Episcopal intercepts win at Fleming Island

Friday's final:

Episcopal 30, Fleming Island 25

After three consecutive losses, Fleming Island High School needed a hero at its Homecoming game Friday night.

And at least for a few moments, with a large Homecoming crowd chanting "Let's go, Eagles," Dee Frieson stepped into that magical role. His 19-yard scoring run on the first play of the fourth quarter gave the Golden Eagles a 23-16 lead over Episcopal. Then, Frieson went on defense and intercepted a pass thrown by Episcopal quarterback Clark Bledsoe.

Game over?

Not quite. Two lost fumbles. An interception returned for a touchdown by Chris Pizzo. And soon, Episcopal's Class 2A Eagles were jumping all over the place in glee, defeating Fleming Island 30-25 for the school's first-ever win over a Class 5A team.

"They've never even beaten a 3A team before, I think," said Episcopal head coach David Hess, a former JV coach at Fleming Island.

"It felt great," said Pizzo, whose 15-yard return of Ryan Alpin's only interception of the night with 4:37 left broke a 23-23 tie. "Not letting up out there and getting it done."

"You shocked the world tonight," an assistant coach told Episcopal's small huddle of players after the game.

Fleming Island scored on the game-opening possession, with Salmon Williams beginning a big night with a 1-yard TD run just 5:20 into the game. Williams also caught a 75-yard TD pass from Alpin in the second quarter, and wound up with 7 catches for 163 yards and rushed for 92 yards.

But despite piling up 446 yards of offense, the Golden Eagles turned the ball over six times. They lost five fumbles -- the most critical, and most questionable, coming late in the game when senior receiver Hayes Towery caught a pass from Alpin, was brought down at the Episcopal 1-yard line and lost the ball. The question was, did he lose the ball before or after his knee hit the ground? The officials ruled it a fumble despite Fleming Island head coach Neal Chipletti's objections.

Had the Golden Eagles scored on that drive, it would have been a 30-30 game.

But that was just one of six turnovers. Two of them -- the interception and a fumble recovery returned 12 yards for a touchdown by Episcopal's Chris Moses after a bad pitch in the Fleming Island offensive backfield -- cost the Golden Eagles 13 points.

"I lost count," Chipoletti said. "You can't do that against a decent football team."

Alpin, entering the game as the No. 5 quarterback in metro Jacksonville, threw for 271 yards (191 on 10-of-17 passing in the first half) despite battling a back injury in the second half. "Most other kids wouldn't be on the field," Chipoletti said.

And Friday's game marked the return of sophomore running back Montory Bellamy from an ACL injury. He rushed for four yards.

The Golden Eagles begin district play Thursday night at Gainesville.

SCORING SUMMARY

Episcopal 0 13 3 14 -- 30

Fleming Island 7 9 0 9 -- 25

FI: Salmon Williams 1 run (Nathan Branz kick)

E: Chris Pizzo 2 run (David Prizzia kick)

E: Chris Moses 12 fumble return (kick blocked)

FI: Williams 75 pass from Ryan Alpin (run failed)

FI: Branz 21 FG

E: Prizzia 40 FG

FI: Dee Frieson 19 run (Branz kick)

E: Moses 47 run (Prizzia kick)

E: Pizzo 15 interception return (Prizzia kick)

FI: Safety, Prizzia runs out of end zone

Team records: Fleming Island, 1-4; Episcopal, 2-3