Dunbar's dynamic duo powers Gold team past the Blue in Rotary South All-Star Classic
The Rotary South All-Star Classic changed its format this year with the goal of producing a more competitive and entertaining game.
Mission accomplished.
In the 35th edition of the all-star exhibition featuring Lee County’s best senior football players, the Gold team held off the Blue for a 35-26 victory on a blustery night at Fort Myers High School.
Despite the gusty winds, both teams made a point of passing the football, combining for just a handful of designed running plays. The air-it-out strategies made sense, considering the wealth of receiving talent on both squads.
Two delivered huge performances for their teams at the All-Star Classic.
Dunbar’s Eric Fletcher caught eight passes for 200-plus yards, including a 65-yard touchdown that gave the Gold Team a 35-20 lead with just over a minute remaining.
The Blue team countered with Bishop Verot’s Tookie Watts, who had six catches for 60 yards and three scores, highlighted by a one-handed grab in the back corner of the end zone that completed his trifecta.
Both players earned MVP honors, though Fletcher split his award with Tigers’ teammate Kelby Tyre, who intercepted three passes, one of which he brought back for an 85-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
“Those guys worked hard all year and they paid dividends for us during the season,” Dunbar head coach Sammy Brown said of Fletcher and Tyre. “Everybody from all the surrounding schools got to see those guys play tonight. They were with a lot of other good players and they still stood out so it’s great for them and for Dunbar.”
With seven Tigers players on the Gold team, Fletcher said his goal coming into the game was to be the one that shined the brightest.
“It was a challenge for all of us because they were a lot of Dunbar players out here and I said today is going to determine who the best is,” said Fletcher, who is committed to East Carolina. “I wanted that MVP. It’s very special. I had my family out here to support me so it was just a great moment to share with them. I’m just glad we came out with the win.”
The Gold team jumped out to an early lead when Tyre returned his first interception 30-plus yards to the 5-yard line. Two plays later, North Fort Myers running back Virgil Maloy scored to put them up 7-0.
The Blue team turned the ball over again on its next series, losing a fumble at midfield. The Gold squad converted a third-and-23 on a 33-yard pass from Fort Myers quarterback Chris McFoley to Fletcher to keep the drive alive. Seven plays later, McFoley scored from a yard out to make it 14-0.
Bishop Verot’s Ryan Gadsen gave the Blue team a spark at the end of the first quarter with a long kickoff return to the Gold’s 33. Four plays later, Blue got on the scoreboard when Watts caught a 25-yard touchdown pass on fourth down from East Lee County quarterback Gary Hagen to cut Gold’s lead to 14-6.
Blue looked poised to draw even closer when East’s Victor Georges picked off ECS quarterback Tanner Helton in the end zone and returned the pick 73 yards to the Gold 27. But Tyre answered with his own interception, picking off South Fort Myers quarterback Chase Enguita at the 15 and bringing it back to the house to give the Gold a 21-6 lead heading into halftime.
Late in the third quarter, Blue pulled within 21-14 on a 58-yard scoring run by Bishop Verot’s Matthew Turner on an end around.
After the Blue defense forced a three-and-out, Estero quarterback Matthew Wilson connected with South’s Justin White on a 41-yard pass play that got the Blue inside the 5-yard line. After being pushed by a penalty. Wilson connected with Watts on a 7-yard score that made it 21-20.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tyre fielded the ball and headed up the middle before flipping it back to Cypress Lake’s EJ Codie, who raced 81 yards down the left sideline to give the Gold team some much-needed breathing room and a 28-20 lead early in the fourth quarter.
That was the score when the Gold team faced a third-and-6 on their own 35 with 90 seconds remaining. Instead of running the ball and relying on its defense to close out the game, they opted to put the ball in the hands of Fletcher, who extended to catch the bomb from McFoley on the left sideline and took it in for the game-clinching touchdown.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Rotary South All-Star Game: Eric Fletcher and Kelby Tyre power Gold team
