- July 26, 2024
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Marcus Mitchell plunges over the goal line, but his touchdown was called back because of a penalty. Quarterback Cole Walker scored on the next play. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC rising senior Colby Cronk records a solo sack, forcing a fumble and setting up FPC's second touchdown. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Roman Caliendo (81) finds some running room after hauling in one of his nine catches in the spring game May 23 against Pine Ridge. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC defensive end Colby Cronk sacks the quarterback and forces a fumble at the Pine Ridge 2-yard line in the first quarter of the Bulldogs' spring game. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC coach Daniel Fish speaks to his players after the spring game. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Rising sophomore Raegan Melland (42) has the Pine Ridge quarterback in his sights. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC quarterback Cole Walker passed for 180 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a touchdown in the spring game. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC rising sophomore Raegan Melland (42) sacks the Pine Ridge quarterback with help from a pack of Bulldog teammates. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Marcus Mitchell rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in FPC's spring game against Pine Ridge on May 23. Photo by Brent Woronoff
From his first high school football practice, it became clear that nobody was going to outwork Colby Cronk.
It was no surprise that Flagler Palm Coast’s defensive standout snuck onto the field in the second half of the Bulldogs’ 38-7 spring game victory against Pine Ridge on May 23 at Sal Campanella Stadium.
Cronk, fresh off a state shot put championship (he also was runner-up in discus), didn’t get to fully participate in spring football drills while he was competing in track, so even though he was supposed to sit out the second half, coach Daniel Fish let him have his fun — for one more drive.
“Colby snuck out there. He’s hard to miss, so I noticed it right away,” Fish said. “I let him have his shine, and then I was like, ‘I see you go in there again, I'm going to take you to the practice field after the game.’”
Fish did not want to risk injury to his two stars — defensive end Cronk and running back Marcus Mitchell.
Cronk, who has committed to play for North Carolina State in 2025, was in on three sacks, including a solo sack in the first quarter that caused a fumble at the Pine Ridge 2-yard line.
Mitchell ran 11 times for 70 yards and a 9-yard touchdown for the Bulldogs’ first score of the game. He also had a 2-yard score called back following Cronk’s strip-sack.
But in the second half, Mitchell was happy to watch his teammates perform.
“You got to spread the ball around,” he said. “It is a spring game, you know. I like everybody to have fun. I definitely had fun. I know everybody else did too.”
Mitchell has been a workhorse the past two seasons carrying the ball 264 times for 2,480 rushing yards while playing through a variety of injuries.
Unlike last spring, Mitchell is healthy, and that’s a testament to how hard he’s been working to prepare for his senior season, Fish said.
“He’s shed some unwanted pounds off his body. He knows it’s ‘my last year, my last opportunity to break school records, my last opportunities to get some offers,’ and he’s just put in the work,” Fish said. “He's eating healthy. He stays after practice and runs a mile every day. He's taking care of his body, taking ice baths after every practice.”
Having two star players who set the tone in the weight room and on the practice field can be transformative for a football program, Fish said.
When you see a guy like Marcus who just has so much God-given talent, and then you see him buy in and start working his butt off, that's very contagious for our program and it's pushed a lot of other guys to follow his lead.”
— DANIEL FISH, FPC coach on running back Marcus Mitchell
“Cronk is one of the hardest workers I've ever been around. But when you see a guy like Marcus who just has so much God-given talent, and then you see him buy in and start working his butt off, that's very contagious for our program and it's pushed a lot of other guys to follow his lead, especially on the offensive side,” Fish said.
The Bulldogs’ overall growth was evident in the spring game victory. Quarterback Cole Walker passed for 180 yards with three touchdowns and ran for an 8-yard score. He also had two interceptions, mistakes he realized right away, Fish said.
“Cole has all the tools to be successful. He’s just got to continue to learn defensive coverages and when they're moving, and the numbers game. I think once he gets that down, he'll be pretty unstoppable,” Fish said.
Tight end Roman Caliendo caught nine of Walker’s passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Robbie Dailey and Mikhail Zysek also caught touchdown passes, and rising sophomore Braylyn Simmons caught a 41-yard pass that set up Caliendo’s scoring catch.
“Our whole team has worked hard,” Caliendo said. “We're getting better and better each day. This being my second year here, I know all the plays better. I feel like that gives you some ease of mind in being able to go out on the field and execute.”
On defense, rising sophomore Reagan Melland repeatedly got into the backfield and made tackles in the second half. Defensive lineman Stacy Mitchell showed he can be a disruptive force and a complement to Cronk, Fish said.
“I think our D-line is a strong unit,” Fish said. “I think we got some good linebackers, and I think our DBs have gained a lot of experience and are able to hold their own a little bit more.
“We’re much, much further along than any point last year in the spring, summer or fall,” he said. “We're really upset with the result of last year (the Bulldogs finished 3-7). We're excited to bounce back and show everybody that we're a great program.”
