- June 22, 2025
Two-time state shot put champ Colby Cronk might never have picked up the 12-pound iron ball if not for a suggestion when he was in eighth grade by a Buddy Taylor Middle School assistant principal.
Stacia Collier, now a Flagler Palm Coast assistant principal, told the budding football star that he should try shot put when he got to FPC.
“Her husband (Steve Collier) was the throws coach at the time,” Cronk said. “She said it was something to do between seasons. I’m happy I was introduced to it, and I was able to compete in it.”
Cronk started the season late after recovering from shoulder surgery and needed his final throw on May 10 to win the Class 4A state championship for the second year in a row. He also repeated as the runner-up in Class 4A state discus.
His out-of-bounds throw on his third shot put attempt would have matched the Class 4A state record at 19.9 meters had it counted. Getting the state record had been one of his goals in his final competition. Cronk has surpassed the mark in practice.
He now will become a one-sport athlete again. A defensive end who owns FPC’s career school sacks record, is beginning his first college semester at North Carolina State University and preparing for his freshman football season.
“I really like participating in both (sports),” he said. “The competition (track and field) is really fun. And I enjoy just being at practice every single day. Maybe if I earn my keep (on the football field), they’ll let me (join the Wolfpack’s track and field team). I really would like to keep it going because I love doing it.”
First Baptist Christian Academy of Palm Coast announced it is launching a varsity football program with former Flagler Palm Coast High School football coach Daniel Fish coaching the team.
FBCA has not had a varsity football team since 2020 when it ended its eight-man football program. This fall, the plan is to play 11-man football in the Sunshine State Athletic Association.
The school fielded a middle school football team last year competing against St. Johns County teams. Players attending other Flagler County middle schools were allowed to join FBCA’s team, which essentially was a Crusaders club team, FBCA athletic director Caleb Young said at the time.
Mainland High School played two of the top football teams in South Florida in the Palm Beach Garden Spring Jamboree on March 17. The Bucs lost both halves but came away encouraged heading into summer workouts.
The Bucs fell to Delray Beach Atlantic 7-6 and Southridge, 14-6. Southridge advanced to the Class 6A state final four last season, losing to eventual state champ West Boca Raton. Delray Beach Atlantic lost to eventual Class 5A state champ St. Thomas Aquinas in the regional final.
Flagler Palm Coast transfer Braylyn Simmons scored the Bucs’ touchdown against Atlantic on a 4-yard run.
in an inteview after the games with Central Florida Preps, Mainland coach Jerrime Bell said he liked what he saw coming off a rebuilding year, but the squad will have to learn how to finish, noting they had three chances to score inside the 6-yard line against Southridge.
“I wanted to play teams like this to see where we are, and I loved what I saw,” Bell said. “Our guys competed.”
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