Mistakes doom Red Knights 21-14
All season, the North Fort Myers football team has been plagued by turnovers and penalties. With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, both reared their ugly heads again Friday night.
The Red Knights turned the ball over on their first two offensive plays and had a potential game-tying touchdown in the final minute called back by a penalty as Lemon Bay held off North 21-14 at Moody Field in a do-or-die District 5A-14 matchup.
The loss all but knocked the Knights out of playoff contention, while Lemon Bay remains alive following a Dunbar loss.
“We played a team that was more composed and when it was crunch time, third down, they made the plays,” North coach Earnest Graham said. “They did what they’ve done all season to stay in football games, and we can’t seem to stay poised in pressure situations. We have better players, but we’re not a better team.”
A fumble recovery by Kenneth Kersey gave North the ball at their 30-yard line with no timeouts and 1:52 left.
Quarterback Jacob Duff completed a third-and-15 pass to Zaqaundre White to midfield with 1:04 left.
The Red Knights (3-5, 2-3) couldn’t stay composed. White committed a personal foul to back them up 15 yards before Duff found Brandon King for 20 to make it fourth and nine.
On the next play, Duff found Joseph Wilkins down the sidelines for a 48-yard TD pass with 24 seconds left. However, a North lineman went downfield early to negate the touchdown. The ensuing long pass was knocked away to end it.
“It’s crazy. It’s been happening to us all year. Our main focus is discipline in practice, and when you play Lemon Bay you have to be as disciplined as them,” Duff said. “Our offense committed penalties, the defense was great. It’s tough.”
Duff was 11-for-17 passing for 217 yards, had 42 yards rushing to lead the team, and ran for and threw for touchdowns.
Lemon Bay (5-3, 3-2) used discipline and ball control to take command in the second half. Trailing 7-6 at halftime, the Manta Rays went 70 yards on 16 plays while chewing up almost eight minutes before quarterback Jeremy Snook, who rushed for 109 yards on 20 carries and two scores, bulled in from a yard out to make it 14-7 after the two-point conversion.
On the next possession, Lemon Bay held the ball for nine plays and more than five minutes, with Snook going around the end on a keeper and darting 42 yards to the house to make it 21-7 early in the fourth quarter.
North struck two minutes later as White made a catch, then juked and jived his way to the end zone to make it 21-14 with 6:21 left in the game.
Lemon Bay held the ball for 10 more plays and reached the North 30 before Snook fumbled to set up the climax.
Penalties were a killer. North committed 14 for 130 yards versus Lemon Bay’s three for 27.
Lemon Bay 6 0 8 7 – 21
North FM 7 0 0 7 – 14
LB – Marinola 1 run (kick failed)
NFM – Duff 20 run (Gentile kick)
LB – Snook 1 run (Mostyn pass from Chapman)
LB – Snook 42 run (Depersia kick)
NFM – White 27 pass from Duff (Gentile kick)