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Maddox to Jenkins, again for the win

By Randy Lefko Sports Editor
Posted 5/11/23

FLEMING ISLAND - Two touchdown passes from the Maddox to Jenkins double trouble duo; Fleming Island quarterback Mykala Maddox and wide receiver London Jenkins, spelled the answer and the difference …

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Maddox to Jenkins, again for the win


Posted

FLEMING ISLAND - Two touchdown passes from the Maddox to Jenkins double trouble duo; Fleming Island quarterback Mykala Maddox and wide receiver London Jenkins, spelled the answer and the difference in one of the Golden Eagles closest contests of their unbeaten now 15-0 season as Fleming Island won a 19-13 region championship over visiting Spruce Creek Monday night at Fleming Island High School.
“They kind of clamped us down in the first quarter and got a heavy rush on Mykala,” said Fleming Island coach Clint Lyons, who now heads to a second consecutive Final Four tournament with a chance to up his finish to a state title; Lyons lost last year to Western High in the state semifinal 34-13 after dispatching Spruce Creek 6-0 in the region semifinal and Pace 19-7 in the region final.
In 2023, the sequence was flipped with Fleming Island beating Pace last week and Spruce Creek in the region final on Monday.
“We all kind of know about what each other does, but they had some new looks for us and we had to adjust,” said Lyons. “When Mykala hit London for that long score to tie the game at 13-13 in the third, the team was energized and we started to play our game. They are a great team and they did not let up.”
Fleming Island (15-0) is scheduled to travel to host Mandarin High to face defending Class 2A champion Western (16-2), the No. 2 seed in the Final Four bracket on Fri., May 12 at 2 p.m with top seed Alonso of Tampa (21-0) facing No. 4 Seminole Ridge (14-3). The championship game is scheduled for Sat., May 13 at 2 p.m. also at Mandarin High School.
Fleming Island’s defense stepped up in the second half after figuring out the Spruce Creek catch and lateral game that produced a 13-0 early lead for the Hawks. The Fleming Island defense had a few near interception opportunities from safety Devyn Dudones and linebacker Nataliea Ramdas who had a key breakup in the end zone on a Spruce Creek fourth down pass play.
In the final two minutes, with the game locked at 13-13, Maddox hit for two key passes; one to Alyssa Langston that nearly broke at the 40 yard line and one to Emerson Tees that got a key first down in the Spruce Creek Red Zone.
“We knew they were going to try to lock down on London and that would keep our other receivers open,” said Maddox. “I still am looking for her downfield, but can dump it off to my under receivers if she’s covered. That forces the defense to come closer to me.”
With running back Gabi Musa getting one of Maddox’ dump passes and lunging to the two yard line with just 18 seconds on the clock, Maddox took the next play to find Jenkins again standing just inside the goal line for the gamewinner.
Still, Spruce Creek moved swiftly into the Fleming Island Red Zone until Dudones slapped down a goal line pass attempt to end the game.

Maddox to Jenkins 3X to region final

FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island High’s flag football team used the explosive combination of quarterback Mykayla Maddox and wide receiver London Jenkins to punch up a 20-0 early lead on three passing scores en route to a 33-7 route of visiting Pace High of the Florida Panhandle in the region 1-2A semifinal held Wednesday at Fleming Island High School.
“A much better game as far as execution of the basics of the game; passing, catching, pulling flags,” said Fleming Island coach Clint Lyons “We had a relatively sloppy game last week against Sandalwood in our first playoff game and we concentrated this week just on mistake-free ball.”
Spruce Creek advanced with playoff wins of 7-0 over New Smyrna Beach for their district title and wins of 20-13 over Fletcher and 21-7 over New Smyrna in their last two region playoff games. Spruce Creek’s lone loss is to unbeaten and Florida ranked number one Alonso of Tampa, a 46-6 drubbing. Fleming Island is ranked fifth in the Florida polls. Spruce Creek is ranked 10th.
Fleming Island, Choctowhatchee and Spruce Creek are the three non-south Florida programs in the top 10 with Stanton at 17 and Ed White at 18.
In their first half against Pace, Maddox, who finished with 115 yards passing with the three scores to Jenkins, hit his favorite target with successive scores of 21 yards, 24 yards and 30 yards with Pace attempting to rush Maddox out of the pocket, but with little luck in stopping Maddox’s ability float toward the sideline and find Jenkins.
Maddox’s first strike was a fingertip masterpiece catch by Jenkins at the Pace goal line with six minutes left in the first quarter. Jenkins also caught the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing Pace offensive set, Maddox picked off an overthrown pass deep down the center of the field and ran it to a first down at the Pace 24 yard line.
One play was all it took for Maddox to find Jenkins at the five behind two Pace defenders for a catch and turn into the end zone for a 13-0 lead. The PAT was missed.
“I told them to remember last week and to not let up with the early lead,” said Lyons, at the half.
A Devyn Dudones interception late in the second quarter set up Jenkins’ third score, with Maddox escaping like Fran Tarkington from a sack attempt and finding Jenkins for a dump pass just off the line of scrimmage then Jenkins throwing down some Billy Sims moves to escape two tacklers for the 30 yard scamper and a 20-0 lead.
With Pace trying to pressure Maddox even more in the second half, Maddox answered with two running scores for the final 33-13 score.
Pace scored off a 12 yard quarterback run and a four yard touchdown pass in the final seconds of the game.