- November 23, 2024
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FPC offensive lineman Darrien Smith (66) celebrates a Marcus Mitchell touchdown early in the second half against Deltona. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Bulldogs running back Marcus Mitchell (4) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Gethin Pritchard (70) in a blowout win against the Deltona Wolves in a kickoff classic on Aug. 16. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC quarterback Hayden Hayes (2) runs a keeper near the end of the first half with the Bulldogs in the lead 14-7. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC’s Roman Caliendo (81) scores on a 48-yard touchdown reception against Deltona in a kickoff classic on Aug. 16. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Flagler Palm Coast wide receiver William Roberts (9) catches a pass. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC running back Marcus Mitchell (4) carries the ball to within inches of a touchdown but scored on fourth down to put the Bulldogs ahead 7-0 early in the game. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Flagler Palm Coast sophomore Garrett Tucker (42) kicks off and Elijah Dorman (21) heads down field on kick coverage after the Bulldogs scored on their first drive of the game. Tucker booted six extra points in the kickoff classic win against Deltona. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Bulldogs celebrate after receiver Mikhail Zysek (15) catches his first of two touchdown passes against the Deltona Wolves. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Flagler Palm Coast High School running back Marcus Mitchell (4) turns the corner for a first down against Deltona in a kickoff classic on Friday, Aug. 16. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Flagler Palm Coast High School students, decked out in an island theme, cheer for the Bulldogs. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC offensive lineman Gethin Prichard (70) waves to friends from the sideline. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC’s Mikhail Zysek (15) tallied 165 yards receiving with two touchdown catches. His 83-yard catch from Hayden Hayes closed out the scoring early in the fourth quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Deltona's Desean Fludd (2) slips through Roman Calliendo’s grasp after recovering an FPC fumble. Bulldogs quarterback Hayden Hayes (2) would eventually bring Fludd down. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC’s Corinthians Watson (0) tackles Deltona’s Damarion Phillips (0) for a loss on third down. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC’s Braylyn Simmons (1) jukes around the Wolves’ Desean Fludd (2) for a gain of 15 yards and a first down. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Bulldogs running back Marcus Mitchell (4) powers past Wolves defender Damarion Phillips (0). Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Emma Harris, FPC’s head drum major, leads Bulldogs fans in a chant of, “You can’t do that!” after a penalty is called against Deltona. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC’s Braylyn Simmons (1) gains 5 yards early in the second half of the Bulldogs' kickoff Classic against Deltona. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC’s Marcus Mitchell (4) crosses the 5-yard line with Deltona’s Roman Miller (57) in pursuit. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
FPC’s Carson Kato (11) hydrates during a timeout in the Bulldogs' kickoff classic against Deltona, his first game back after missing last season following ACL surgery. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Flagler Palm Coast's Roman Caliendo (81) and Stacy Mitchell (3) celebrate Caliendo's 48-yard third-quarter touchdown catch. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Bulldogs cornerback Razario Watkins (12) catches his breath on the sideline during the Aug. 16 kickoff classic against Deltona. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Flagler Palm Coast’s cheer team celebrates the 42-7 victory over Deltona. Zariah Jacobs carries the FPC flag. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Flagler Palm Coast offensive coordinator Jake Medlock sees a lot of himself in Bulldogs quarterback Hayden Hayes.
That’s what worries him.
Medlock’s and head football coach Daniel Fish’s assessment of Hayes’ first game in an FPC uniform was just as they expected. He displayed a strong arm, good running ability and natural leadership skills in the Bulldogs’ 42-7 victory over Deltona in a kickoff classic Aug. 16 at Sal Campanella Stadium.
He also exhibited no fear — past the point of his coaches’ comfort.
“The one thing he's got to learn how to do is get down. We can't take any unnecessary hits,” Medlock said. “I know he's a tough guy and it's kind of funny. It's a little bit of revenge, I guess you could say, because that's how I was with my coaches. I always wanted to run somebody over and do all that, but the thing is, we got 10 straight games and we got to be smart.”
While most teams will be playing their season openers this week, FPC starts the season with a bye and then will play 10 games in 10 weeks beginning with a road contest against Lake Howell on Aug. 30.
Fish could only wince at some of the hits that Hayes took trying to get a few extra yards.
“I would like for him to not take hits like that, going forward,” Fish said. “It's kind of a testament to him; he’s just not scared of anything. He can put his pads down on people and get extra yards.”
Hayes, a senior transfer from Seabreeze, passed for over 350 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Senior receiver Mikhail Zysek caught two of the touchdown passes and had seven catches overall for 165 yards.
Since Hayes transferred in the summer, he and Zysek have been working out on the football field together developing a connection, Hayes said.
“Every day we’d go down to the field or just grab a smoothie or something, just talking. He's special,” Hayes said of Zysek. “Just getting together on the field, off the field and getting the chemistry down. That's what happened out here (in the kickoff classic). Just two guys balling.”
Fish said that although Hayes has been with the Bulldogs for a short time, his teammates have gravitated to him.
“I love that kid,” senior running back Marcus Mitchell said. “He's a great quarterback. He's not selfish with the ball. He spreads the ball around. He gets yards. The wide receivers get yards. Everybody gets yards.”
Mitchell got his share, running for three touchdowns, including a 51-yard score in the second half.
FPC’s coaches expect Hayes and Mitchell to provide the Bulldogs with a passing and running combination that will be tough to stop this season.
I know what those two are capable of, and now they're in the same backfield together and you can't focus on one or the other.
— DANIEL FISH on Hayden Hayes and Marcus Mitchell
“I know what those two are capable of, and now they're in the same backfield together and you can't focus on one or the other,” Fish said. “Because once you do, the other one can hurt you really bad with their legs or their arms.”
The Bulldogs were able to move up and down the field against Deltona. But they turned the ball over on three straight possessions in the second quarter and led by just one touchdown, 14-7, at halftime. The second half was a different story. After Mitchell scored on a 3-yard run, FPC scored touchdowns on three straight one-possession drives — a 51-yard run by Mitchell, a 48-yard catch by tight end Roman Caliendo and an 83-yard catch from Zysek.
Mitchell rushed for 1,455 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He has trimmed down since then and said he feels stronger and quicker.
“It's been real hard, especially because my hamstring was hurting, and I had to recover in rehab. But as soon as I got done with that, I went from 245 to 213,” he said. “I was just fat. I did all the same lifts in the weight room, but I had to drop weight because I got a little chunky.”
Against the Wolves, he showed elusiveness without sacrificing his signature power running.
“I feel a whole lot lighter and a whole lot stronger,” he said.
