- December 25, 2024
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Florida High School Athletic Association Executive Director Craig Damon informed Flagler Palm Coast High School that it reviewed the film of FPC’s final drive of its regional quarterfinal football loss to Spruce Creek and agreed that the officials made a glaring error in taking a down away from the Bulldogs, FPC athletic director Scott Drabczyk said.
Drabczyk said Damon indicated the FHSAA would “take proper steps” with the Lakeland Officials Association assigned to the Nov. 15 game. The Bulldogs knew that would be the best they could hope for after the officials’ call took away their chance of advancing in the state playoffs.
“(FPC Principal Bobby Bossardet) wrote a letter to the FHSAA,” Drabczyk said. “It said we're really proud of the way our team handled themselves on Friday. We're disappointed in what happened. And they brought back to us that they’re going to take proper steps.
“They watched the video and they saw what everybody else saw, that they missed a down. There's not much that could be done after the fact, but they're going to take the steps that they need to or can do through the officials association.”
Trailing 36-35 with 19 seconds left in the game, FPC was lined up for third down with 7 yards to go. Before starting the clock, the officials had the marker changed to fourth down. The Bulldogs had no timeouts remaining and had no choice but to try to convert a first down. They came up a few yards short and the Hawks took over possession and ran out the clock.
With its third down taken away, FPC was denied the chance to attempt a game-winning field goal or try to score a touchdown. Spruce Creek advanced to the regional semifinals, where it lost to Region 1-7A top seed Lake Mary, 52-32, on Friday, Nov. 22.
My heart breaks for those kids. My heart breaks for those seniors.
— SCOTT DRABCZYK, FPC athletic director
“We're limited,” Drabczyk said. “Again, I go back to the kids. My heart breaks for those kids. My heart breaks for those seniors. We had kids here past midnight (after the game), sitting at midfield. So at the end of the day, it is sports, right? Unfortunately this is super polarizing because it happened in the last 35 seconds of the game in the region playoffs.
“We’re more disappointed for our kids than we are anybody else because of how they played all year. But I'm super proud of them on how they handled the really tough situation. They handled it with class.”
