Football: Nature Coast 44, Central 8

BROOKSVILLE — New Nature Coast coach Mark Nash got his first taste of the Sharks' biggest rivalry, and it looked as if he enjoyed it.

The home team opened the regular season with a 44-8 win over nemesis Central on Friday.

There were questions surrounding the program as Florida commit Ja'Juan Story switched from receiver to quarterback in the preseason, but the premier athlete responded by leading the offense to a top performance.

The Sharks (1-0) scored 27 in the first quarter, including three long touchdown runs from Story. He ran for 225 yards on only nine carries with four touchdowns. And he assured a running clock with his final touchdown run, a 90-yard gallop that included a facemask penalty.

"Someday when I'm old and gray, I'm going to be able to tell my grandchildren that I got to coach Ja'Juan Story," Nash said. "He's truly a great athlete. The moves he makes out there on the field are truly breathtaking."

Nature Coast tailback Ike Bailey made himself at home in the backfield, too. He was nearly at 100 yards by halftime and finished with 134 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. He ran for a 68-yard score in the first quarter.

The rivalry game marked the first contest for new Central coach Mike Einspahr, and while things got heated between the two programs on the field, the Bears (0-1) settled down enough to hold the Sharks scoreless in the second quarter and answer with a touchdown drive in the third.