- November 23, 2024
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When asked about what stood out the most to him in Flagler Palm Coast’s 42-7 win over Atlantic Coast in the Bulldogs’ kickoff classic on Friday, Aug. 17, head coach Travis Roland didn’t point to the Bulldogs’ defense, which gave up one first down in the first half and held the Stingrays scoreless until well into the third quarter. He didn’t single out the Bulldogs’ overwhelming ground attack, which accounted for the game’s first five touchdowns, including three by junior running back Marc Genis.
Instead, he mentioned the only thing that didn’t make an appearance on the field at Sal Campanella Memorial Stadium that night: penalty flags.
The Bulldogs had a difficult time avoiding penalties in 2017, especially on offense. But in their first taste of competitive football since the spring, the Bulldogs’ varsity team went three quarters without being penalized. The junior varsity team, which played the fourth quarter, picked up two penalties.
“That’s where I wanted to see the most improvement,” Roland said. “That was the biggest part, and I’m so proud of what we did.”
In addition to their on-field discipline, Roland noted that the Bulldogs have one clear advantage on the offensive side of the ball: The running game is stout.
In addition to Genis’ hat trick, running back Ty Jenkins and quarterback Donovan Montoyo each rushed for a score.
“Any time you have Marc Genis and Ty Jenkins in the backfield, you know you’ve got to feed them,” Roland said. “When you’ve got the O-line we have and the running backs we have, you have to give them the ball.
“And when you can run the ball and get the game over quickly, with the way we play defense, we’re going to be really tough to beat.”