FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. – It was the second closest game of the season for Fleming Island the entire season – well, in reality, the regional playoffs. However, victory was not certain for the host Golden Eagles until the final whistle blew at Randy Warren Stadium against visiting Spruce Creek (Port Orange).
In a match of the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in Class 2A-Region 2, Fleming Island (15-0) would battle with all they got against a very talented Spruce Creek (19-2) program that was coming into the game, saw their only loss come against the top team in the state this season, Alonso out of Tampa. In the end, it took a game-winning touchdown very late in the fourth quarter for Fleming Island to escape with a 19-13 victory over the visiting Hawks.
With deferring the ball to the second half, Spruce Creek, led by quarterback Taylor Snowden and athlete Katie Herb at running back, the Hawks were determined to strike first. Herb would take a direct snap on a second-down play around the 32-yard line of Fleming Island that would get the ball inside the red zone on the game’s first drive. Two players later, Snowden would find snapper and receiver Angel Norton for a 15-yard touchdown reception with just 7:30 to go in the first quarter to take a 6-0 lead.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL REGIONAL FINAL
CLASS 2A-REGION 115 yard TD pass from Taylor Snowden to Angel Norton
Spruce Creek 6, Fleming Island 0 – 7:30 1st Q #flgffb @oneclaysports @CoachSgromolo @ChrisBoyleDBNJ @HSFBamerica pic.twitter.com/6dE0zosuDc
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) May 8, 2023
As the Hawks came to play in this game, the Golden Eagles got flustered early on offense with quarterback Mykayla Maddox and wide receiver London Jenkins. This dynamic duo has been the show for Fleming Island all season long. That first drive would result in punting the ball back to Spruce Creek near the end of the first quarter.
That punt would set up the Hawks’ second and final touchdown drive of the night, aided by a fourth down conversion from Chloe Waldo at the end of the first quarter. That conversion would result in Savannah Burress getting on the receiving end of a six-yard touchdown pass from Snowden, which put Spruce Creek up 13-0 with 9:33 to go in the second quarter.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL REGIONAL FINAL
CLASS 2A-REGION 15 yard TD Pass for Spruce Creek from Taylor Snowden to Savannah Burress
Spruce Creek 13, Fleming Island 0 – 9:33 2n Q#flgffb @ChrisBoyleDBNJ @HSFBamerica pic.twitter.com/rbN1HeWaYV
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) May 8, 2023
Being down two touchdowns was not a worry for Fleming Island head coach Clint Lyons who has been leading the program for the Golden Eagles since the inception of girls’ flag football in Clay County’s seven public high schools in 2014.
“I really tell them anything. I said just let’s go, it’s okay, just keep playing. I knew we could score and get back in the game.” Lyons said.
And the Golden Eagles kept playing as Lyons told them to do as their third drive of the game would start to build the blocks of the come-from-behind victory.
That drive saw Maddox work the field accomplishing two first downs and getting down to the 23-yard line. That is when Maddox found Jenkins for a 23-yard touchdown reception that left some of the Spruce Creek defenders in the dust with Jenkins looking from the rearview window. That touchdown would cut the score to a 13-6 margin, a score that would hold going into halftime.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL REGIONAL FINAL
CLASS 2A-REGION 123 yard TD pass from Mykayla Maddox to London Jenkins and the Golden Eagles are on the board!
Spruce Creek 13, Fleming Island 6 – 3:53 2nd Q#flgffb @ChrisBoyleDBNJ @HSFBamerica @oneclaysports @CoachSgromolo pic.twitter.com/Ar0KXPcjlj
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) May 8, 2023
At the start of the second half, Fleming Island knew that a score would reenergize things, and the fans in the stands were hoping to see that second trip to the state final four become a reality. That reality took only a short time to come into place as Maddox got the Golden Eagles around midfield. That set up a 42-yards touchdown pass by Maddox to Jenkins again to bring the score to 13-13 with 9:25 to go in the third quarter.
Suppose to be 13-13 on this not 13-6… sorry https://t.co/tRy76RJAOq
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) May 8, 2023
After an exchange of punts, the Hawks struck new fear into the Golden Eagles when Herb returned a punt for almost 35 yards that would lead things into the red zone early in the fourth quarter. From there, the Golden Eagles flustered the Hawks some, but Herb would do the most damage as she kept dodging defenders before being stopped just two yards short of the endzone on fourth down with 9:29 to go.
With the ball back, Fleming Island’s offense could not get things rolling after gaining one first down, having to punt it back to Spruce Creek. As such, the Hawks would strike more fear into the Golden Eagles, with the Hawks driving down inside the 10-yard line before a defensive stand would shut things down. That defensive stand would result in firing the Golden Eagles to take the ball and make the magic happen needed to win the game.
Maddox would handle the ball-carrying duties on that drive when no one was open. Still, the magic play happened when Maddox connected with Jenkins for a 25-yard pass to get inside the red zone, which would then be aided when Gabi Musa caught a pass on a jump ball that would bring it to the one-yard line. That catch by Musa would set up the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard pass from Maddox to Jenkins with just 25 seconds left.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL REGIONAL FINAL
CLASS 2A-REGION 1Mykayla Maddox to London Jenkins for what could be the game winning touchdown for the Golden Eagles! 1 yard TD pass!
Fleming Island 19, Spruce Creek 13 – 0:25 4th Q#flgffb @ChrisBoyleDBNJ @HSFBamerica @oneclaysports… pic.twitter.com/bnmueNi6BP
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) May 8, 2023
And 25 seconds is considered an eternity in flag football, given that the final two minutes of each half are regulated, and the clock stops when offensive plays go out-of-bounds or fall incomplete. And for that, the 25 seconds seemed like 10 minutes for the Golden Eagles as the Hawks marched downfield to around the 20-yard line before one last pass attempt by Snowden would be knocked down to seal the victory for Fleming Island.
Lyons was proud of his team and expressed confidence about how well his defense had played all season long, including this regional final.
“We have been pretty good on defense all year. When you get into the playoffs against a good team, they are going to score a few points. Didn’t expect to be down 13-0, but like I told the girls, we can score pretty quick … just got to keep playing,” Lyons said.
As such, the Golden Eagles will head to Jacksonville this weekend, where they will take on Western (Davie) on Friday at 2 p.m. at The Corral at Mandarin High School to open the FHSAA Class 2A Flag Football state semifinals.
