Top teams collide at Cape High
The first weekend of the college football season served as a reminder for the Cape Coral High football team, as top-ranked teams like Pittsburgh, Clemson and Tennessee stumbled in season openers.
After a 10-3 season and a trip to the Class 5A regionals finals, the Seahawks are receiving tons of attention in preseason polls, which coach Mike Goebbel wants his team to ignore.
“In my opinion, the polls and stuff don’t mean anything until the end of the season,” he said. “Look at the Top 25 teams that went down. It’s nice to get the respect, but only at the end does it matter.”
The Seahawks open the season Friday night at Dave Warkentin Field against Immokalee. It’s an early-season showdown of teams with playoff aspirations. The Seahawks pulled out a 24-14 win at Immokalee to open last season.
The opening night of the high school football season features several rematches from last year, including Mariner at North Port, East Lee County at Ida Baker and Hardee County at North Fort Myers. Newcomer Island Coast plays its inaugural varsity game at Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy.
It’s the third straight year the Seahawks and Indians have met in the opener. Immokalee won 35-9 in 2006.
The Indians have been one of the powerhouse teams in Southwest Florida in recent years, winning a state title in 2004 and going undefeated in 2006, but were ineligible for the postseason after the state discovered they used an overage player.
The Indians are in transition after longtime coach John Weber retired, but Goebbel said they still have a lot of talent to work with.
After a lengthy competition for starting quarterback, senior Colin Saring has been given the nod for the season opener.
Mariner at North Port: After losing 28-0 to Gulf Coast in the spring game, Mariner decided to get away from its traditional smashmouth running game. They showcased more of a spread-style attack in the jamboree against Fort Myers.
The Tritons had success moving the ball. Quarterback Gabby Rojas led the offense, mixing the run and pass. The offense was held back by three fumbles, but Rojas completed a pass on fourth-and-three to running back Eric Mitchell.
The Tritons, who are coming off a 6-4 season, take on North Port in the season opener, winning 10-7 in triple overtime last season.
East Lee County at Ida Baker: Baker was plagued by turnovers and costly penalties against North Fort Myers in the jamboree.
The Bulldogs reached the North 11 late in the first quarter but a false start penalty pushed them back, and ultimately led to a field goal.
In the second quarter, after a long sustained drive, quarterback Sean Francis was intercepted in the end zone by North’s Tre Boston.
The Bulldogs gained their first ever varsity win against East Lee County, 42-0, to open last season. The Jaguars are still searching for their first win.
Hardee County at North Fort Myers: The Red Knights ran just three offensive plays in the jamboree’s first quarter against Baker, but led 13-3. They were helped by the defense when Marcus Lewis returned an interception 60 yards for a score and by the special teams when Mike Becker returned a kickoff 90 yards for a score.
The Red Knights hope for some redemption when they open the season at Moody Field. They lost 20-7 at Hardee County last season.
Island Coast at Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy: After not playing a spring game or a preseason classic, Island Coast finally hits the field for a game — its first varsity contest.
The Gators set the foundation last season as freshmen by posting a 7-1 record. Their first home game is Sept. 12 against Evangelical Christian.