Mandarin- The Sandalwood Saints traveled to the Mandarin Mustangs for an unprecedented 3:30pm kickoff for a high school football game. With seemingly more media present at the game than spectators, the contest garnered lots of coverage, but unfortunately for the wrong reasons. After the senseless and unfortunate tragedy that occurred at the Lee versus Raines football game earlier this year, many schools were forced to changed their game times at the behest of the Duval County School Board and Athletic Department. As a result, Sandalwood and Mandarin would be forced to play perhaps their most important game of the season at perhaps the most infrequent time of the day. Then, in completely separate incidents, Mandarin High School experienced a bomb threat and shooting threat in consecutive days that altered school activities just before the big game.
https://twitter.com/fdeacev/status/1050465025918423041
The unorthodox time, and unfathomable events leading up to the game would almost certainly rattle a team’s psyche. However it seemed to only affect the visitors, as it was Sandalwood that came out of the gate flat. After driving to the Mandarin 5 yard line, Sandalwood couldn’t get into the end-zone and was forced to attempt a short field goal. The field goal was short and wide right giving the Mustangs the ball on their own 20 yard line. It would take Quarterback Carson Beck just seven plays to march his team down the field. Beck hit several receivers on short timing passes including their first play where Mandarin shifted into a formation which lined their offensive tackles on the line near the wide receivers. The play resulted in a crushing block to spring the wide receiver hitch for a big gain on first down. Six plays later running back Terrell Jennings rumbled into the end zone from 30 yards out and Mandarin was on the board 7-0.
The ensuing drive, Sandalwood’s Kyjaun Herndon would burst through for a long run to put the Saints in Mustang territory to end the first quarter. However the start of the second quarter saw disappointment like the first when a Jeff Sims pass to the endzone was dropped by wide receiver DJ Parker. Sandalwood failed to capitalize on it’s second straight red-zone opportunity, and just like the first time, Mandarin would make them pay. After the Saints defense came away with two consecutive stops, including a punt block by defensive end Triston Herndon, the Saints had the ball in the Mandarin red-zone again. This time, Sim’s pass was tipped at the line and fell into the hands of defensive back Darian Oxendine who raced 103 yards for the interception return for a touchdown. Mandarin led 13-0 going into halftime.
At the half Sandalwood led in passing yards, rushing yards, and time of possession yet trailed in points. The first half saw one team execute between the 20s’ but fail to do so in the red-zone, while the other team capitalized on mistakes and took advantage of opportunities given. The same would remain in the second half. Darian Oxendine would shock the crowd with an incredible catch and scamper for the 60 yard touchdown. Beck hooked up with his receiver for the earlier third quarter touchdown completely knocking the wind from the gut of the Saints.
Sandalwood would get rescue breaths from a great return from Dylan Pate who eluded tacklers and raced down the sideline before tip toeing out of bounds deep in Mustang territory. Kyjaun Herndon would score on a 10 -yard rushing play to put the Saints on the board for the first and last times in the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Mandarin’s Demario Douglas would take the kickoff 90 yards for the electrifying return and back breaker. Mandarin was ahead 27-7 and took that score to the final whistle.
The entire Mandarin Mustang family showed their incredible poise in the wake of their constricting circumstances. After standing out side for nearly four hours due to the shooting and bomb threats, their faculty, their students, and their football team rose to the homecoming occasion and overcame adversity for the victory. Mandarin improves to 4-3, 2-0 and will face Spruce Creek (3-5) next. Sandalwood falls to 4-2, 1-2 and will play Wolfson (1-6) next. Mandarin is on a collision course with Flagler Palm Coast(7-1) for the district. The winner receives an automatic bid to the FHSAA state playoffs. Sandalwood has no chance to win their district, and is in serious danger of missing the playoffs all together. They’ll need to advance on the points system to which they stood 11th going into their contest with Mandarin. https://www.duvalsports.com/mandarin-in-sandalwood-out-in-new-fhsaa-playoff-rankings/.
