SIDELINES: Mainland ends drought with late touchdown in kickoff classic

Mainland, Seabreeze and Matanzas all open the football season at home this week.

By Brent Woronoff
| 4:27 p.m. August 20, 2024

Mainland head coach Jerrime Bell directs his players at a 7-on-7 camp hosted by Bethune-Cookman University earlier this summer. Bell will make his regular-season debut with the Bucs on Aug. 23. File photo by Michele Meyers

Ormond Beach Observer
Sports

FINALLY, A TOUCHDOWN

Mainland’s defense did enough to win the Buccaneers’ kickoff classic at Eau Gallie on Aug. 16. But the offense did finally get on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter to lift the Bucs to an 11-3 victory.

Sebastian Johnson tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Phillip Moore in the left corner of the end zone. Before that, Mainland’s scoring was produced by two safeties — a quarterback sack in the end zone early in the fourth quarter following Eau Gallie’s goal-line stop; and Eau Gallie’s fumble through the end zone in the first quarter.

A field goal put the Commodores ahead 3-2 in the third quarter. Mainland’s second safety put the Bucs back on top.

Mainland will open the regular season at Municipal Stadium on Friday, Aug. 23, against University, which shut out a rebuilding Matanzas team, 39-0, in a kickoff classic in Orange City.

It will be the regular-season debut for new Bucs coach Jerrime Bell.

Matanzas will host Bishop Kenny of Jacksonville in its season opener on Aug. 23.

Seabreeze will also open at home. The Sandcrabs will host Spruce Creek on Thursday, Aug. 22, at Municipal Stadium. All kickoffs are scheduled for 7 p.m.

SPIKES AND SPURS

Flagler Palm Coast's 13th annual Spikes and Spurs cross country meet is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Flagler County Fairgrounds.