- November 25, 2024
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With six games down, the Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs (4-2) have three games left on the schedule this season, including two against district opponents First Coast and Mandarin.
Although FPC can’t mathematically be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss this week, a defeat to First Coast (5-1), who is coming off a 59-0 rout of Andrew Jackson High School last week, would certainly make the road to the postseason a lot harder to manage. And so, Friday’s game against First Coast — and every remaining game — is a must-win for the Bulldogs, said coach Caesar Campana.
FPC is coming into this week’s game on a three-game winning streak. In fact, FPC hasn’t lost since Week 4 at Sandalwood.
Campana knows the challenge coming up for the Bulldogs, and said that his team is “absolutely” heading into a stretch of must-win games.
“Our complete focus will be on how to stop their explosive offense, which has all kinds of weapons — rushing and passing,” Campana said.
Campana also said that First Coast will be the most talented team that the Bulldogs have played in many years.
First Coast comes into Friday’s game 1-0 and atop District 1-8A. But a win for FPC could move the Bulldogs into a tie for first place in the district with one district game remaining.
“These next two games are must-win games,” said Jake Dempsey, one of FPC’s linemen.
Gavin Ewbank is a junior at Flagler Palm Coast High School.
Matanzas welcomes Nease to town
Matanzas (2-4, 0-1 District 4-6A) will host Nease (2-4, 0-2 District 4-6A) at 7 p.m.
The Pirates look to pick up their first win in district play, and their first district win under first-year coach Jeff Nettles.
Much like FPC, if Matanzas wants to play in the postseason, the Pirates are essentially in must-win mode, especially in district play.
For updates from both games, follow Associate Editor Andrew O'Brien on Twitter at @aobrien7.