PALM COAST (FPCSports.com)  — August 22, 2025

The Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs opened their season with an impressive 26–14 road victory over crosstown rival Matanzas on the road Friday night, using a balanced offensive attack and timely defensive stops to claim bragging rights in the annual showdown.

After a quiet first quarter that saw the Bulldogs take a 3–0 lead on a Garrett Tucker field goal, the offense came alive in the second frame. Junior running back Ehimen Ajede would take a handoff 17 yards for a Bulldog touchdown, to extend the lead to 10-0.  After a Pirate touchdown, Senior quarterback Caden Burchfield connected with sophomore Nolan Caliendo for a 28-yard touchdown strike, to extend the lead to 17-7 going into the halftime break.  Into the third, the Dogs would extend their lead to 20-7 on another Garrett Tucker field goal, this time from 38 yards.  Matanzas fought back in the third quarter as Jordan Schendorf would haul in a 14-yard touchdown pass to see the Pirates pull within three. But the Bulldog defense stiffened from there, forcing turnovers and shutting out the Pirates in the final 16 minutes of the game.  Fast forward to middle of the 4th quarter, and the score sitting at 20-14,  La’Darius Simmons would deliver the game clincher with a perfect deep ball to Logan Jacobelli, who hauled in a 55-yard score to settle the score at 26-14.

Junior running back Ehimen Ajede powered the ground game with 78 rushing yards and a third-quarter touchdown, while Darwin Harris added 72 yards of his own. In total, FPC rushed for 219 yards on 43 carries, controlling possession and wearing down the Pirate defense.

Through the air, Bulldog quarterbacks combined to complete 9 of 13 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Caliendo finished with 87 receiving yards, and Jacobelli added 62, including the highlight-reel touchdown.

Defensively, FPC was opportunistic. Dwayne Webb recorded seven total tackles and a fumble recovery, while Mathias Parker and Tywann Andrews anchored the front with five tackles apiece. The secondary forced multiple takeaways, including interceptions from Kenneth Robinson and Nolan Caliendo, halting Pirate drives at key moments.

Special teams also proved vital. Tucker converted both PATs and knocked through two field goals, including a 37-yarder in the fourth quarter that stretched the lead to two possessions.

With the win, FPC improves to 1–0, while Matanzas drops to 0–1. The Bulldogs will look to carry their momentum into next week’s matchup they return home to Sal Campanella Stadium to take on the Lake Howell Silver Hawks at 7:00pm.