BELL - Keystone Heights kicker Ryder Thomas nailed a 21-yard field goal in overtime to finish off a 16-13 road upset win by the Indians over previously unbeaten Bell High Friday night in front of a standing room only stadium.

“Big win,” said first-year Keystone Heights coach Cameron Porch, now 2-3. “Bell’s really good, [with] 20 seniors [and] undefeated coming in. But you know, we’ve got a group of guys that have got a little bit of grit to them.”

Three weeks ago, Bell won 13-7 at Interlachen, which defeated the Indians, 63-0, on Aug. 21.

Keystone Heights snapped an 18-game losing streak against P.K. Yonge on Aug. 28. The Indians upcoming schedule features a gauntlet of teams with stellar seasons ongoing.

“Freaking dogs tonight, man,” Porch said. “They [defense] flew around to the ball. This is the best we've tackled as a unit. That was the big difference tonight.”

Bell moved the ball to midfield on their opening possession, but a costly turnover gave the Indians early momentum.

Bell senior quarterback R.J. Leffler fumbled on a first-and-10 at the Bulldogs’ 49-yard line, and Keystone Heights sophomore linebacker Ben Scott recovered the ball.

Senior quarterback Cole Crabtree helped engineer an Indians' 50-yard scoring drive, capping it off with a one-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds to play in the first quarter. Thomas made the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Crabtree had a pair of eight-yard runs to start the drive, followed by a 13-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Trey Simmons. Keystone Heights sophomore wide receiver Connor Mooneyham then ran the jet sweep for 10 yards, and Crabtree scored two plays later.

Bell, which played without injured running back Landin Williams, never got in Keystone Heights territory in the first half.

The Indians recovered their onside kick to begin the third quarter. However, on the third play, Crabtree got hurt and never returned. Mooneyham played the rest of the game at quarterback.

“It was just nerves flowing, adrenaline, everything,” Mooneyham said. “Adversity; I was just able to push through and execute when it was needed.”

Although their first drive of the second half stalled at the Bell 30, the sophomore would led the Indians on an eight-minute scoring drive on their next possession.

“We talk about  it a lot,” Porch said. “You know, it only takes one play; you're the next guy, and that's all it took. He came in, didn't flinch, and did a phenomenal job.”

Following Keystone Heights' opening drive of the second half, Bell senior running back Kaleb Williams raced 70 yards down the Bell sideline for a touchdown with 5:58 to play. Leffler’s extra point tied the game at 7-7.

The Indians began its second possession at its own 45-yard line, and they ate the final six minutes of the quarter. Keystone Heights converted a fourth-and-three at the Bell 25-yard line with a 6-yard run by sophomore running back Mikey Gamble.

On the next play, Mooneyham found Simmons in the right corner of the end zone for a 19-yard TD pass - and a 13-7 lead with 10:03 remaining.

“Trey, he's Receiver 1. Love that guy,” Mooneyham said. “All I saw, Trey, corner end zone. I thought I underthrew him. Turns out, I got it there and he made a heck of a play.”

Keystone Heights went for the two-point conversion, but it was stopped short of the goal line.

Bell punted on its next possession, but an interception by senior Dean Glass gave the Bulldogs the ball again at their 37-yard line with 7:03 remaining. Then, on the first play from scrimmage, Williams picked up 42 yards to the Keystone Heights' 21-yard line.

Once again, the Indians' defense forced another big play. Junior D.J. Hill intercepted a halfback pass by Glass at the 15 to end the drive.

But the Bulldogs held and they got the ball back at their own 49-yard line for one final drive in the final 3:33. A 33-yard pass from Leffler to senior Lane Sheffield put the ball in the red zone. Four plays later Leffler, scored from two yards with 90 seconds to go to tie the game, 13-13.

Keystone then made two big special teams plays late to get the win.

Junior Juan Palma blocked Leffler’s extra point. And in overtime Thomas drilled a 21-yarder for the game-winner.

"We challenged them all week to hold up for four quarters, and four quarters-plus tonight is what it took,” Porch said. “Taking care of the football and tackling well, that's what wins you football games.”

Frank Hollerman Invitational Swim

Fleming Island's state swim champions shine at meet

By Randy Lefko,

randy@claytodayonline.com

PONTE VEDRA - Fleming Island High state swimming champions William Shoesmith and Noah Stotler did what state champions do in a big meet by posting 40-point days at the Frank Hollerman Swimming Invitational on Saturday at the Planet Swim pool.

Shoesmith, the 3A 500 freestyle champion last year, finished a surprising fourth in his 500 free prelim with a 4-minute, 40.56-second split. But it was good enough to get to the finals.

Though Shoesmith stormed the pool with an opening 50 free of 24.45 seconds and a finishing 50 free in 26.49 to win in 4:28.23 to fend off challenges from Nease's Lincoln Driesse at 4:29.72 and Ponte Vedra's Chase Kendall at 4:32.06. Driesse opened faster than Shoesmith with a 24.26 split, but he could not match Shoesmith's 27.7-second finish in the final 50. Shoesmith and Driesse were first and second at the 2025 Class 3A championship 500 free, with Shoesmith winning with a 4:25.41.

In the 200 individual medley, Shoesmith dominated the race by almost seven seconds, winning with a 1:50.50 split. Shoesmith was fourth in 3A last year with a time of 1:49.73.

Stotler was the 3A champion in the 200 free and fifth in the 100 butterfly last year for Clay High. He dominated from the start, winning with the best time in the prelims and finals in both disciplines.

In the 200 free, Stotler stayed with Driesse with a 1:41.47 win, compared to Driesse's 1:41.66. But, in the finals, Stotler, opened with a lightning-fast first 50 in 22.78. He then rolled to a three second win with a 1:37.71 time. Stotler won his title with a 1:36.74.

In the 100 fly, Stotler hit at 50.93 in his prelim, then dropped nearly two seconds to win in 48.21, while Nease's Luke Zardavets was second in 48.73. Stotler, who was fifth in 3A last year with a 49.52, while Zardavets was second in 48.45.

Bolles won the boys' title with 448 team points, while Nease was second at 413 and Ponte Vedra was third at 358. Fleming Island was seventh with 134 points, and Orange Park was eighth with 106.

For the girls, Creekside won at 477, followed by Ponte Vedra's 435 and Nease's 314. Fleming Island was sixth at 164, with Oakleaf 12th at 15 and Orange Park 13th with four points.

Without relay points, top point-getters for the Fleming Island girls team was sophomore Ellie Strombeck, a transfer state meet qualifier in 4A from Oakleaf. She put up 26 team points with a fifth in the 500 free and seventh in the 200 free.

Also for Fleming Island's girls, Kinsey Yarbrough picked up 19 points with a fifth in the 100 free, Klara Shoesmith earned 16 points with a sixth in the 200IM and Natalie Kendall got 15 points with a sixth in the 50 free.

For Oakleaf, top points-getter was Brylee Wood with 11 after finishing eighth in the 100 backstroke.

For Orange Park's boys, freestyle sprinter Zephan Leak earned 21 points with a seventh in 100 breaststroke and ninth in 50 free. Dakota Blake got 15 with a fourth in 100 back.

Orange Park's Taylor Mandigo finished with two points with a 15th in 500 free.