- November 1, 2024
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FPC's sophomore quarterback Donovan Montoyo hurls a pass in the third quarter against Spruce Creek. Photo by Ray Boone
The Bulldogs charge onto the field before the start of their game against Spruce Creek. Photo by Ray Boone
FPC defensive back Dennis Shorter tries to escape the clutches of a defender in the first quarter against the Hawks. Photo by Ray Boone
FPC coach Travis Roland celebrates with one of his players following a touchdown in the third quarter against Spruce Creek. Photo by Ray Boone
The Bulldogs recover a fumble in the third quarter against the Hawks. The fumble recovery set up FPC's first score of the game. Photo by Ray Boone
FPC kicker Samuel Petrin nails a 20-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead against the Hawks in the third quarter. Photo by Ray Boone
Samuel Petrin (No. 38) celebrates his made field goal with a teammate. Photo by Ray Boone
Photo by Ray Boone
FPC defensive end Nelson Paul attempts to sack Spruce Creek quarterback Kyle Minckler in the fourth quarter. Photo by Ray Boone
Bulldogs Donovan Montoyo (No. 14) and Anfernee Brown (No. 8) celebrate after Montoyo's second score of the night. Photo by Ray Boone
Down a touchdown and struggling to move the ball after one half of football, the Bulldogs didn’t put their fate in the hands of their starting quarterback, senior Ryan Freeman. Instead, the coaches put the ball — and the keys to the offense — in the hands of a sophomore who had never seen the field for a varsity game until the start of this year.
Donovan Montoyo never says a word. He never stomps his feet after fumbling a ball or making a bad read on a throw. And he never complains when the coaches pull him from a game and send him to the bench.
He always does his job when he’s called upon — every rep, every snap and every drive. And in Flagler Palm Coast’s biggest game of the season, he did his job well.
On the legs and arm of Montoyo, the Bulldogs (7-0) stormed back in the second half over Spruce Creek (5-1) to defeat the Hawks 17-14 at Pop Johnson Field in Port Orange on the night of Friday, Oct. 13.
Although FPC had only 206 yards of total offense, Montoyo accounted for 86 of those yards, including the Bulldogs’ only two touchdowns of the game.
When asked about his play, Montoyo, quiet and reserved even in victory, gave props to his offensive linemen instead.
“I just love those guys, man,” he said. “They’re putting in the work each day at practice, and I can’t say much, man. They blocked for me, and they blocked their hardest.”
Following a fumble by the Hawks’ Jacquez Lord at the 9:35 mark in the third quarter, Montoyo went 16 yards to the house nearly 30 seconds later to even the game 7-7.
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game after a botched hand-off between Spruce Creek quarterback Kyle Minckler and running back Hayden Flood led to a 20-yard field goal for FPC kicker Samuel Petrin.
After the Bulldogs’ defense — which gave up just 69 yards to Minckler, the area’s passing leader — forced a three-and-out on the next drive, Montoyo marched the offense down the field yet again, this time scoring on a seven-yard dash to the left corner of the end zone.
“It was just the flow of the game. We put [Montoyo] in a package that Spruce Creek wasn’t prepared for, and we knew we had what we wanted out of him,” FPC offensive coordinator Matt Johnson said. “He’s a special guy, so why not put him on the field? You’ll be seeing a lot more Donovan Montoyo in the future.”
With complete control of District 1-8A as the postseason draws another week closer, the Bulldogs face DeLand at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Flagler Palm Coast High School.
Going forward, FPC head coach Travis Roland wants other teams to take notice of more than just his players’ physical attributes.
“This shows that Flagler Palm Coast is not just athletes,” he said. “We have scheme, too, just like everybody else. Stop saying we have a bunch of athletes. We have great coaches that give us great schemes. Like tonight, that formation, the wing formation. We hadn’t run it all year. Coach Johnson put it in, in three days. Find another coach that can do that.”
