Football Week 2 results: Golden Gate routs Immokalee; Naples, Dunbar, South, ECS, Estero grab wins

A roundup of Week 2 Southwest Florida high school football games from Thursday, Aug. 31 and Friday, Sept. 1.

Golden Gate 42, Immokalee 10

In what was expected and anticipated to be a showdown on the line of scrimmage, there was one clear, unanimous victor after 48 minutes Friday night: Golden Gate.

And it showed from the get-go, by winning the toss and opting to receive to start the game.

The Titans opened their season 2-0 for the second time in the last three years, winning decisively over Immokalee, 42-10. Golden Gate outgained Redwood 387-144, with over a third of Immokalee’s offense coming on the final drive of the game.

“Our offensive line, our receivers did such an outstanding job blocking,” Golden Gate coach Nick Bigica said. “I was so proud of them all night long. It’s hard when you’re continuously demoralizing somebody to keep going, keep going, keep going. They did such a great job tonight.”

Trayvon Jean’s opening drive set the tone the rest of the way for the Titans, rushing for 64 yards on five carries. The junior capped off the drive with a 5-yard scamper to go up 7-0 in just under four minutes. In the second quarter, Jean scored on a physical, Marshawn Lynch-esque touchdown run from 25 yards out, muscling his way through Immokalee defenders.

“We got beat physically, period,” Immokalee coach James Delgado said. “It wasn’t just physically in the trenches; it was at a couple of different positions. They did a great job scheming us to expose some of our weaknesses. It wasn’t a lack of scheme on our part, it was a lack of execution, it was a lack of winning individual battles. We did not win the individual battles we needed to win this game.”

Golden Gate takeaways

1. Dynamic duo. Jean and John Lee Honorat feasted on the Immokalee defense, which was exploited for over 300 yards on the ground. Jean and Honorat, by themselves, ran for 208 and 156 yards respectively, scoring five of Golden Gate’s six touchdowns. “Our whole motto this week was, ’22 plus 3 equals 6’,” Bigica said. “Trayvon and John Lee equal touchdown. I don’t care what anybody says, those two are the best runners around here. They showed it tonight.”

2. Remember the Titans. The Golden Gate defense held Immokalee to just three offensive points and under 150 yards of total offense, finding ways to get into the backfield once again. Trannon Villarreal was held to 7-of-13 completions for 46 yards, along with 12 rushes for 19 yards. It’ll be the second straight week the program finishes with double digit tackles for loss, as the Titans got to Villarreal, Justin Compere (15 rushes, 52 yards), and Jayden Mixon (10 rushes, 27 yards) in the backfield. “Those guys have done a great job consistently all year for us,” Golden Gate defensive coordinator P.J. Gibbs said. “Coach (Jim) Hepler and coach (Jordan) Hampton do such a great job in individual periods. The kids have really bought into our philosophy. I couldn’t be more proud of them tonight.”

3. The Roommate Bowl. In a clash between Golden Gate offensive coordinator Jacob Fields and Immokalee defensive coordinator Nick Citro, it was advantage Fields. The two are roommates in the same residence, giving Friday’s game even more symmetry between the coaching staffs. “It’s fun, it’s so fun when you know guys like that,” Bigica said. “There’s a comradery between coaches and everything, you can razz people and you can get on people, and it’s fun like that. I’ve known coach Citro for a long time too, and it’s fun hearing those two guys jab each other back and forth all the time. After last year, coach Fields was ready for this one.”

Immokalee takeaways

1. Backbreaker. Down 21-7 coming out of the locker room to start the second half, Immokalee burned the first 8:20 of the third quarter, only to settle for a field goal. The Indians had a touchdown called back the play after converting on a fourth-and-4 to keep the drive alive. After Julian Saldana’s kick made the game 21-10, Jean gashed the Immokalee defense on the first play of the ensuing drive for an 80-yard touchdown to go up 28-10. “It was demoralizing, because I think we had six,” Delgado said. “The holding penalty killed us. Penalties kill drives. It was first and goal at the 5, and then it was first and goal at the 15… It was a huge deal. I don’t know if we could’ve gotten the 4 yards on fourth and goal from the 4. If we didn’t get it, it would’ve been even more demoralizing to go 8-plus minutes with no points. The analytics say take the kick, take the points with that much time on the clock.”

2. Brief swing. Right before halftime, Villarreal was picked off by Javon Pray, only for that to be followed by a Compere fumble recovery which went 63 yards the other way to get within two scores before halftime. That got Immokalee briefly back in it before getting three points to start the third quarter.

3. Back to the drawing board. Immokalee will have to rebound and recover quickly heading into next week’s home opener against Naples, which were 36-19 winners over Dillard Friday night. The Indians had multiple injuries, including Mixon, who suffered a left leg injury after an ugly tackle from behind. “It’s not a secret,” Delgado said. “We better fricken execute. We better win individual battles. We’ve got to play the brand of football we’re capable of playing, because we didn’t do that tonight.”

— Alex Martin

Naples 36, Dillard 19

The Golden Eagles rode their defense into the sunset in their win over the Panthers on Friday. Naples started the contest off shakily on both sides of the ball, but the defense finished strong with three interceptions in the fourth quarter.

Dillard wanted to test the Naples secondary early and it generated some success, but the Panthers could not keep laundry off the field. On their first drive, the Panthers had over 120 passing yards and a touchdown called back on several different penalties.

To compound the Golden Eagles’ early struggles, Zamir Marquez broke the ice for the Panthers with a scoop-and-score he took 74 yards. The two squads traded touchdowns for the rest of the half, with the Panthers holding a 13-7 lead headed into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Panthers came out firing on all cylinders. Dillard quarterback Nylan Maine put together several good series and went 9-for-11 in the air in the frame. But the Panthers only capitalized on one drive midway through the quarter that gave them a 19-14 lead, the last advantage they would hold for the rest of the night.

The Golden Eagle defense came alive in the fourth quarter. It started with a Sportscenter-esque one-handed interception from Trey Hill over a Dillard receiver that set Jamar Jerome up for a 60-yard touchdown carry on the very next play. Vladimir Raphael won a 50/50 ball on the sidelines for an interception six minutes later, and LeCarlos McGee swooped in for an interception of his own that made way for a backbreaking 41-yard Shawn Simeon touchdown carry.

Naples’ defensive line had been getting off the line with speed and power all night and put the pedal to the metal in the final frame. By the time the final horn sounded, the defense boasted three interceptions and three sacks, with plenty of tackles for loss in between. Korben Parish, Kahri Bendolph, and Raphael all registered a sack in the win, while Luke Walker and Hill were instrumental in pressuring the pocket and came up with timely tackles for loss. Auburn commit Kensley Faustin joined in on the fun with a fumble recovery and got his hands on a punt that gave Naples solid field position.

Naples takeaways

1. The defense has juice. After Dillard made their mark in the first half, the Golden Eagles looked like a different team in the second half. Faustin and Ben Bouzi were ballhawks as always and forced the Panthers to test the rest of the defense, who rose to the task when it mattered most. “We had more of a test in the week because of the hurricane, we didn’t get a chance to really practice,” Bouzi said. “We just came out here and played the game and did what we had to do. I’m proud of them boys, they held it together and kept their heads up. We just came out strong and won.”

2. In typical Golden Eagle fashion, the floodgates opened in the second half. Head coach Rick Martin made the right adjustments at halftime on both sides of the ball, but especially offense. And the numbers don’t lie; Naples outscored Dillard 29-6 in the second half. Jerome finished with 119 yards and two touchdowns, while Simeon tallied over 200 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries by the end of the night. “We knew what they were doing the whole time, but with everything that happened with the hurricane, we probably had maybe two hours of practice total all week,” Martin said. “And with a young team, you just need reps. So we knew if we were just patient and just kept pounding on them, something was going to break and open. It’s really a testament to our players and coaches for just being patient with us. We just wore them out, that’s what we do.”

3. Naples is building consistency. “With a young team, consistency is everything,” Martin said. “And we know that at times, we are inconsistent on things. But tonight, we kind of picked it up in the second half and we were able to just ride that wave.”

— Nick Wilson

Dunbar 40, North Fort Myers 14

The Tigers came out firing, forcing the Red Knights into a hole they were never able to climb out of on Friday night.

Dunbar quarterback Austin Price and his receivers were sharp early, attacking the North secondary to go up 20-0 quickly in the first quarter.

The onslaught waned from there, but the Tigers remained in control, especially with the defense forcing multiple turnovers, including a pair of pick-6s.

“Any time you can win a ball game over at Moody Stadium, you’re doing a great job,” Dunbar head coach Sammy Brown said. “I thought we fought hard. I thought we got a lot of work to improve on, but hey, we got the win.”

Dunbar improves to 2-0 ahead of an enticing matchup against Bishop Verot, while North falls to 0-2. The Red Knights will host South Fort Myers next week.

“The effort was there,” North head coach David Pasquale said. “There’s some things we got to clean up, and at the end of the day, kudos to Dunbar taking advantage of some things and they do a good job in the passing game.”

Dunbar takeaways

1. The passing game looks dangerous. Price’s first two touchdown passes, of 62 and 38 yards, went to Da’mari Loggins, and connected on two more, of 45 and 44 yards, to Eric Fletcher. Price finished with 300 yards, 4 touchdowns and a pick and was also the team’s leading rusher with 67 yards.

Fletcher, committed to East Carolina, caught 6 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns to lead the team.

“We’re starting to hit our stride here,” Brown said. “I thought (Price) had some good reads early, put the ball on them, guys made some great catches. We kind of fizzled out in the end of the half, but we got to do better.”

2. The Dunbar defense forced five turnovers, including a pair of pick-6s. Kelby Tyre intercepted a Caedon Conn pass and returned it for a 70-yard score in the third quarter, and Ken’Dahrius Green returned another pick for 65-yard in the fourth quarter.

“Our defense has been pretty stout this first part of the season, but who knows?” Brown said. “We got to hold up for 10 more.”

3. There are still areas in need of improvement. Dunbar turned the ball over three times, and was plagued by penalties, including several holding calls.

“We got a long way to go,” Brown said.

North Fort Myers takeaways

1. Conn, a sophomore, got the start at quarterback as Bryce Duross was out with an injury. On two days of practice, Conn had an admirable game, particularly with a pair of second-half touchdown passes to Kirtis Denham and Virgil Maloy Jr. He also got the Dunbar line to jump offsides on a few occasions.

“It’s the kid’s first start,” Pasquale said. “He came out here, he left it all on the line. I couldn’t be prouder of the kid.”

2. Maloy is a special competitor. At running back and cornerback, the Red Knight never came off the field. He rushed for 90 yards against a tough Dunbar defense, caught two passes for 70 yards and a touchdown, plus he converted a 2-point try on a rushing attempt.

“That’s the way he plays, that’s the way he brings his intensity in practice every day,” Pasquale said. “He’s a kid that is a football player, and every opportunity he gets, he leaves it all out on the line, and he does a great for us in all three phases really.”

3. The Red Knights started the season facing some of the toughest competition around in Fort Myers and Dunbar. The hope is it will make the young squad a better team going forward.

“In my opinion, two of the most quality programs in the county based on history and based on the past 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 years,” Pasquale said. “They consistently come out, they have great athletes, they’re well coached, and they’re going to attack you and they’re going to punch you in the face and they’re going to take advantage of things and put their athletes in space, and they both do a great job of doing that.”

— Dustin Levy

Gulf Coast 14, Lely 9

Last-minute heroics gave Gulf Coast a second straight win Friday night.

Chris Jimenez scored on a 4-yard run in the final minute, giving the Sharks a surprising victory over Lely after the Trojans had taken the lead two minutes earlier.

During that play, Lely’s Joshua Philogene caught a soft toss from Colin Raymond for a 25-yard touchdown in the final 3 minutes to put the Trojans up 9-7 before Gulf Coast embarked on the game-winning drive.

Philogene’s TD sent shockwaves through Gulf Coast’s sideline as the Sharks had led for most of the night.

The Trojans aided the Sharks with two costly penalties on Gulf Coast’s winning drive. Jimenez rushed for 162 yards for Gulf Coast (2-0). Jayvian Tanelus led the Trojans (1-1) with 148 yards rushing.

The game was scoreless through the first 16 minutes. Then Randall Williams scored on a 3-yard scamper to put the Sharks ahead 7-0, a scoreboard that remained stagnant at halftime.

Then, early in the third quarter, Emiliano Nicasio kicked a 41-yard field goal to bring Lely to within 7-3.

Gulf Coast caught a big break 4 minutes later, recovering a Lely fumble on a punt. But the Sharks turned it over themselves 21/2 minutes later on the verge of going ahead 14-3 with the ball inside the Trojan 5-yard line.

Gulf Coast takeaways

1. The close score was no surprise to Gulf Coast coach Todd Nichols. “The fact it was a close game played in our favor,” Nichols said. "We’re used to playing in close ones. We hung with what we were coached to do. We knew what to do on the final drive. We knew the situation on the last drive. We got out of bounds and saved time. So that made me happy.”

2. Jimenez left the game with an injury in the third. He missed a lot of the third and came back in the fourth. Apparently, injury or fatigue does not scare him.

“He was just tired because we hadn’t practiced all week,” Nichols said. “But that kid is just a football player. God created him to be a football player, and he’s exciting to watch.”

3. The Shark defense was ready for the churning legs of Tanelus. “We contained their running back, and avoided the big plays,” Nichols said. “The offense helped the defense. We had some time management on offense, so the defense could get some rest. We tried to keep them (Lely) out of sync and slow the game down.”

Lely takeaways

1. The Trojans emerged for the third quarter on a mission to get their first score. They drove 56 yards in only 3 minutes, leading to Nicasio’s 41-yard field goal. Most of the drive came on rushing from Tanelus.

2. Despite the physical nature of the game, Lely coach Ben Hammer hopes the Trojans can improve on some mental things. “We’ve got to have better discipline and much better focus,” Hammer said. “We left too much on the field. Everybody played hard tonight, but we have to have better focus.”

3. The Trojans came up with some big stops when they needed it to stay in the game. Ivan Cisneros and Franey Hygene stopped the Sharks on fourth down deep in Trojan territory in the first period. Later, Wally Monpremier stopped Gulf Coast running back John Ruggiero on a critical third down play deep in Trojan territory.

— Tom Corwin

South Fort Myers 35, Riverdale 0

The Wolfpack (1-1) earned their first win of the season in a stellar performance that saw them excel in all three phases of the game.

Offensively, it was the Chase Enguita show as the senior quarterback rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two more, both to senior wide receiver Justin White.

Defensively, South suffocated the Raiders’ Wing-T attack, holding them to just 76 rushing yards on 40 carries.

Even the special teams got in on the act, setting up two short fields by blocking a Riverdale punt and recovering a fumble off a muffed return.

After a hard-fought overtime loss to Gulf Coast last week, this was just the type of showing Wolfpack coach Willis May said his team needed.

“We’ve got to have some feel good; you can’t just keep beating your head against the wall and not come away with something,” he said. “Just to come out and play together as we did tonight, I’m so proud of them.”

South Fort Myers takeaways

1. Enguita bounces back. The senior quarterback got hit early and often in the overtime loss to the Sharks and the South offense sputtered as a result. However, he showcased his dual-threat ability against the Raiders, completing 12-of-19 passes for 160 yards and rushing for 62 more, including a 28-yard touchdown run.

“Seeing him get vertical, he did that a lot last year but he hadn’t really done that yet so far until tonight,” May said. “I was really glad to see that. He did a great job.”

2. Justin (White) time. The standout wideout is one of the toughest covers in Southwest Florida. White caught seven passes for 118 yards and two scores against Riverdale and would have had a third touchdown, but Enguita just overshot him on a go route.

“Justin is going to make plays,” May said. “He works hard and you throw it in his vicinity, he usually comes away with it. I think he’s one of the best in Southwest Florida, I really do.”

3. Next man up. The Wolfpack were missing two top performers on both sides of the ball as junior running back Victor Jenkins and senior linebacker Javian White both were held out due to concussion protocols. Junior Jarri Gibson stepped in and rushed for 41 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown. Even without their defensive leader, South showed discipline against the Raiders’ running game and had 13 tackles for loss.

“Everybody just did their job,” May said. “When our guys just focus in and their assignment and what they’ve got to do, we’re a good football team.”

Riverdale takeaways

1. There’s going to be nights like this. Young teams often struggle with inconsistency. One week after displaying a potentially potent running game against Lely, the Raiders (0-2) struggled to get off the ball and open holes for their bevy of backs against South.

“We had a grudge match last week and then with the hurricane days, we weren’t able to get out there and run off that soreness,” Riverdale coach Kendoll Gibson. “We were just sluggish and still beat up from the week before.”

2. Special teams struggles. The Raiders gifted South 14 points, allowing them to start two drives inside the Raiders' 10-yard line because of special teams errors. It could have been worse.  A holding penalty on the Wolfpack wiped out an opening kickoff return for a score by South senior Michael McDonald.

“We were able to stop them defensively a couple of times back-to-back and then the special teams hurt us,” Gibson said. “We’re just so young back there. We’ve just got to keep working.”

3. Bittersweet reunion. There were plenty of hugs following the game between the Riverdale and South Fort Myers coaching staffs. Gibson spent time as an assistant at South and Riverdale defensive coordinator Corey May had the opportunity to match wits with his father Willis.

“I really wanted it, but it was fun,” Gibson said. “I kind of knew what the game plan was and what they’re about. They’ve got a team full of seniors so I expected them to come out and be physical. We just couldn’t match up to the physicality.”

— Dan DeLuca

Evangelical Christian 21, Island Coast 0

Ethan Thomas and the ECS defense made sure the Sentinels would pick up their second straight win over a larger area public school.

Thomas had at least three sacks, several tackles for loss, and directly had a hand in the Sentinels defense scoring eight points.

With ECS (2-0) up 13-0 in the third quarter, Thomas sacked Island Coast quarterback Rex Elliott, forcing him to fumble. Tyler Edwards picked it up and ran for a 45-yard score to make it 19-0 at 9:39. Thomas’ next sack resulted in two points as he took down Elliott for a safety three plays later at 8:35.

“Ethan Thomas did an amazing job,” ECS coach Mack Mitchell said. “He led our team in tackles last week and really dominated coming off the edge. When I say an edge player, he is that true definition of the fast twitch you're looking for, the physicality and also the knowledge to execute.”

The Sentinels offense did score in the first half, thanks to the defense. Two plays after a fumble recovery by ECS’ Jack Shuker at the Island Coast 20 Ethan Matheson ran it in from 19 yards out at 4:32 of the first quarter.

Tanner Helton hit Jordan Rizzo on a 9-yard pass with :39 left in the first quarter for a 13-0 edge.

The Sentinels’ defense has only allowed six points this season after beating Palmetto Ridge 35-6 last week.

“Honestly, it's our cornerstone,” Mitchell said of his defense. “We got a good batch of kids coming back on that defense, a majority of every single kid. I think we're missing like two and you know, we're gonna have to hang our hat on those guys. With a young offensive line and some guys who are trying to move around offensively, those guys are going to be the cornerstone of our team.”

Evangelical Christian takeaways

1 The Ethans caused mayhem for the Sentinels. While Thomas was giving the Gators nightmares on one side, Ethan Matheson was also causing Island Coast fits from the other edge. Matheson registered a sack and caused a fumble that the Gators recovered in the first half and laid a clean hit on Island Coast quarterback Rex Elliott on a blitz in the second half that knocked the QB out of the game for all but two plays late. Thomas said he had fun making his two big plays.

“I hit him a little high, but I was expecting No. 4 to hit me or block me. He didn't block me and I was just boom and I hit him it was just a rush of emotions,” Thomas said of his safety. On the touchdown off the fumble he said, “I thought he was gonna throw it away, get rid of it and he didn't and I hit him and we got the fumble recovery touchdown.”

2. ECS’s two offensive scores came on short fields after the fumble recovery and with Island Coast punting from their own end zone had ECS starting its second scoring drive from the Gators’ 45. Quarterback Tanner Helton did not have many open receivers, had a pass batted down and several passes dropped as he threw for under 100 yards, and had a ball intercepted off a deflection. “Offensively we got a lot of things to work out. You know, it's just not the execution that we've always had. So we're gonna go back to the drawing board a little bit and reevaluate some things and make some changes if necessary. And really try to find our identity again. We have a young group up front but to be honest with you it wasn't just really those guys it was it was it was other places as we’re gonna figure it out.”

3. It will help getting LJ Blackwell back. ECS’ top running back missed the game with a sprained ankle but Mack said the swelling is all but gone and he should be ready to go as early as next week. Other than Matheson’s TD run, the Sentinels could not get much going on the ground. They had just over 100 yards rushing for the game.

Island Coast takeaways

1 The Gators' defense did a good job not giving up any big plays and ECS’ only two scores came when they had short fields. The Sentinels drove deep into Island Coast territory in the second half but the Gators turned them away on fourth down inside their 20 to end the threat.

"We ended up adjusting our defense and we gave them nothing in the second half,” Island Coast coach Tyran Jones said. “We had a fumble recovery. I'm glad that we adjusted on defense.”

2. Anthony Harris again played a solid game for the Gators and had an interception late in the contest. “Anthony Harris stands out every week. He did a great job making that interception and he leads our defense,” Jones said.

3. Elliott had a tough night at quarterback, going 6-of-18 for 53 yards and being knocked out for most of the second half on the Matheson hit. The Gators went to the wildcat formation after that with Gervaris Leaphart doing most of the running. He gained 106 yards in the second half, after only having 5 in the first half, but 45 came on one run from the shadow of his end zone.

− Ed Reed

Estero 29, East Lee County 26

Late-game heroics helped Estero escape a determined East Lee County squad Friday night at Jeff Sommer Field.

The Wildcats staged a fourth-quarter comeback for the ages. It started with a Matthew Wilson (13-24-1, 244 yards) bomb of 80 yards to Luke Ghannam with 5:15 left to narrow the score to a four-point margin.

East Lee County looked to run the clock but the Wildcat defense had other plans. A 9-yard sack of Jaguar quarterback Gary Hagan set the stage for a fumble recovery by Estero senior nose guard Aaron Zapata.

The Wildcats pounded the ball behind the running of Malik Allen (25 carries, 85 yards) to put them at the 7-yard line.

A 4-yard loss forced Estero into a passing situation and Wilson spotted Ghannam in the end zone for what looked to be the game-winning touchdown pass.  But the officials flagged wideout Drew Arrington for offensive pass interference.

On the next play from the 31-yard line, Wilson aired it out to Arrington who raced into the end zone for the winning score.

“I’m at a loss for words right now,” said Wildcats head coach Darren Nelson. “We controlled the game, we had it, we just made so many mistakes.”

Nelson was frustrated by busted coverages and a bad snap that cost his team a possible score from the 3-yard line.

Among the busted coverage was a 60-yard bomb from Jaguar quarterback Gary Hagan to Victor Georges late in the first quarter.

Estero takeaways

1. Senior quarterback Matthew Wilson has an arm. Wilson ran for one score and threw for three others. “He’s a baller, he’s just tough… he’s one of the most underrated quarterbacks in this area cause we’ve got a lot of good ones,” said Nelson.  Wilson’s success was due in part to an Estero offensive line that gave him time to throw.

2. The Estero receivers had their way most of the night. Ghannam had a career game, hauling in five catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Ghannam would have had a third touchdown reception were it not for the offensive pass interference call on teammate Drew Arrington. Nelson said Arrington stepped up the way a senior needs to.

3. The Estero defense was tough when it needed to be. The Wildcats held East Lee County to less than 100 yards rushing. They also notched five sacks including three crucial fourth-quarter sacks that kept Estero in the game.

East Lee takeaways

1. Only four Jaguars touched the ball: Hagan, running back Lazaro Rogers, wideout Victor Georges and wideout Ronaldo Charles accounted for all 213 yards of rushing and passing.

2. East Lee County played with discipline. The penalties and turnovers have plagued the Jaguars for years.  Even with the late fumble, East Lee’s only turnover of the game, head coach Herbans Paul was happy with the effort.  “They’re the most disciplined, I’m proud of that, but we’re looking for a little more of that. I want them to be more disciplined and I know in their hearts they want to be more disciplined,” said Paul.

3.  Georges' position on the roster is listed as “athlete.” He showed plenty of athleticism playing both ways for the Jaguars. Georges (4 catches, 97 yards) not only raced through the Wildcats defense on the 60-yard touchdown bomb he caught from Hagan, he also made an acrobatic interception late in the first half to snuff out a Wildcat drive.

− John Rinkenbaugh

Cape Coral 14, Gateway 9

Cape Coral scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to complete a comeback win.

Gateway (0-2) took the lead in the second quarter when Tavian Cook caught a 22-yard pass from Ty Williams. Aidan Morgan's kick made it a 7-0 game at the half.

It looked as though things were falling apart for the Seahawks (2-0) in the third quarter. The low point came when a high snap on a punt play sailed into the end zone for a safety, giving Gateway a 9-0 lead.

Everything changed in the fourth quarter when Ivan Harvin completed a pass to Jermaine Skinner, who maneuvered his way through the crowd and took off for a 62-yard touchdown reception. Then Harvin completed a 10-yard TD pass to Darrion Jones with 1:14 left. Blake Thomas completed the extra point to make it a 14-9 game.

Gateway takeaways

1. The Eagles have been plagued by a lack of practice due to excessive heat and storms this season, and losing more practice time to Hurricane Idalia did not help.

"Our guys just keep running out of gas," Gateway coach Cullen O'Brien said. "We don't get outside. That's our issue. We got no days outside this week. Zero. Every single one of our practices was inside all week."

2. Special teams were a bright spot, especially in the first three quarters. The unit took advantage of bad snaps on two different Cape punts. One got the Eagles the ball on the Cape 22. The other got them two points, as the Cape punter had to fall on the ball in the end zone.

Gateway's special teams also gave the Seahawks' place kicker fits as well. They blocked one field goal late in the second. Then in the third, as the Seahawks were trying to start their comeback, their rush forced another field goal attempt to miss wide left.

3. The offense was stymied by the Cape defense for most of the game. The Seahawks prevented them from getting a first down until the second quarter.

Cape Coral takeaways

1. Depending on how the rest of the season goes, this game could be an important marker for the Seahawks. They struggled mightily on offense, yet still managed to pull off the victory.

"We just had a bad night tonight and we found a way to win," Cape coach Larry Gary said.

2. As poorly as the Cape offense played for three quarters, the defense was exceptional. The Seahawks did not allow a first down in the entire first quarter. Interceptions by Darrion Jones and Jayden Boyd also prevented Gateway from building a larger lead.

"The defense just played a hell of a job," Gary said. "They actually kept us in the game."

3. Like the Golden Eagles, Cape's practice schedule was impacted by weather.

"We had no practice," Gary said. "In the last two or three weeks, we've probably been outside three times. I'm not going to get the kids up at 4 o'clock in the morning. We just have to deal with it. Once God gives us a little breathing room, we'll do better with practice. But we're just offering knowledge right now."

− Dave Montrose

Barron Collier 49, Palmetto Ridge 0

Barron Collier only needed half a game to dominate their hosts in Friday night’s matchup. The game was called after two quarters due to inclement weather and the score.

Led by junior quarterback Niko Boyce, the Cougars pounced to an early lead on their first possession when Boyce connected with fellow junior Caden Hudson for a 47-yard touchdown. After getting a critical fourth down stop at their goal line, the Cougars scored on their second possession with senior Jackson Polly running in his first of three touchdowns on the night to give the Cougars a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

Just before the end of the quarter, head coach Mark Jackson called Polly’s number once more, and this time, the usually physical back finessed his way to the end zone on a 14-yard scamper. At the end of the first quarter, Barron Collier led 21-0. Boyce picked on Palmetto Ridge’s young secondary throughout the first half, going 14 for 16 for 264 yards and three touchdowns. One of the most impressive passes of the night came when Boyce dropped a 40-yard dime right over a Bears defender into the hands of his favorite target, junior Brody Graham, for a touchdown.

Barron Collier takeaways

1. Polly showed his not just a physical back, he can be fast. He demonstrated that with a quick cut to the left-side corner and sprinted down the sideline for a 67-yard touchdown. There was not a Palmetto Ridge defender in sight.

2. Despite the efficiency of Polly in the backfield, the air attack seems to be the Cougars’ most effective weapon. When asked about Boyce’s ability to impact the game with his arm, coach Jackson stated, “He’s a heck of a football player…I think we got a lot of weapons, so those two things complement each other.”

3. Barron Collier will get a bye week before hosting Bonita Springs in a 3S-16 matchup. The Cougars' defense has only given up 22 points in its first three games, including the preseason.

Palmetto Ridge takeaways

1. Offensively, Palmetto Ridge’s shotgun set has the potential to establish itself as an effective threat. Although senior quarterback Demetri Zertopoulis struggled to establish consistency, going 4 for 7 for 44 yards and one interception that was returned for a touchdown, he showed flashes of potential early in the game with his speed and strength.

2. Defensively, the Bears and head coach Zach Yates will need to find ways to help their inexperienced secondary bounce back. “We just have to keep moving,” Yates said. “We can’t get complacent, and we have to stop putting ourselves in bad spots.”

3. Palmetto Ridge will have to regroup as they will travel to the Orlando suburbs to play Lake Brantley (0-2) in the hopes of securing their first win of the season.

− Melvin Whitlock

Cypress Lake 35, Lake Placid 0

The Cypress Lake Panthers improved to 2-0 with a shutout win.

It was an offensive night for the Panthers, but early mistakes in the first half showed signs of trouble. The defense stepped up, made sure Lake Placid didn’t capitalize on them, and gave the offense and powerhouse running back Isaiah Livingstone the chance to retaliate.

With three touchdowns, 100-plus rushing yards, and great blocking for quarterback Tyrese Nelson, Livingstone made it look easy. E.J. Codie scored on a 15-yard run after a blocked punt recovery; a poised Nelson flawlessly facilitated handoffs.

Cypress Lake takeaways

Penalties and poor choices plagued the offense in the first half, leaving the defense to pick up the slack. The defense delivered, stopping their opponent’s every advance. Still, coach Joey Mendes said, “We were kind of playing with our heads down. The offense needed to fire off the ball, and that just wasn’t happening.”

The Panthers heeded their coach’s half-time lecture. “I said you guys got to step up,” Mendes said. Things started to click for the offense, and Cypress Lake dominated the second half with one touchdown after another.

− Mario Cordero

Oasis 16, Out of Door 7

Ryan Rosado kicked a short field set up by a Rex Williams interception. Fred Harley Jr. scored a third-quarter touchdown on the ground. The defense iced the game on a sack by Kyler Pudelski and the forced fumble was recovered by DeQuan Forte-Marsico for a touchdown.

− Staff Reports

Bayshore 42, LaBelle 14

The Cowboys were unable to start 2-0 on the season, falling to Bayshore 42-14. In the loss, Darian Robinson posted a pair of rushing touchdowns, with Zach Campbell completing a two-point conversation to Nathan Alvarado.

LaBelle will look to rebound against St. John Neumann next Friday.

— Staff Reports

Bonita Springs 28, Ida Baker 6

The Bull Sharks got in the win column, winning by three scores over the Bulldogs.

“After a sloppy first half by both sides, where we turned the ball over three times on offense and the defense couldn’t get off the field at times," Bonita Springs coach Rich Dombroski said. "The offense rebounded by controlling the clock and the ball, winning the second half 21-0, and not turning the ball over. Our defense played bend don’t break all night. I’m proud of the physicality our defense showed in the second half. It’s always nice to get that first win of the season.”

Chase Garcia had two rushing touchdowns, while Gavin Price and Daniel Haith had one touchdown apiece. Anthony Larkin went 3-for-4 on extra points for Bonita Springs (1-1).

— Staff Reports

St. John Neumann 16, Gateway Charter 8

The Celtics moved to 2-0 on the year with a one-score win over Gateway Charter.

Decker Crosby caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Jake Bruni, who also ran in a touchdown from a yard out.

"Great team win in the home opener," Neumann coach Rich Crosby said. "Not pretty as we shot ourselves in the foot offensively most of the night with costly drive killing penalties. Special teams and defense rose up and carried us. Good complimentary football."

"We lost a close one in a game where we have much to learn from," Gateway Charter coach Ben Daley said. "On multiple occasions we had our chances to take early leads and lost momentum due to turnovers or missed opportunities. Coming out of this game, we hope to have a better understanding of what we need to do to turn this season around."

Linebacker John Fusco had two sacks and a fumble recovery, Anthony Kanellos also had a fumble recovery, while Devon Hart had a sack.

The Griffins lost starting running back Marco Tomas with an ankle injury, and will look to bound back against Trinity Prep next Friday.

— Staff Reports

Canterbury 28, SFCA 6 (suspended 2nd Q)

The only thing that could stop the Canterbury Cougars' rushing attack Friday night was Mother Nature.

The Cougars racked up 156 rushing yards on just 13 carries, but a two-hour lightning delay put Canterbury's hopes for win No. 1 on pause. Canterbury grabbed a 28-6 lead over Southwest Florida Christian Academy when the game was suspended Friday night at SFCA park midway through the second quarter.

The game will be continued Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m.

Canterbury scored on three of its four possessions and added another score on an 88-yard kickoff return from Joseph De La Nuez. Brenden Daller scored twice for Canterbury on long runs, and Luke Fritz added another touchdown run in the second quarter, just before the lightning alarm sounded.

Eighth-grade quarterback Austan Cristiaan played the part of game manager for Canterbury, completing three short passes for 25 yards and scrambling twice for 20 yards.

SFCA's offense looked potent early, as quarterback Eli Moore led a drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Isaac Tanner. However, Canterbury's defense kept the King's in check for the remainder of the night, holding SFCA to just 14 yards on its final three possessions.

— Ryan Murphy

Other Scores

St. Thomas Aquinas 49, Fort Myers 0

Florida Christian 14, Aubrey Rogers 6

Bishop Verot-Lehigh postponed

Friday's contest between the Vikings and Lightning has been postponed, per Bishop Verot athletic director Greg Coleman.

"Due to a medical issue, tonight's game against Lehigh has been postponed," Coleman told The News-Press.

Verot has requested Monday, Sept. 25 as a makeup for the game. Lehigh is off the week of Sept. 22, giving them a chance to play when it's convenient for both sides.

Lehigh football coach Antwan Dixon declined to comment but posted a message on his Facebook account. It in part read: "It was completely my decision. Due to health concerns within the area, there’s no way I could’ve let the kids on both teams possibly be affected. I made a promise to myself that I would do everything in the best interest of these kids and I will continue to do that. My kids wanted to play no matter what but as their leader, I will not do that to them. You guys can say we are scared of the opponent but safety is first for me and my staff. So don’t target the kids, target me. I MADE THIS DECISION TO NOT PLAY. The game will possibly get rescheduled. I wish everyone playing tonight the best of luck!"

The families of Lehigh students received an email from the school district explaining the cancellation of tonight's game. It read: "Out of an abundance of caution and for the health of the students involved, Lehigh Senior High School is canceling tonight’s football game against Bishop Verot to prevent the transmission of a skin infection spread through person to person contact. All athletic facilities will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected over the holiday weekend so that normal team activities can continue next week. We thank our Lehigh family and Bishop Verot High School for their understanding."

— Alex Martin

THURSDAY

Mariner 49, DeSoto County 0

The revamped Tritons offense showcased a precise passing game in a decisive victory over the Bulldogs.

Senior quarterback Noah Tolbert completed 6 of his 8 passes for 106 yards and a career-high three touchdowns to three different receivers as Mariner improved to 2-0.

The Tritons, who averaged just 17 points per game last season, have been much more explosive so far this season under new offensive coordinator Ryan Hercek. After passing for just eight touchdowns all of last season, Mariner has six through two games.

Senior Justin Lewis completed his only pass attempt to senior Kelvin Jimenez for a 21-yard touchdown. Lewis also returned an interception 85 yards for a score and had a 60-yard punt return touchdown wiped out by a penalty.

“We have athletes that are unbelievable,” Mariner coach Josh Nicholson said. “Everybody has a little bit that they bring to the table and we try to make sure that everybody gets their turn.

“I’m excited to see how we grow. We’re really just getting started.”

The Tritons earned their first shutout since a 41-0 win over East Lee County in 2020. The 49 points were the most scored by Mariner since the 2015 season, which was a 57-48 victory over Cape Coral in the final game that year.

Mariner takeaways

1. The defense dominated. The Tritons held DeSoto (0-2) to just 80 total yards on 38 plays. Just one of those plays went for more than 10 yards. Mariner forced three turnovers and sacked Bulldogs quarterback Braden Moran four times.

“I challenged them that we were going to play cover zero and stop the run and take away their number one play,” Nicholson said. “They stepped up to the challenge and were disciplined in their assignments.”

2. Jimenez was a two-way standout. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Jimenez had four catches for 82 yards and a pair of scores. On the other side of the ball, he added two sacks, the first of which ended DeSoto’s best drive of the game when he dropped Moran for a 9-yard loss on a fourth down from the Mariner 16-yard line.

“Kelvin’s a monster,” Nicholson said. “Forget all the (football stats). He’s got a 4.98 GPA and a 1380 on the SATs. The kid is brilliant, a legitimate genius. He’s a great kid and a great player.”

3. Plenty to improve upon. Despite the easy win, Nicholson said Mariner still has lots of room to improve. The Tritons committed nine penalties for just over 100 yards, three of which wiped out touchdowns. They also had three extra-point attempts blocked.

“It’s a lack of discipline,” Nicholson said. “We’ve got to be better than that. This is not a young team anymore. You can’t make those mistakes and it’s veteran guys making them. We hold them to a higher standard They know better. “I won’t say I’m glad it happened. But it’s something that we can now fix early in the year so it doesn’t hurt us later.”

— Dan DeLuca

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Southwest Florida Week 2 high school football roundup with photo and video