- December 4, 2025
FPC quarterback La'Darius Simmons dives over University's Aden Andrews into the end zone to score the Bulldogs' first touchdown in a 38-7 victory on Sept. 26. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Recognizing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, before the game, FPC honored local children who have battled cancer. The Live Like Cameron "warriors" with their families: Zoee Foster, Essie Bass Gonzalez, Ariel Nolan and Alaya McGriff. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC running back Ehimen Ajede (23) averaged nearly 12 yards per carry against University. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC quarterback La'Darius Simmons rushed for 83 yards on 9 carries. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC receiver Nolan Caliendo (3) caught seven passes for 115 yards. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Offensive lineman Caleb Jacques, left, congratulates Ehimen Ajede after Ajede's touchdown put the Bulldogs ahead 38-7. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Ehimen Ajede (23) ran for 95 yards and a touchdown. Photo by Brent Woronoff
La'Darius Simmons gains 13 yards on a quarterback keeper on FPC's first drive. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC's Nolan Caliendo (3) gains yards after making a catch. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Ehimen Ajede sprints to the end zone on a 16-yard touchdown run. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The FPC band plays in the second half. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Nolan Caliendo seemed to have the magic touch in Flagler Palm Coast’s 38-7 victory against University on Friday, Sept. 26. When he touched the ball, good things seemed to happen.
The Bulldogs’ sophomore slot receiver caught seven passes for 115 yards in the home victory. He also tossed a 45-yard reverse pass to Logan Jacobelli for a first-quarter touchdown. And he got his hands on another pass that eventually fell into the hands of Brian Gunter for another touchdown.
“I’ve got to catch that pass,” he said of the latter. “But you know, we got lucky on that one.”
Sophomore Bobby Starr had stepped in at quarterback on the previous play. With a fourth-and-5 from the FPC 29-yard-line, Starr threw a high hitch pass to Caliendo. Caliendo leaped for the pass, but the ball caromed off his hands and then bounced off University defensive back Victor Gadsen’s hands into the waiting arms of FPC’s Gunter, who ran to the end zone for a 71-yard touchdown reception.
“It was a lucky bounce,” Gunter said. “I looked up and caught it and took it to the crib. It was just laying in my hands.”
That wasn’t exactly how the Bulldogs drew the play up, but Caliendo’s touchdown pass to Jacobelli was nearly picture perfect. Quarterback La’Darius Simmons handed off to Ehimen Ajede who handed off to Caliendo who passed to his wide-open target.
“We ran it a couple of times in practice,” Caliendo said. “Once I had it, I just saw him wide open, and I didn't give him a great ball, but it was there, and he got it, and we scored. So it was good.”
The pass was a little underthrown, but no one was catching track sprinter Jacobelli once he cradled it.
I had to come back a little bit, but (Caliendo) put it out there for me. He just had to get it there, basically. I was wide open.
— LOGAN JACOBELLI
“I had to come back a little bit, but (Caliendo) put it out there for me," Jacobelli said. "He just had to get it there, basically. I was wide open. They couldn’t catch me. There was nobody close.”
University (1-4) scored on the game’s opening possession with Christian Maheu’s 41-yard pass to Cassidy Maldonado setting up Maheu’s 2-yard touchdown run. But the game quickly became a runaway as FPC (2-3) scored 38 unanswered points to snap a three-game losing streak.
“They came out and stuck one on us on the first drive, but other than that, we were lights out on defense,” FPC coach Patrick Turner said.
“We played a little bit more aggressive (this game) because we needed it,” Turner added. “Our reverse pass followed up by an onside kick was kind of the plan, and we didn't get (the ball back), but the kids played with a lot of passion, and when you do that, and play to win, good things usually happen.”
Simmons tied the score at 7-7 with a 14-yard quarterback keeper, diving over University defensive back Aden Andrews into the end zone. Kenneth Robinson’s interception on the second play of the second quarter set up Gunter’s touchdown. And Bulldogs defensive lineman Cal Zwirn intercepted a University reverse pass, returning it 7 yards for a touchdown to give FPC a 28-7 lead with 5:09 left in the first half.
FPC added two more scores in the third quarter with Garrett Tucker kicking a 34-yard field goal and Ajede scoring on a 16-yard run. Ajede rushed for 95 yards on eight carries. Simmons ran for 83 yards and passed for 135 yards. The Bulldogs’ defense forced four turnovers. Jacob Harnisch and Zaiden Green each had a sack.
The win put the Bulldogs into a tie for first place in District 2-7A with DeLand at 1-0. DeLand shut out Spruce Creek 14-0 in a battle featuring two teams ranked in the top five in the state in Class 7A.
FPC hosts host Neptune Beach Fletcher (4-2) on Friday, Oct. 3. The Bulldogs travel to DeLand on Oct. 10 and to Spruce Creek on Oct 24 with a chance to repeat as district champs (the Bulldogs were co-district champs with University and Creek last year).
“This (win) gives us a lot of confidence going into next week,” Gunter said. “And we know we can get better.”
