Fleming Island's defense pitched a shutout and its offense rolled up 33 points as the Golden Eagles blanked Atlantic Coast 33-0 on Friday, Aug. 21, in the 2026 season opener.
Head coach Tom McPherson had previewed the matchup on Thursday, Aug. 20, during the Clay County Sports Report, joining hosts Randy Lefko and Tim Mooney alongside longtime Clay Today sports writer Mike Zima, who recapped the preseason across the county. By kickoff Friday, the Golden Eagles made good on expectations.
Dominant from the start
Fleming Island's defense forced a three-and-out on Atlantic Coast's opening possession. The offense answered with a 24-yard field goal by Grayson to grab an early 3-0 lead, per FI Eagle Athletics on X.
The Golden Eagles carried a 10-0 advantage into halftime. Then the second half turned into a rout.
Quarterback Critch connected with Boysen on a 20-yard touchdown strike to push the lead to 31-0. The defense capped the night by swarming an Atlantic Coast running back in the end zone for a safety, accounting for the final margin. News4JAX reported the Golden Eagles rolled over the host Stingrays in the Week 1 rout.
Regional notice
The win earned Fleming Island a No. 14 ranking in the Northeast Florida region of the Florida Power Rankings Index with a 57.58 rating, according to FloridaHSFootball.com. News4JAX also listed the Golden Eagles among notable teams in its Week 2 Super 10 rankings published Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Around Clay County
Orange Park dropped its Week 1 opener and enters Week 2 at 0-1. Ridgeview picked up a win to start 1-0.
Week 2 schedule (Friday, Aug. 28)
- Fleming Island (1-0) at Creekside (1-0), 7 p.m. — Creekside has won all five previous meetings by a combined 10 points, per News4JAX.
- Orange Park (0-1) at Oakleaf (0-1), 7 p.m.
- Ridgeview (1-0) vs. Menendez (0-1), 7 p.m. — Ridgeview hosts at home.
