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Fleming Island cruises to 8-0

By Mike Zima Correspondent
Posted 10/30/19

FLEMING ISLAND– Fleming Island freshman running back Sam Singleton headlined a dominating night for the Fleming Island ground game, rushing for 246 yards and three touchdowns as the host Golden …

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Fleming Island cruises to 8-0


Posted

FLEMING ISLAND– Fleming Island freshman running back Sam Singleton headlined a dominating night for the Fleming Island ground game, rushing for 246 yards and three touchdowns as the host Golden Eagles remained unbeaten with a 41-17 dismantling of Atlantic Coast on Fri., Oct. 25 at Fleming Island High School. The win keeps Fleming Island unbeaten at 8-0 and with the district title as playoffs loom in a week.

Singleton’s performance was one for the ages, believed to have set Fleming Island’s single game rushing record for a freshman. He displayed both speed and power, carrying the Golden Eagles offense once starting running back Tim Thomas exited the game due to injury early in the first quarter.

“He is getting better each game, gaining confidence,” said Fleming Island head coach Damenyum Springs. “I tell him he has got to be ready, because if something happens, it’s his show.”

Singleton wasted no time in proving himself. On his first carry, a handoff up the middle, the 5’11”, 175 pounder burst into the secondary, accelerating so quickly that the angle taken by Stingrays safety Jordyn Williams was insufficient to catch him. Fifty-nine yards later, Singleton crossed the goal line to give Fleming Island a 13-0 lead it would never relinquish.

Singleton averaged 13 yards per carry, doing his damage on just 19 rushes. When Atlantic Coast threatened to make a game of it with a touchdown run by Ridge Jacobs that pulled the Stingrays within 27-14 early in the third quarter, Singleton restored order with a four yard touchdown run on Fleming Island’s ensuing possession.

“I did not expect it to be like that,” Singleton said after being informed of his yardage total. “The offensive line was opening up the holes, and I just did my job.”

Singleton’s other score was also from four yards out, coming one play after wide receiver Broden Domenico drew an interference call in the end zone on a third and goal.

The Fleming Island offensive line— Nate Chase, Evan Sheets, Bennett Corey, Cameron Longmire and Thomas Waters— dominated the line of scrimmage. Whether it was Thomas, who carried on every play of the Golden Eagles’ opening drive, capping it with a 13 yard sweep around left end, or Singleton at running back, the quintet pushed the Stingrays out of the way. Fleming Island rolled up 391 rushing yards on 36 carries, averaging more than 10 yards per attempt. Sustained downfield blocks by receivers Caleb Seyboldt, Will Stephens and Broden Domenico turned eight yard chunks into 20 and 30 yard gouges.

“The offensive line has been our main focus the last few weeks,” explained Springs. “We have been more aggressive with them, and it has worked.”

When throwing the ball was necessary, Fleming Island quarterback Dean Hyams was efficient, completing seven of 11 throws for 87 yards and a 30 yard touchdown to Domenico.

Hyams gave the Golden Eagles a 27-0 lead on a 46 yard scramble before Atlantic Coast mounted a drive using a short passing game. Jacobs found wideout Jordan Smith wide open in the end zone from 11 yards out to put the Stingrays on the board with 0:15 remaining in the first half. There appeared to be confusion in the Fleming Island secondary as to who was supposed to guard Smith.

The Fleming Island defense was stout against the run, limiting Stingrays running backs to just 41 yards on 15 carries. Linebackers Jourdan Haynes and Darryl Nesmith and tackle Elijah Montgomery each had two tackles for loss. However, without starting defensive end Tyler Cross and cornerback Darius Harris, who were out with the flu, the Golden Eagles struggled to contain the Stingrays’ short passing game. Jacobs and his backup, Keely Watson, combined to complete 24 of 43 passes for 190 yards and one score. Springs attributed what he termed a sloppy defensive performance largely to a failure to get properly aligned.

Even with the defensive hiccups, the Golden Eagles easily ran their season record to 8-0, completing a perfect 5-0 sweep of District 2-7A. The Stingrays fall to 2-7, 1-4 in the district.

In addition to the injury suffered by Thomas, injuries to short yardage running back T.K. Kocak and safety Shaquille Magwood were the only other things that, along with a brief rain shower at the end of the third quarter, put a damper on the Golden Eagles’ victory. Kocak, who watched the fourth quarter on crutches with an inflatable boot on his foot, hopes to be back in time for the opening round of the playoffs, which begin on November 8. According to Springs, Magwood and Thomas, who gained 82 yards on six carries before exiting, could have returned to action on Friday had the outcome been in doubt. They should be ready for the Golden Eagles’ final game of the regular season, Friday versus county rival Orange Park.

“The main thing was to come out of this game without injury, and we really did not do that,” a subdued Springs said afterwards.

With playoff seeding at stake in the regular season finale, Springs will not allow his charges to take their collective foot off of the gas pedal.

“We are going to continue to stay aggressive, and add a few little wrinkles on offense and on defense,” said Springs