Pick-off specialists: Flagler Palm Coast flag football team improves to 3-1 behind a stifling defense

The Bulldogs picked off 10 passes in wins against Matanzas and Palatka with Tori Spann intercepting three passes against the Pirates and Stephanie Turner intercepting three against the Panthers.

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John King, Flagler Palm Coast’s first-year flag football coach, said his players are starting to understand the “why” behind what they are doing. By the end of the season, he said, he hopes the Bulldogs will be pretty tough to deal with. After four games, however, their defense has already proven to be tough to deal with.

The Bulldogs improved to 3-1 with a 14-0 win against Palatka on Feb. 25 at Sal Campanella Stadium. It was their second shutout of the season. They also blanked highly regarded Spruce Creek 6-0 in overtime in their season opener. In four games, FPC has allowed a total of just 12 points.

The Bulldogs intercepted four passes against Palatka and six passes in a 25-6 win against Matanzas on Feb. 24. Freshman cornerback Stephanie Turner had three interceptions aganst the Panthers and has six picks in four games. Linebacker Tori Spann intercepted three passes against Matanzas, one against Palatka and one in the Bulldogs’ 6-0 loss at Seabreeze on Feb. 19.

“Our defense has just been lights out,” King said. “Tori Spann has been a basketball player. But she is just a special athlete. She is who you want in the middle of the defense.”

Spann scored on a 19-yard touchdown run and tossed an option pass to Turner for the extra point against Palatka. Four-year starter Nereyda Campos scored the other touchdown.

Four FPC players, including Spann, Campos and Turner, were also on the basketball team and got a late start to flag football with the Bulldogs reaching the basketball playoffs.

“The basketball girls had only two or three practices before we played Spruce Creek and Seabreeze,” King said. “Now, our spacing is getting better. We’re getting the timing down.”

FPC has a completely new coaching staff this year with King and assistants Marisa Kong and Charlie Washington. Kong, an FPC graduate, played flag football in college.

King has been coaching co-ed flag football with the Mad Dogs league for the past three or four years, he said. While many of FPC’s players have never played flag football before, King is familiar with Campos and Makayla Barbel, who both compete in the co-ed league.

Campos is the team’s primary quarterback, but she moves around in different situations.

“We’re maximizing Nereyda’s abilities,” King said. “I never had her on my team in Mad Dogs, but I know what she’s capable of, and I’m pretty excited I finally get to coach her.”

The Bulldogs visit Ponte Vedra (2-0) on Monday, March 2, in their first of four consecutive road games.

 

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