Balance and depth: Flagler Palm Coast's spring scrimmage ends in 21-21 tie

Nei’cco Murphy's all-around performance could be just a sample of what the Bulldogs can expect next season.

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When a football player is adept at more than a couple of positions, he is often listed on the team roster as an “ATH” for athlete. A better description for Flagler Palm Coast rising junior Nei’cco Murphy might simply be “FP” for football player.

That’s how Bulldogs coach Patrick Turner describes him.

“Nei’cco can play quarterback and play in the slot,” Turner said. “He plays safety. He plays running back. He's just a football player. And that shows up every single time, at practice and the games. He just loves football.”

Murphy showed up at the Bulldogs’ Green and White intrasquad scrimmage on Friday, May 15. Neither team wore green or white. The “Combat Grey Team” and the “Seal Team Black” finished in a 21-21 tie. Murphy, playing for the Grey team, scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion and intercepted two passes, including a pick with no time left to halt Team Black’s final drive.


“I was close to bringing that back [for a touchdown], but I just caught two cramps,” he said. “I just got to stretch and drink my water throughout the day.”

Turner saw Murphy’s performance as a microcosm of what he might do this fall. Turner said Murphy is “going to play all over the place.”

“I’m ready for that big part in our offense and defense,” Murphy said.

He has goals on both sides of the ball. He wants to score at least five all-purpose touchdowns, and he wants to break teammate Lucas Siharaj's single-season team interception record of seven, which Siharaj set as a sophomore in 2024.

“I want to come for that record,” Murphy said. “If I'm able to break that, it’ll be a big accomplishment on my journey.”

Murphy was hurt early in the third game last season against Mainland. He returned for Game 8 against Yulee and caught a 25-yard pass. He had four catches for 58 yards in the season finale against Fleming Island to finish the season with six catches for 83 yards and 15 total tackles.

“Just as soon as I got back, I was just trying to make an impact wherever I could fit in,” he said. “I just want to help my team out wherever I can.”


FUN, PRODUCTIVE SCRIMMAGE

Rising senior Ehimen “He-man” Ajede scored on two long touchdown runs for Team Black. Tight end Ethan Ruiz caught a touchdown pass from Bobby Starr for the Black team’s other score. Trace Paffrath caught a 30-yard pass from Team Grey quarterback Reid Pritt with 24 seconds left. Murphy's 2-point conversion run tied the score at 21-21.

Kicker/punter Garrett Tucker, who kicked for both teams, booted field goals of 40 and 36 yards for the Gray team and was 4-for-4 on extra points.

“I thought [the scrimmage] was fun,” said Turner, who served as the referee. “It was very passionate and competitive on both sides, We let our two quarterbacks [Starr and Pritt] draft the offense, and we let our two senior linebackers [Josiah Hathaway and Mathias Parker] draft the defense, so we thought they were pretty even teams.”

The final score was a testament to that.

“We came ready,” Ajede said of Team Black. “We came with the sauce, the fire that was needed to possibly win this game. But they knew what they were doing when they drafted the teams. It shows you that we don't just have talent at our one’s, we’ve got talent at the two’s and the three’s, and that's what really makes a good team.”


I feel like we picked up right where left off in the season. We've got a lot of competitive balance, offensively and defensively. So I'm excited.
— PATRICK TURNER, FPC football coach

Turner was pleased with both quarterbacks who got the chance to show off some trick plays.

“I thought they both played really well,” he said. “They mixed it up, hit some fun shots. We did some reverses, reverse passes — all that stuff's fun right there.”

Both Tucker and long snapper Brady Gerling showed that they can be major factors this fall, Turner said.

“Their numbers in the weight room have skyrocketed, and I think you’ll see that transfer onto the football field,” Turner said. “Garrett is booming the kicks. He's got a lot of leg. He's going to help us tremendously on defense this year in our kickoffs and then with his leg scoring extra points and field goals. So, our distance of striking is going to be phenomenal.”

The Bulldogs will end spring practice with a game against Seabreeze at 7 p.m. Friday, May 22, at FPC.

The intrasquad scrimmage, Turner said, was a good indicator of how far the players have progressed.

“I'm super proud on how far they've come,” he said. “I feel like we picked up right where left off in the season. We've got a lot of competitive balance, offensively and defensively. So I'm excited.”

 

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