley, letting him kiss the dirt a few times on their last drive. The Golden Eagles worked through some chaotic play to hold on 21-12.

Fleming Island stays home through the end of the season. The final two regular season games, first taking on the pass heavy offense of the Nease Panthers on Homecoming night, 2021 before closing the season against visiting Oakleaf.