Friday Spring Football: ECS, Gateway, SFCA pick up wins, Island Coast loses close game

FRIDAY

ECS 42, Aubrey Rogers 6

The biggest question of the spring for the Sentinels was whether its collection of young offensive talent was ready for its turn in the varsity spotlight.

The answer in Friday’s matchup against the Patriots proved to be a resounding “Yes.”

ECS showcased a balanced attack, going for 200-plus yards both on the ground and through the air. Rising senior quarterback Jamarion McElroy, who’s replacing Tanner Helton under center, looked masterful running the Sentinels’ offense, skillfully buying time and completing passes to seven different receivers.

Three different running backs scored for ECS, rising sophomores Mack Mitchell and Ayden Stoneburner and rising freshman Tyce Harris. Mitchell, the son of Sentinels head coach Mack Mitchell, led all rushers with 98 yards, including a 32-yard score.

“We’re a young team, a lot of new faces but they’re working really hard right now,” Coach Mitchell said. “It was a good night and a good spring.”

ECS takeaways

McElroy a dual-threat under center. The Sentinels’ new starting quarterback had 59 yards on 11 carries, including a 14-yard touchdown run on fourth down that allowed ECS to cash in on the game’s opening drive. McElroy also proved to be effective at buying time in the pocket and showcased pinpoint accuracy on the run, especially on a 52-yard touchdown pass to rising senior Niko Van der Kooy.

“Last year he took a back seat to Tanner but did a really good job playing multiple positions,” Mitchell said of McElroy, who rushed for 218 yards and had 318 receiving yards last season for the Sentinels. “It was a good showing that he could actually take a team and help them move the ball down the field. I was really pleased seeing him and his leadership.”

A maturing offensive line. ECS is returning four starters from a group that struggled at times to hold up last season. After some miscommunication early against pressure looks by the Aubrey Rogers defense, the unit got stronger as Friday’s game progressed.

“I thought they did a phenomenal job, especially in the second half of really owning the line of scrimmage and getting our running backs some clear lanes to run through,” Mitchell said.

Multiple weapons in the passing game. The Sentinels have to find a way to replace 75% of its receptions, 79% of its receiving yards and 92% of its receiving touchdowns from its passing attack. The plan appears to be for McElroy to spread the ball around to a young group of players that totaled just 10 varsity catches last season.

“I think all the kids are looking to emerge to reach their full potential,” Mitchell said. “One great thing is there are no egos. No one cares who gets the ball, it’s a new group. The majority of them are freshmen and sophomores. They all love each other and when one person does well, they all celebrate. It’s a unique atmosphere having that.”

Aubrey Rogers takeaways

Too many penalties. The Patriots, who are entering their second season as a varsity program, committed more than a dozen fouls against ECS, several of which wiped out first downs and robbed them of offensive momentum.

“We’re still a young football team trying to figure out the game,” Aubrey Rogers coach JJ Everage said. “We’re making too many mental mistakes. That’s all stuff we can fix.

“We’re a young, immature team right now as far as the discipline of the game. Once we get that mental discipline, I think we’ll surprise some people.”

Short yardage failures proved key. On consecutive drives in the second quarter, the Patriots faced fourth-and-1s inside their own territory. Both times Everage opted to go for first downs. Both times Aubrey Rogers was stuffed and ECS took advantage and scored touchdowns to go up by three scores.

“We’re trying to practice that toughness,” Everage said. “That’s what we’re trying to instill in them that we’re going to get at least three yards every play. That kind of took the wind out of our sails a little bit. We’ve got to be mentally tougher than that.”

Tough decision at quarterback. Rising junior Caden DiLoreto and rising senior Dominic Ardezzone each played two quarters against ECS and had some standout moments. DiLoreto accounted for the Patriots’ lone touchdown when he hit rising senior Alex Konstantopoulos for a 31-yard touchdown. Everage said he told the passers that whoever graded out the highest in the spring would open the fall as the team’s starter.

“They were neck and neck, dead even throughout the entire spring,” he said. “I think we can’t go wrong with either one. I’ll watch the film from (Friday) and make a decision. “We want to make it competitive every week, not just the quarterback position but every position.”

― Dan DeLuca

Gateway 19, Ida Baker 3

First-year head coach Charlie Powell got his first win against another opponent with Gateway’s 19-3 win over Ida Baker.

The Eagles found success at all levels of the game, getting big yards in the air, gashing the Bulldog defense on the ground, while holding Ida Baker to around 100 yards of total offense.

Here are three takeaways from the Eagle’s spring game win.

Gateway takeaways

Quarterback Ty Williams looked sharp in the win : Williams finished 11-of-17 with two passing touchdowns while connecting with six different targets. He did throw one interception on a 50/50 ball in the back of the end zone.

Williams was solid in the pocket, and made accurate throws both short and long as the offensive line gave him the time that he needed.

“It raised the bar for me,” Powell said. “Because last year, he was drinking out of a firehose. Now all of the sudden, he’s a lot more comfortable. He understands what’s coming at him from the defensive side of the ball. I think he’s going to have an outstanding year. He has to stay healthy, but I think he’s going to have a great year.”

Gateway got it done however they wanted : In the air or on the ground, the Eagles have weapons that can help them move the chains this year. Chris Davis caught five balls for 118 yards and one touchdown, while Justin Jean-Louis chipped in 85 yards and a touchdown on the ground in just five attempts. Anjay Boyd had a 39-yard touchdown catch to round out Gateway’s scoring.

“From my perspective, this started when they were doing some 7-on-7 camps, and next thing you know, the chemistry formed,” Powell said. “Then all of a sudden, here it is - what you saw tonight.”

Powell led his team well through the game’s high-and-lows : Gateway’s sideline saw a pass that bounced off the ground and into one of their receiver’s hands be initially ruled a touchdown while several plays went on before the officials corrected it, a player be sent to the sidelines by an official for clapping, issues with the clock, and other officiating hiccups.

But through it all, the Eagles never let it interfere with the game plan. Drive after drive, Gateway stayed motivated and loud while finding success on both sides.

“As a first-year coach, if you’re going to make a call, I want to know what it is, No. 1,” Powell said. “And No. 2, luckily they had a couple of experienced refs come over and say ‘hey, this is what it is.’ I just need to know what it is. As a coach, I don’t ever want a call against me, but if it is, I want to know what I can do to get that player better.”

Ida Baker takeaways

Coach Steve Howard is instilling a culture in his second year as head coach : All night long on the Bulldogs' sideline, coaches emphasized things like helping each other up, playing with decorum, and being a loud sideline. Even as the offense sputtered and the defense gave up big plays, the little things were a key focus until the clock hit triple zeroes. It’s those little things that Howard says he’s seeing take root in his second year.

“The biggest thing right now is that you’re talking about a second year of an install,” Howard said. “You’re talking about the second year of trying to establish a culture and a foundation on the way you want your program run and how it looks. I think last year, there was a learning curve… Now that these guys have seen what’s happening and now that I’ve got a full year under my belt with them, they’re starting to understand what culture is, what being a great teammate is.”

Elias Vargas is poised to shoulder a lion’s share of the offensive burden : The rising senior running back was responsible for most of the Bulldogs’ offensive production. He tallied 53 rushing yards on 13 touches and bounced right back up after getting swallowed up at the line time and time again.

“That’s a guy that came to me last year, and I can say he’s mine, so to say,” Howard said. “He’s bought in. Everything that kid does, all the effort he puts in, the type of kid that we’re looking for in a Bulldog is definitely [Vargas]. Once that leadership factor starts to grow, hopefully it infects everybody else.”

Kicker Reed Verblaauw shined for Ida Baker : Verblaauw may be one of the most talented players on the Bulldogs’ roster. He has a strong boot, and got Ida Baker out of some jams with multiple 60-plus yard punts that pinned the Eagles deep inside their own territory. He also scored Ida Baker’s only points in the loss, burying a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter.

― Nick Wilson

SFCA 34, Halifax 0

Quarterback Brady Moore threw two touchdown passes as "interim" quarterbacks coach Eli Moore looked on approvingly in Southwest Florida Christian's 34-0 win over Halifax on Friday night.

Eli Moore, the recently graduated quarterback who set a Lee County record with 533 completions during his high school tenure, donned a coach's polo shirt as Brady, his brother, became the passer. The Moores were on the sideline before the game and at halftime throwing warmup passes to each other.

"When we started spring, he was still (in school), so he started showing up," SFCA coach Roy Stabler said. "So I said, 'You know what, brother? We're going to put a shirt on you and make you a coach while you're here for the spring.' So it was exciting again to watch him coach up little brother, to watch him coach up Logan (Waldrup), just watch him being around these guys before he leaves. And the guys are very receptive of his leadership, as well."

Big brother approved of what he saw.

"Aw man, it's awesome," Eli Moore said. "I love watching him play. Ever since he was little, he always wanted to play quarterback. So watching him get to go out there to fulfill it and still have a Moore behind center for the SFCA King's, it's special and I really like it."

Moore will head to Montgomery, Alabama in July to prepare for his freshman season at Faulkner University, where he will compete for the starting quarterback position.

SFCA Takeaways

More than Moore: Brady Moore was the quarterback for the first half, in which he served as the passing specialist. In the second half, it was Waldrup's turn, and he took a run-heavy approach. Expect to see both quarterbacks on the field in the fall.

"We feel very confident when either one is in at quarterback," Stabler said. "It's not going to matter who's starting. And that's the beautiful thing that I see with the two. When Brady's in or when Logan's coming in, their dapping each other as they're swapping in."

Moore completed his first six passes, going 7-for-9 overall with 78 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushing for 22 on a carry. Walrdup went 3-for-7 for 26 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 6 rushes for 61 yards.

Options at wide receiver: Whichever quarterback is in the game will have multiple targets to throw to. Craighan Mitchell was the standout because he got to the end zone the most, catching two touchdown passes (along with a rushing touchdown), and completing 3 for 21 yards. Gage Gant was the leading receiver in yardage, catching 4 for 43 yards with a touchdown of his own. Brendan Sitar also had a touchdown in a 2-for-18 effort. Aiden Matyas also caught a 23-yard pass.

"They all agree that everybody wants the ball," Stabler said. "But one thing that we really focused on this spring was just having the guys understand that when you're not getting the ball, you're just as important, as well. It's coming out in your route and blocking, and things like that."

Defensive rust: On the first drive, there were four offsides penalties committed by the King's defense. The unit will also have to work on wrapping up. In the second half of the game, the Knights were able to break off tackles and extend their carries, though they were kept out of the end zone. Matyas, Connor Watermeier, Waldrup, and Kru Voltz led the defense with 3 tackles each.

― Dave Montrose

North Port 12, Island Coast 0

NORTH PORT - There are two ways you can look at the spring football game between Island Coast and North Port on Friday. Both defenses were top notch and both teams have a lot of work to do on offense.

North Port scored on its first and last plays from scrimmage and let the defense do the rest to score a 12-0 victory at the Preserve.

Peter Kalphat had a touchdown and 78 yards of total offense, while the North Port defense kept the Gators on its end of the field for nearly the entire game, allowing just 57 yards of total offense.

North Port head coach Garon Belser said it was a nice win, especially since the defense rose to the occasion.

"We played great defensively, we had a lot of guys step up in the front seven. They were all over the place," Belser said. "We had a lot of new guys to varsity come in and make plays and things worked out the way they did."

Both teams are expected to be predominantly running teams this upcoming season, with Gervaris Leaphart being the featured back at Island Coast while North Port will use more of a committee approach.

However, North Port had something up its sleeve to start the game.

On the first play of scrimmage for North Port, Bobcat quarterback Gino Dibene shocked everyone with a play fake and a long throw to Makai Barnard, who hauled it in one-handed and ran 78 yards for a touchdown for a 6-0 lead after a missed PAT.

The rest of the half was dominated by the defense, with both teams giving little quarter. Only Island Coast's Leaphart was able to do much, rushing for 42 yards.

North Port tried to get a last-minute drive together, but Sean Egloff-Vega's 58-yard field goal attempt before halftime was short, keeping the score at 6-0 at half.

It was pretty much the same for much of the second half, with only the Bobcats having a scoring opportunity that resulted in another missed field goal thanks largely to the ball being in Gator territory the entire second half.

Finally, Kalphat scored on a 6-yard run in the closing minute.

Kalphat said Island Coast was prepared for what the Bobcats had to offer, and it showed.

"They had film on us and were really prepared. We need to work on our blocking assignments, but we did really well running inside and passing," Kalphat said. "That opening play was the best result we could have gotten."

Island Coast got much of its offense from Leaphart, who rushed for 50 yards. But with an entirely new assistant coaching crew, it's going to take a while for the Gators to find its identity.

"North Port played a great game but the defense held it down really well," said Gators coach Tyran Jones. "We're still finding our identity. We're going to be a running team and we're going to get better and make adjustments in the summer. The 35-yard net punt rule really put us back, but give credit to North Port."

― Chuck Ballaro

THURSDAY

North Fort Myers 41, Estero 7

With both teams experiencing turnover at key positions, the Red Knights and Wildcats tested their rosters in Thursday night’s spring game.

Ultimately, North Fort Myers imposed its will on both sides of the ball, getting multiple players opportunities to show out.

“Obviously, we got a lot of newcomers playing different roles, so it was nice to see them have some success,” North head coach David Pasquale said. “We still have some things to learn from, but, at the end of the day, you got to be proud of the product on the field.”

Each team’s first drive set the tone for the game, starting with a lengthy drive by the Red Knights that lasted almost an entire quarter. Helped by a connection from quarterback Caedon Conn to Kirtis Denham on third and 15, they cashed in with a touchdown on a one-yard pass from Conn to Antoine Phillips.

The Wildcats were forced to punt on their first drive after the active play of the North defensive line, led by sophomore James Johnson, who earned a state medal in the shot put this track and field season.

“He was double duty, so he’d go to track for an hour and then he’d come down to football practice,” Pasquale said.

The Red Knights extended their lead with a 2-yard rushing score by Denham.

The Estero offense eventually got going with running back junior Malik Allen making plays and sophomore quarterback Austin Hill finding receivers Kegan Kreuscher and Fletcher Kean. But the promising drive came to a halt before halftime when Maddox Stewart was picked off by North’s Adrian Scott.

Allen, Kresucher and Kean, along with Owen Maurizi, are some of the key returning players for the Wildcats.

“They all showed up,” Estero head coach Darren Nelson said. “We got to continue to find ways to sustain drives, defense get off the field, so we can give them more opportunities. That was one frustrating thing is they chewed up some clock and literally limited us.”

In the second half, North showcased their depth at running back with Demetric McDonald, Kayden Capaldi and Jamarion Irons getting carries and scoring touchdowns.

“One of the main goals that I had for the offense this spring is to make sure we had multiple guys touch the football because we do have some kids that need to show their talents,” Pasquale said.

Phillips looked like a playmaker on both sides of the ball for North, breaking up a couple passes and showing elusiveness on some nice runs off wildcat plays.

With Stewart, a freshman, in at quarterback, the Wildcats were able to put together a scoring drive that included a 29-yard pass from Stewart to Kean and concluded with a 1-yard touchdown by Landen Brown.

“It’s been a good spring, positive spring,” Estero head coach Darren Nelson said. “Very pleased with the guys, especially replacing 16 starters. We’re really, really young.”

Nelson said he was encouraged by both of his quarterbacks, who will have to replace an established starter in Matt Wilson.

“We’re going to need both of them to win us some games next year,” Nelson said. “I feel good about having to replace the unreplaceable.”

Conn, who got starting experience last year, had a successful night, connecting on 9-of-14 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.

“He was efficient,” Pasquale said. “He’s got to be the general back there but at the same time take care of the football, make sure all 11 are playing as one and making sure that we’re moving the chains in a positive way.”

Both teams answered questions on Thursday, but after a 9-3 season and run to the playoffs for Estero and a disappointing 3-7 season for North, there are plenty of unknowns ahead for these squads.

“We’re going to put our head down and work hard,” Pasquale said. “At the end of the day, we’ve got two and half months to grow, to get stronger, to become more fundamentally sound and, this group, it can be a very special group.”

— Dustin Levy

Dunbar 38, Mariner 0

On a night when Dunbar’s talent-laden defense delivered a dominant performance, the Tigers’ passing game showed it could be effective without big-play weapons T.J. Abrams and Eric Fletcher.

With his offensive line giving him plenty of time in the pocket, rising senior quarterback Austin Price completed passes to eight different receivers, throwing for 174 yards. Four different wideouts had at least 34 receiving yards, led by rising junior Vidarian Maloy’s two catches for 49 yards, which included a 30-yard reception.

“If you make a defense have to defend the whole field, sometimes you’re going to be successful,” Dunbar coach Sammy Brown said. “We’ve got a  bunch of little guys now so we have to spread the ball around and make sure everybody gets touches.”

Rising senior running back Chris Singleton, a 1,000-yard rusher for the Tigers last season, had a game-high 81 rushing yards on 10 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown. Three other players scored rushing touchdowns for Dunbar, including rising senior defensive tackle Michael Edwards, who had five rushes for 26 yards and a 6-yard touchdown.

The Tigers, who gained 371 yards and piled up 16 first downs, also committed just four penalties for 25 yards.

“The offense looked very clean and that’s a compliment to the coaches who went back to the basics this spring,” Brown said. “Overall it was a great spring for us. We came out healthy and a lot of young guys rose to the occasion. But we still have a lot of work to do.”

So too does Mariner, which is still understandably experiencing some growing pains with the new offensive system and terminology introduced by head coach Brian Staats, who joined the team this spring. The Tritons, who also graduated a slew of key offensive performers from last year’s district championship squad, managed less than 75 total yards on 37 plays against Dunbar’s formidable defense, picking up three first downs.

“It’s a big challenge and what makes it bigger is me being here with these guys for 18 days or so,” Staats said. “So obviously we’ve got a lot of work to do but we’ll look at the film and find the bright spots and build on that.”

Rising senior quarterback Tanner Evey completed 5 of 10 passes for 64 yards and one tipped interception that was returned 32 yards for a score by Dunbar’s Ken’Darius Green as the first half expired.

“I think he competed,” Staats said of Evey, who was under steady pressure from the Tigers’ front. “I think he’s getting more comfortable in the new terminology and how to communicate it and all that stuff. But for his first time being under fire against a team that’s pretty darn good, he held his own.”

Staat said he emphasized to his players after the game that just like everyone else exiting the spring, their record will still be 0-0 entering the fall.

“Now it’s time to go to work,” he said.

— Dan DeLuca

Cypress Lake 41, Bonita Springs 0

Cypress Lake put on a stellar offensive display to power its way past Bonita Springs Thursday night.

The Panthers showed prowess threw both the air and the ground putting the Bull Sharks on notice on their first possession when quarterback Joey Dube-Garrett tossed a 59-yard strike to Rashawn Anderson putting the ball on the 5. Running back Isaiah Livingston sprinted to the right and scored easily for the game’s first score.

The floodgates opened in the second quarter with Dube-Garrett hitting a streaking Deveon Simmons who squirmed out of a Bull Shark tackle and took the ball 48 yards to the end zone.

The Bull Sharks tried to take it to the air before the end of the first half but Panthers safety Anthony Mendes picked the ball off going 30 yards leading to an Anderson touchdown from the 1 with :01 left on the clock.

“I was really impressed with the way we played up front. That’s a sophomore-based O-line, they moved their feet, they played both ways, I was really proud of them,” said Panthers head coach Joey Mendes.

The Bonita Springs offense finally started clicking with its running game with a halftime adjustment.

“We were trying to get the edge to start the game but they were getting there faster than us… so then we decided to stay underneath and then we were playing Bonita Springs football,” said first-year Bull Sharks head coach Kyle Schaefer.

The Bull Sharks made two long drives deep into the Panthers' end of the field but stalled out both times in the red zone.

Dube-Anderson took advantage of the first failed drive hitting Anderson for another bomb of 89 yards for his fourth touchdown pass of the game, resulting in a running clock with 5:18 left in the third quarter.

For Schaefer, his first game at the Bull Sharks helm was full of positives.

“It was a little bit more natural on the sideline than I was expecting but there’s definitely plenty of stuff I still have to learn,” said Schaefer.

― John Rinkenbaugh

Cape Coral 40, Oasis 20

Cape Coral has a new head coach, and maybe a new star running back.

Freshman Caleb Cobb ran for 282 yards and three touchdowns in Thursday's 40-20 win over Oasis in the first game under Isaac Harvin, who was the team's associate head coach last season.

"It feels good," Harvin said after his debut victory, although unofficial. "To come back home and get a victory, hats off to these guys."

Cobb's 282 yards came on just nine carries and he would have easily been over 300 yards if not for a penalty that negated a 91-yard run.

"He's gonna be special," Harvin said of Cobb. "When I came to him, he just said, 'Coach, keep giving it to me.'"

Oasis takeaways

1. Preventable penalties: The Sharks had seven penalties for 60 yards in the first half, matching their total yards of offense for the half. Oasis was better in the second half with just two penalties, but most of the nine penalties were dead-ball flags that killed drives.

"We had the ball inside the 10 three times and didn't score," Oasis coach Jason Grain said. "You can't do that against a team of that caliber.

"We didn't execute. Our guys played hard, but we didn't compete well. We didn't have the detail and execution we needed. They fought hard, but we were not crisp. We didn't take advantage of the opportunities we had."

2. Redemption for Whitmer: Sophomore receiver Gavin Whitmer thought he had an easy touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. The Sharks were trailing 26-0 and Parker Smith dropped a perfect pass into Whitmer's hands, but as Whitmer neared the goal line, the ball slipped out of his hand and the Seahawks recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchback to negate a would-be 65-yard touchdown. Cobb broke off an 80-yard touchdown run on the very next play.

But Grain went back to Whitmer on the ensuing series, running the same play with similar results and this time Whitmer held onto the ball to get the Sharks on the board.

"It's a long season; it's a marathon, not a sprint," Grain said. "You just can't dump on the kid for making a mistake. You've got to go back to him. It's a good learning tool, but also a coaching error. I have to emphasize finishing and that plagued us all night."

3. No quit in the Sharks : Oasis scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, a positive that Grain appreciated. "If my life depended on my kids giving effort, I'd live to be 100. But to be what we want to be, we have to execute and have the fine details."

Cape Coral takeaways

1. Dynamic duo: Supplementing Cobb's big night was sophomore Jermaine Skinner, who added 167 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries.

"We've got two guys who could rush for 1,000 yards this year," Harvin said. "We're gonna run the ball this year. As long as they keep doing what they're doing, we're gonna feed him. I give my hats off to the offensive line."

2. Hustle pays off: After Oasis had a potential pick-six in the third quarter, Cape Coral receiver Kalonji Hamilton chased down the defensive back and tackled him at the 2. The Seahawks' defense, which was solid the entire night, then kept the Sharks out of the end zone.

"We got something we've been doing called 20/20," Harvin said. "Every day in practice, it's hustle, hustle, hustle with 20-yard sprints all day long and it works."

3. Harvin is ready: Longtime mentor Larry Gary, who came out of retirement to take over the Seahawks last year, is still on the Seahawks staff. So is Jaylen Watkins, Harvin's nephew, who has put together a stout defense. The Seahawks were dominant up front and got a couple of sacks from junior Nathaniel Hickson.

"Shout out to my nephew, who's been grinding on that defense and they stepped up."

Harvin said he "can't wait" to begin summer practice on June 10 to get his team ready for his first official game in August, a home contest against North Fort Myers.

"We're just going to keep at it," Harvin said, "and we'll be ready."

― Ron Clements

Lake Wales 59, Fort Myers 31

The good thing about spring football games is that they don’t count. They are simply measuring sticks to where a team is and what they need to work on.

The Green Wave definitely learned some lessons: Their young offensive line needs to get bigger and more physical, they need to tighten on defense, especially in the middle and when opposing players get in the second level, and they need to figure out the quarterback position.

“That's a bunch of men out there and our young we’re very young upfront, it was a physical mismatch in the trenches and we know what we've got, but like anything else, we’ll see some bright spots,” Fort Myers coach Sam Sirianni said. “We played a lot of bodies and you know, we'll have to find an identity on offense. What I was most disappointed in was just a lot of stage fright defensively. Like I said I know they're physical and everything but we just had a lot of busts. And we'll fix. We’ve got some veteran guys over there.”

The game started great for the Green Wave as quarterback Aadi Chaudhari on the team’s second offensive play hit Madrid Tucker streaming down the sideline for an 82-yard touchdown.

“We called the play before the game, but we knew that it was gonna be a second play of the game,” said Chaudhari, a Dunbar transfer. “The DB lined up pretty close and the safety was all the way in the middle. I knew if I just put it outside Madrid Tucker was gonna make the catch.”

On Lake Wales’ next play, the ball sailed over quarterback Brycen Levidiotis’ head and Fort Myers’ John Holcy pounced on it in the end zone to make it 14-0 just 2 ½ minutes into the game.

But Lake Wales came roaring back with big plays, scoring on pass plays of 44 and 55 yards, kicking a field goal after recovering a Fort Myers fumble at their own 20, and an eight-play, 62-yard drive capped by a 2-yard TD pass to make it 24-14 with 5:22 left in the second quarter.

Tucker scored again, playing his second series at quarterback, he kept the ball and raced around the left side for a 36-yard score to make it 24-21. Tucker took turns playing quarterback, wide receiver, and cornerback throughout the game and made a circus diving catch for 37 yards in the third quarter.

“I've said it, I've had some really good players but on one hand the guys that can do the things he can do,” Sirianni said. “And he's got a lot of Power 5 opportunity but anybody that's holding out wondering is he big enough, they're missing the boat. The kid's unique.”

The Highlanders offense kept piling up big plays, scoring on a 44-yard pass in the closing two minutes of the first half and scoring on a 53-yard run up the middle on their first play of the second half, then two plays after an interception to make it 45-21 at 6:41 of the third quarter.

The Green Wave had one more highlight. Two plays after Tucker’s big catch, Trevon Moate scored from 19 yards out, breaking several tackles to get into the end zone. The Highlanders scored on two more 50-plus-yard runs up the middle in the fourth quarter.

“We'll be OK. We’ll suck up our wounds and we gotta get back physically. The game’s still physical,” Sirianni said. “It’s physical in all parts, on the perimeter as well. The score doesn't bother me. The kids fought, we played everybody and we'll find a few players in that mess.”

― Ed Reed

Lely 48, Riverdale 28

Lely had all their firepower on display in Thursday’s 48-28 win over Riverdale.

Four Trojans were responsible for the offensive barrage, led by quarterback Carter Quinn. Quinn went 13-of-26 with three touchdown passes and one interception and proved he’ll be an effective general for Ben Hammer’s offense.

“He was really sharp, made a lot of good decisions,” Hammer said. “His football IQ is what sets him apart. There was a third down that we kind of needed to keep going, and we were kind of going back and forth on what we were gonna call, and he looked at the sideline and called the play. He put us in the exact right formation and the exact right call and that’s stuff that he’s done all spring.”

Jayce Cora reeled in six catches for over 100 total yards, including two touchdown receptions from Quinn. He was also strong on defense, discouraging targets on his side of the field while breaking up one pass.

Lely’s running back tandem was also a problem for Riverdale’s defense. Jayvion Tanelus had 103 rushing yards and three touchdowns on eight touches, while Nino Joseph had an 80-yard kick return to the house, 67 rushing yards on seven attempts, and took a pass from Carter 25 yards for a touchdown.

“I’ll go with you on that, capital ‘W’ Weapons,” Hammer said. “Our scholarships tonight were scholarship players. You can’t take anything away from them, they were lights out. But the guys that I’m super proud of and that we couldn’t have done it without were our young guys… we had nine freshmen play a bunch in the game.”

The Raiders suffered a gut-wrenching loss early in the first quarter. Running back Cole Hayes, who was an all-area first-teamer who rushed for over 1,600 yards last year, broke a bone in his shoulder on his first touch of the night. He took his only carry for 45 yards before going down.

Head coach Kendoll Gibson says Hayes will be out until August or September.

With Hayes out, Lovensky Blanchard rose to the task for Riverdale. He registered 19 touches for nearly 100 yards and one touchdown all while battling a sore back.

“He’s got a sore back from track so he’s still not 100 percent,” Gibson said. “He’s a really, really good athlete. Like you said, he has to take over the workload. We’re going to definitely feed him the rock, he’s our No. 1 back now.”

Theodis Harris was efficient at quarterback, going 14-of-29 in the air for a pair of touchdowns. Jermaine Redden took one pass near the line of scrimmage 45 yards for a touchdown, and Coby Hayes took another close pass 74 yards for a touchdown.

“Last year we ran the Wing-T and had to rely heavy on Cole, and we want to show that we can throw the ball a little bit,” Gibson said. “With Cole going out it kind of changed the gameplan. We want to have a great foundation when it comes to running, but we showed tonight that we can throw it a little bit too.”

Both defenses’ stars shined in the spring contest as well.

Wally Monpremier tallied three tackles for loss for the Trojans, and Riverdale’s Jamar Underwood broke up three passes.

But the Raiders never put together enough stops in the second half to stay in the hunt. Gibson says a large part of that is how banged up his squad was coming into Trojan Stadium.

“We definitely want to get back in the weight room,” Gibson said. “Just rely on the weight room to get more physical. And get healthy - we got beat up between the Garnett and Gold game, a referee clinic, and now this spring game. So we want to get healthy, get in the weight room, and just go from there.”

― Nick Wilson

Bell Creek 9, Gateway Charter 8

Gateway Charter dropped a close spring game on the road, but head coach Benjamin Daly says there is still a lot to look forward to.

“We have a lot to work on overall, but there were bright spots on both sides of the ball,” Daly said. “Looking forward to watching this group learn and grow.”

Eighth-grader Chance Reeves tallied a tick under 100 rushing yards, while the defense held the reigning SSAC 1A champs to just nine points.

―Staff Report

WEDNESDAY

Golden Gate 38, Lehigh 26

Golden Gate showed they haven’t skipped a beat on offense under first-year head coach Nick Citro, downing Lehigh 38-26 at home.

Even though it was a spring game, it felt like a midseason matchup. Both sides were fired up for all four quarters, extracurriculars after the whistle were commonplace, and starters saw a lot of time on the field.

Trayvon Jean shined for the Titans. The workhorse carried the ball 33 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Most of his damage was done running the ball straight through the gut of the Lightning defense.

Junior Joseph tacked on a pair of touchdown catches as well, including a diving catch on the sideline and into the end zone that extended the Golden Gate lead to 24-6 in the second quarter.

“The intangibles on [Jean], if you tell him no he’s going to find a way to prove you wrong,” Citro said. “He’s one of the best kids on the team as far as character goes, and obviously he’s a good runner. All my kids are special kids. They’re better people than they are players and that’s what makes everything so great right now.”

Sam Powell also looked sharp, going 18-of-32 with three touchdown passes and one interception. He also chipped in a few dozen yards on the ground.

“Sam’s got a lot of tools, he’s just got to be consistent with what he’s doing,” Citro said. “He’s gotta learn how to eat a couple of plays instead of trying to force something, but other than that, he runs the offense. He’s the general. We’ve got all of our belief in him and we’re ready to rock and roll.”

On the other side, Lehigh quarterback Dorian Mallary took some time to get going, but finished 10-of-21 with three touchdown passes and 76 yards on the ground. He did give up an interception and two fumbles as well.

Mallary hasn’t seen much football since Lehigh’s track and field team made it to the Class 4A State meet, where he placed sixth in the 400 dash. Head coach Antwan Dixon says he’s only been at one practice and one walkthrough because his track season just ended.

As the game went on Mallary looked more comfortable making throws, and his speed on keepers and scrambles got Lehigh out of more than one jam.

Terrance Smith was a bolt of energy for the Lightning on both sides of the ball. He reeled in two of Mallary’s touchdown passes, and finished with 123 yards on five catches. He also had a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception.

“He’s just confident, him and [Mallary],” Dixon said. “... They started to double or triple cover him, so it’s tough. You get frustrated, especially when people are talking crap. It’s like ‘play me mano y mano and watch what I do'. But at the end of the day it’s a team game and they had a better strategy. They double or triple team him, and we've just to make plays with other people.”

The Titan defense was stout in the win. They came up with four takeaways while getting to the quarterback often. With Smith being Lehigh’s main weapon, the secondary threw plenty of double-teams at him that made Mallary hesitant to target him.

Wendel St. Louis had an interception and broke up a pass, while freshman David Arnold managed two tackles for loss and a sack. Frederic Sainteus had a fumble recovery and 1.5 sacks.

The Lehigh defense had bright spots of their own. Defensive linemen Mark Carter snagged an interception at the line of scrimmage and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown that ignited the Lightning sideline, and Harkym Henry registered a two sacks.

But Jean sliced and diced the Lighting up the middle all night, and regularly moved the chains with his yards after contact.

“I think the takeaways are always good,” Dixon said. “But it was mostly just lining up, lining up is half the battle… You can line up and play defense as long as you play hard, but lining up and then trying to play hard, you’re putting yourself a step behind. We’ll fix it, we have the whole summer to do it. But we were lined up wrong for a majority of the game.”

— Nick Wilson

Gulf Coast 27, Everglades (Miramar) 6

First-year head coach Manny Evans saw a lot of things he liked in the Sharks' 27-6 win on Wednesday.

With a defense that lost a lot of starting talent, Evans was happy to watch his first string shut out Everglades through three quarters. It wasn't until he gave his reserves a look that the Gators found the end zone.

One of Gulf Coast's biggest question marks was their defense, so pitching a shutout with the starters to begin the year is a good sign for the Sharks.

"The defensive line played really, really well," Evans said. "They played on the other side of the line of scrimmage, and really dictated what Everglades called offensively."

Quarterback Jace Seyler had a rushing touchdown, and connected with Jacob Nolan for a touchdown reception. The running backs had a strong night, with John Ruggiero and Gio Marenco both punching in one touchdown each.

"We really ran the ball well tonight," Evans said. "We got ahead of the chains. The things that we were looking to do, we had success doing it - which was run the football and set up our pass game off of the run. We threw the ball when we wanted to, but we want to establish the run. We really wanted to establish our identity."

— Nick Wilson

TUESDAY

Barron Collier 48, Charlotte 41

One of the mantras of spring football many coaches say is, "We played well, but we have a lot to work on."

And after Tuesday's spring football game between Barron Collier and Charlotte at Golden Gate High School, both teams have a lot of work to do on defense.

It was the Cougars who had the last word as Simon Hincape scored his third touchdown of the night with 30 seconds left to give them a wild 48-41 victory.

Hincape was pretty psyched about the game and his hat trick.

"On the last play, we called an outside run. My two tight ends blocked beautifully and I cut inside and juked it out and went in," Hincape said. "We've been getting close like a family and we're getting better on offense and defense. All props to the line."

The Tarpons led 41-34 after three quarters. However, Collier quarterback Nico Boyce ran it in from 7 yards to tie the game at 41 early in the fourth.

Charlotte quarterback Teagan Lipke played well, and receiver Seven Bullock had a huge evening with four touchdowns. However, Lipke threw a key interception to Ricardo Reategui to end a threat, and after a three-and-out, Collier was able to drive 62 yards on eight plays, with Hincape providing the winning score.

Charlotte reached midfield in a last-gasp drive, but Lipke fumbled to ice the game for the Cougars.

Collier coach Mark Johnson said the defense will need some work, but was happy with the effort.

"I wish we could have played better on defense, but we're going to work hard in the summer and be ready to go," Jackson said. "We have a lot of young guys on defense who are going to learn and be put in spots to be successful. We're competing and I'm proud of them."

Barron Collier flew out of the gates early, scoring four touchdowns on the Cougars' first four possessions as Boyce picked apart the Tarpons defense. Hincape scored on Collier's first possession to cap a 12-play drive. Boyce also found Jesse Mikolinski and Hincape for touchdown passes and Diego Gonzalez added a 9-yard touchdown run.

Thankfully for Charlotte, Lipke was able to keep the Tarpons within reach with a touchdown pass to Steven Bullock and long scoring runs from Jazzy McDaniel and Josh Carbajal to trail 28-19.

"The offensive line did a great job protecting and kept Simon clean all night and the receivers did a great job catching the ball and the running backs by committee did well," Jackson said. "We had a lot of guys coming back on offense and lots to work on defensively, but we're getting there."

Boyce then made his only two mistakes, throwing picks to Bullock and Daveon Daniels, with both resulting in Tarpon touchdowns to Bullock from 39 and 7 yards to give Charlotte a 33-28 lead at break.

After Boyce threw a scoring pass to Caden Hudson to give Collier the 34-33 lead in the third quarter, Charlotte took the lead back on a 16-yard scoring catch by Bullock (seven catches, 100 yards) with a two-point conversion making it 41-34, setting up the finish.

Boyce threw for 349 yards, while Hincape had 81 yards rushing and a 59-yard touchdown reception.

Jackson said the defense played better in the second half, getting those two turnovers late and holding the high-powered Charlotte offense a little more in check. However, he learned he has a young team that needs to be coached up in time for fall.

"We're really young and we have a lot of room to improve. I'm proud of them. They're going to work hard and I think we'll be gritty and when you're gritty, you can win a lot of games," he said.

― Chuck Ballaro

South Fort Myers 40, Palmetto Ridge 18

In a spring game that saw two programs get a look at their first-year quarterbacks, it was a running back that shined.

South Fort Myers won their spring contest at Palmetto Ridge 40-18 behind a dominant performance from Victor Jenkins.

Jenkins rushed for 216 yards and three touchdowns on nine touches, and looks primed for another dominant season in the backfield. He also reeled in an interception and returned it 43 yards for a pick-six.

“Victor is Victor,” said head coach Willis May Jr. “I’ve been able to count Victor since he was a baby. He just keeps getting better and better.”

The Wolfpack also got to see first year quarterback and rising junior Will Bichler. Bichler’s lack of experience showed early on, but he found his footing as the game went on. He missed some open receivers, muffed a few handoffs, and threw two picks, but also had some nice runs and connected on a pair of touchdown passes. He finished 8-of-22 in the air for 142 yards.

“We had the Red and Black game last Friday and he was killing it,” May Jr. said. “He was throwing things on freaking point. He was a little bit nervous tonight, but he’s going to be a good one.”

On the Bear’s side, rising sophomore Anthony Sinatra, had similar struggles, but also had a swarming Wolfpack defensive line to deal with.

Sinatra went 4-for-11 in the first half, but rallied to go 9-of-16 in the second half against South Fort Myers’ reserves.

“He played well,” said head coach Zach Yates. “It was a lot of growing pains to start. When you get hit in the back for the first couples drives, it’s like ‘Well okay.’ But he settled in nicely. He needs some more reps to get comfortable but he’ll be alright over time.”

Steven Rousseau was exceptional for the Bears in the first half. He tried to tough out a sprained ankle in the second half, but had to be helped off the field just one play into the third quarter.

Rousseau sacked Bilcher on the first play of the game, then caught an interception two plays later. He pieced together some strong runs in the first half as well.

Devon Messenger also looked solid both against the Wolfpack’s first string and their reserves. He finished with 101 all purpose yards. He got the Bears out of some sticky situations with stick-moving catches and carries.

South Fort Myers’ defense shined. They forced five takeaways, got to the quarterback often, and limited big plays from Palmetto Ridge. They kept Palmetto Ridge scoreless with their starters in.

The Bears had pads popping as well. They had three takeaways of their own, including a stripped-ball touchdown from Samuel Brown.

“Our guys want to play,” Yates said. “The scoreboard is a little bit slighted because we made crucial mistakes that young teams make… we forced couple turnovers early in the game that we just gave the ball right back. We’re a very young team, there’s going to be those kinds of growing pains. I’m glad we fought against a team like that.”

― Nick Wilson

Venice 27, Naples 17

VENICE – Two of the best high school football teams in Southwest Florida met at Powell-Davis Stadium on Tuesday evening in what wound up being a back-and-forth game.

Naples scored all of its points in a three-minute burst sandwiched around halftime, but otherwise played keep-up with Venice for most of the night on the way to a 27-17 Indians win.

Each team played true to character for much of the night.

Venice took some risky gambles – scoring its last two touchdowns on fourth-down passes – as new starting quarterback Jayce Nixon settled in after some mistakes in the first half.

Nixon lost a fumble inside the Naples 10-yard-line, threw an interception on his side of the field, and missed some wide-open receivers in the first two quarters.

But those jitters dissipated in the second half as he brought Venice back from a 17-7 deficit with touchdown passes of 12 and 22 yards.

He finished with 15-of-27 passing for 177 yards.

“We had a lot of first-half jitters,” Venice coach John Peacock said. “I’m glad we got that out of the way. Jayce had a much better second half than the first half. Macho (Dorian Irving-Jones) ran the ball extremely hard and ran behind his pads.

“(Naples) is a good football team, and I thought the defense played excellent besides that one run at the end of the second quarter. But other than that, we have a good base to build off of.”

Naples stuck to the ground on offense for the entirety of the night, and for good reason.

Not only did the Golden Eagles have returning 2,000-yard rusher Shawn Simeon to rely on, but they also had a quarterback who had never taken a varsity snap at the position before.

Simeon rushed the ball 22 times for 216 yards and two touchdowns – with runs of 71 and 65 yards – as he powered the offense.

“That’s what Shawn does,” Naples coach Rick Martin said. “We know Shawn’s a really special player for us. It’s hard even in games like this where you want to save him for the regular season, but he’s such a competitor, he won’t let you take him out.”

Quarterback Alijah Molina, a defensive back last season, rushed 15 times for 46 yards and did not attempt a pass.

The rising-junior had just 15 days of practice as a quarterback as Martin and his staff had to make a quick adjustment after starting quarterback Carter Quinn transferred to Lely High.

“I thought his performance was pretty good for what we had,” Martin said of Molina. “We had a fraction of time with him, so I was pretty proud with the way he played. It was just an instinct (naming him starting QB), watching him play basketball and do some things on the football field. We thought he was a good athlete and pretty savvy. I liked what I saw, so we’re going to continue to work with him.”

Naples helped Venice to open the scoring with five defensive penalties for 35 yards on the Indians’ second drive of the game.

Venice finished off the penalty-ridden drive with a one-yard plunge from defensive end/running back Asharri Charles and held the 7-0 lead for much of the first half.

That lead stayed intact until Simeon found some space.

The three-star running back found a hole in the right side of the Venice defense and burst through it for a 71-yard touchdown.

One play later, Nixon threw an interception to Naples defensive back Eli Chery, and the Golden Eagles turned it into a 33-yard field goal from kicker Dariece Collins to go into halftime leading, 10-7.

Simeon and the Golden Eagles added to their lead one minute into the third quarter with a 65-yard rushing touchdown – going up, 17-7 – but that was all the offense could muster for the rest of the game.

A star-studded Venice defensive line featuring Charles, a four-star athlete, and Eli Jones, a three-star USF commit, held Simeon and Molina in check for most of the night.

Venice, meanwhile, kept its defense well-rested for much of the night as Dorien Irving-Jones racked up 26 rushes for 146 yards and a touchdown, along with two receptions for 9 yards and another score.

“I am very happy with what I saw tonight,” Martin said. “Obviously, we want to come out here and try to get a win, but to come out to Venice and play an opponent the way we did, I’m very happy with what I saw.”

― Vinnie Portell

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Friday Spring Football: ECS, Gateway, SFCA pick up wins, Island Coast loses close game