Seahawks rally to zap Lightning 21-6
Dylan Bontrager was just fine Friday night.
The senior quarterback led the way as Cape Coral (7-2) put up 21 unanswered points in about six minutes for a 21-6 non-district win at Lehigh.
The Lightning (2-6) dominated play for more than a half, but couldn’t get enough points on the board.
After a scoreless first half, freshman Shocky Jacques-Louis raced 43 yards on an end-around to give Lehigh a 6-0 lead with 8:13 to play in the third quarter.
Then Cape Coral went to work.
Bontrager answered with a 17-yard TD run. Parker Stone’s kick gave the Seahawks a 7-6 lead at 5:53 in the third.
Miguel Repess’ interception put Cape right back in business, and Bontrager connected with Rasheen Bailey on a 26-yard score.
Two sacks and a short punt gave Cape the ball on Lehigh’s 22. MiCario Stanley scored from three yards out to make it 21-6 five seconds into the fourth quarter.
“We knew they were a physical team,” Seahawks coach Larry Gary said. “We knew that, but I didn’t think they would shutter our offense we just had a tough first half. Once we got it going we scored a few points.”
It was a physical game on both sides. And defense was in control for most of the night.
Lehigh had five sacks and Cape recorded six. There were seven fumbles, with Lehigh losing the ball three times and Cape giving it up twice. The Seahawks intercepted Lehigh quarterback Robert Clay four times.
Bontrager got the start despite one report that an injury would keep him out of the game. Bontrager, sacked seven times in Cape’s 17-13 loss to Dunbar a week ago, left that game with a leg injury.
Cape Coral, thanks to Island Coast defeating Dunbar on Friday, has a chance to make the playoffs.
The Seahawks face District 5A-14 foe and archrival Mariner next week in the regular-season finale. A win gets Cape a chance at the district runner-up’s playoff berth.
Cape, Dunbar and Lemon Bay all have two district losses. Island Coast has the district championship wrapped up.
“I think at the worst right now it’s a three-way tie,” Gary said if the Seahawks beat Mariner. “We’ve got to get this one.”
The Lightning made three first-half trips into the red zone but couldn’t cash in.
Lehigh got to the Cape 5 before fumbling on its first possession. A holding penalty stopped a drive in the second quarter that reached the Seahawks’ 19. Finally, on the first play of the half, a 17-yard Clay pass was intercepted in the end zone.
Lehigh blocked a 31-yard Stone field-goal attempt with 3:48 to play.
Cape Coral 0 0 14 7 – 21
Lehigh 0 0 6 0 – 6
L – Jacques-Louis 43 run (kick failed)
- CC – Bontrager 17 run (Stone kick)?
CC – Bailey 26 pass from Bontrager (Stone kick)?
CC – Stanley 3 run (Stone kick)?