Baker rolls 45-23 despite turnovers
Ida Baker took advantage of opportunities. Island Coast didn’t.
Brennan Williams’ four touchdown runs led the Bulldogs to a 45-23 win over Island Coast Friday night in the second Crosstown Showdown at Island Coast.
Both teams had turnover problems – four Baker fumbles lost, two interceptions and a fumble lost by Island Coast. The difference was in what happened after the the turnovers.
“We made some mistakes offensively turning the ball over,” Baker coach Brian Conn said. “Our defense did a great job stopping them. I don’t think we gave up points on any of our turnovers, which was great. We were able to take advantage of their mistakes with points. That was the difference in the game.”
“That’s pretty much the gist of the game,” first-year Gators coach John Schowchow said. “Their breaks didn’t cost them. Our breaks cost us touchdowns.”?Jordan Diggs hit Jordan Lewis for a 65-yard scoring pass for the Bulldogs (4-6, 2-3 District 6A-10), and Luke Ensley found Rasheed Golden for another 65-yarder.
The Gators’ Marlon Gaymon caught two long TD passes from Kory Curtis and Antonio Greaves ran for another score. Smith Joseph caught Curtis’ third TD pass.
“This is a good football team,” Conn said. “Four and six, but lost an overtime game to Dunbar and played three top-10 teams. We could have scheduled very differently. The record would have been different, but the team would have been the same. It was a great year.”
For two teams used to being in playoff contention, this might have been the end of a disappointing season. The Crosstown Showdown, and bragging rights, meant there still was something to play for in the season finale. The trophy wound up in the Bulldogs’ hands, a kind of revenge for the Gators’ (2-8, 1-4) win in last year’s inaugural showdown.
The Bulldogs dodged a bullet right at the start. Baker muffed the opening kickoff, with Island Coast recovering at Baker’s 36. Two offsides penalties helped the Gators move closer, but Smith Joseph’s fumble as he fought for extra yardage inside the 10 saved the Bulldogs. Donte Carter made the fumble recovery for Baker.
It proved to be a huge reversal. Baker drove 93 yards to score on Williams’ 2-yard run. Williams scored twice more in the first half, on runs of 19 and 5 yards, as Baker opened a 22-0 lead. He had 91 yards rushing in the half.
Baker’s second score was set up by more Gators mistakes. Antonio Greaves’ 42-yard run gave the Gators a first down on Baker’s 20, but a bad snap on the next play began a series in which Island Coast kept going backward. Finally, on fourth down, an intentional grounding call gave the Bulldogs the ball near midfield. Baker’s scoring drive was aided by a 15-yard penalty before Williams ran in for a touchdown.
Shyheem Taylor recovered a fumble inside the Gators’ 10 to thwart another Baker drive after a short punt allowed them to start on the Gators’ 30. The Gators wound up punting again, and Baker increased its lead to 22-0 on a drive capped by Williams’ third TD.
Williams had 158 yards rushing on the night.
“He’s really turned it on late,” Conn said of Williams. “He’s always been a tough kid, but he’s really started to believe in the offensive linemen, to follow their blocks. He knows the scheme now. That’s been the difference.”
A fourth-quarter fumble recovery on Baker’s 15 led to nothing for the Gators when Quad Jenkins was stopped short on a fake field goal. Baker lost four fumbles in all.
Greaves scored on a 42-yard run with 1:11 left in the half to get Island Coast on the board. Greaves had 114 first-half yards on six carries, ending the night with 131 yards rushing.
Curtis and Marlon Gaymon connected on a 63-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to draw the Gators within 22-13. Island Coast tried an onside kick, but Baker recovered at midfield. That set up Williams’ fourth score, taking a pitchy from Rasheed Golden and running 17 yards to the end zone.
“We have a lot of young kids,” Schowchow said. “Hopefully, we grow up from that. Another year in the weight room, maturity in knowing how it plays out.”
For a team that has had four head coaches in two years, Island Coast may be able to look forward to some stability.
“I don’t plan on going anywhere,” Schwochow said. “Jokingly, knock on wood, I said I’ll be back unless I get hit by a bus.”
After the game, the Cape Coral Rotary Club presented $500 scholarships to Carter of Baker and Anthony Seaman of Island Coast.