- September 21, 2024
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School record holders Colby Cronk and Marcus Mitchell (4) pose after the Bulldogs' homecoming win. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC offensive lineman Isaiah Stiggons (55) gives Braylyn Simmons a lift after Simmons scored a touchdown in the first quarter. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Colby Cronk chases after Zephyrhills Christian quarterback Jadon Olaffson. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Colby Cronk poses with his position coach, Mike London, after the homecoming game against Zephyrhills Christian. Cronk broke London's school record for sacks in the Bulldogs' previous game. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC homecoming queen MacKenna Gajeske and king Nicholas Diguglielmo. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC's Hayden Hayes (2) sheds a defender on a quarterback keeper. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC teammates congratulate Marcus Mitchell (4) after he scored a touchdown. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC defensive ends Colby Cronk (34) and Stacy Mitchell (3) watch a pass. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Hayden Hayes (2) and Braylyn Simmons (1) celebrate a touchdown. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC coach Daniel Fish talks to the players after the homecoming game. Photo by Brent Woronoff
When Flagler Palm Coast defensive end Colby Cronk broke the school career record for sacks on Sept. 13, the Bulldogs’ coaches didn’t realize it until they tabulated the stats the next day.
With running back Marcus Mitchell needing 211 yards to break the school’s career rushing record, they didn’t want to be a day late again. So, coach Daniel Fish had a coach in the press box keep Mitchell’s stats during the Bulldogs’ homecoming game on Friday, Sept. 20.
Mitchell ran roughshod over Zephyrhills Christian Academy. According to the live stats, he rushed for 213 yards — two yards to spare — and three touchdowns in FPC’s 50-19 victory.
Mitchell broke Que’Shaun Byrd’s career record of 3,402 yards set in 2016. Mitchell’s father, who died in 2019, owned the record before Byrd broke it.
“It’s a really big accomplishment for me because it was my dad’s record that was beaten,” Mitchell said. “Regaining the title for my father and everything, I feel accomplished, especially with this game, during homecoming with everybody around to witness it.”
Friends, relatives, teammates and coaches took turns giving Mitchell hugs at the end of the game.
“I almost started tearing up,” he said. “But I’ve got to keep my composure.”
With FPC’s next two games on the road, the Bulldogs wanted to see Mitchell break the record before a standing-room-only stadium crowd on homecoming night, even if he had to gain over 200 yards to do it.
“It’s kind of like a surreal experience,” Fish said. “We knew it was going to happen this year, but when it happens, you're so proud and you're so excited. He’s an amazing kid, an amazing athlete. I'm just so happy for him and I'm excited to see what he’ll continue to do. I think he'll break a college rushing record wherever he ends up. So I'm just excited to continue watching him grow and continue to be a part of his journey.”
The Bulldogs improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2019 when they won their first six games and finished 8-3.
FPC led Zyphyrhills Christian 44-7 in the first half to force a running clock after halftime. The Warriors added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs got the ball just once after halftime, but that was all they needed for their senior running back to break the school rushing record while scoring his third touchdown of the game.
Sophomore Braylyn Simmons also scored three touchdowns and Hayden Hayes threw two touchdown passes, one to Simmons and one to Roman Caliendo.
Mitchell scored on an 8-yard run on FPC’s first possession. But the Warriors quickly tied the score as Kendall Johnson ran back the kickoff for a long touchdown. FPC then scored on its next five possessions and added a safety before halftime.
The Bulldogs’ defense forced two Warrior fumbles and Cronk added three more sacks. He broke his position coach’s record with a five-sack game against Lake Brantley on Sept. 13. Mike London’s old record was 32.5. Cronk now has 38.5.
“I knew that coach London had the record previously. So I was messing with him a little bit,” Cronk said. “But he contributed a lot to the sack record. He coaches me every single day. He’s always there. So, I attribute it to him.”
London said he was happy to see one of his players break his record.
“We put the work in together,” London said.
Cronk keeps adding to his FPC legacy. Last spring he won the state shot put championship and finished second in discus. He also has a 5.02 GPA.
“I love the school,” he said. “I have a lot of pride in it and being able to make a record like that for football is awesome.”
Fish said Mitchell and Cronk could also break single-season records this year.
“They put in the work, especially this last season,” Fish said. “They were just so unsatisfied, so uncomfortable being 3-7 last year, and I'm the same way. The three of us got together and said we got to change this. So, they were the main driving force of changing the culture of this football team and they did every single thing I asked them to do in the weight room, in the classroom and the leadership role on the field and off the field. I’m just so proud and happy for them. They deserve it. They've done so much for the program, for their school. And it's just an amazing feeling.”
