Island Coast junior William Pinto (2) scored both goals in the Gators' shutout of Ida Baker Friday night. To view more photos from the match, see the Cape Coral Breeze Facebook page. MICHAEL PISTELLA mpistella@breezenewspapers.com

The Island Coast boys soccer team edged out Ida Baker in a 2-0 district road victory Friday night full of intensity and competitive energy.

The win seals at least the No. 2 seed in the 5A District 11 standings for the Gators (9-3-2), who have a chance at the No. 1 seed depending on the results of their and Cape Coral’s final game. Island Coast assistant coach Don Pertner (serving as head coach on the night) said the win was crucial not just for their placement heading into the postseason, but for the team’s moral.

“This is our rival, we’ve got a lot of friends of both sides, but it’s a game we want,” Pertner said.

Island Coast junior William Pinto supplied both goals, first scoring just before the half in minute 36, flicking a throw-in off of his boot, and again in minute 78, striking a well-placed shot in the top right corner of the post after a set up from senior standout Jim Midy.

For Ida Baker (4-9-3), the offense just couldn’t muster a score despite a well-energized first half and ended up down players late in the contest due to countless yellow cards on both ends. With the loss, the Bulldogs will likely finish third in the district standings.

Island Coast junior Orlando Vargas (5) heads the ball during the Gators' 2-0 win at Ida Baker Friday night. To view more photos from the match, see the Cape Coral Breeze Facebook page. MICHAEL PISTELLA mpistella@breezenewspapers.com

“We knew going into this game that it was going to be a battle, and it was going to be a battle for power rankings,” said Bulldog head coach Cris Greene.

Greene felt the chippy atmosphere of the match resulted in his team having to reel in their emotions.

“It’s hard to find that line,” he said. “I think we played very well in the first half and sent a message and held our own. If we can learn to finish, we’ll be in a much better spot. We want to play these guys again down the road. That’s our goal.”

This marks the seventh consecutive victory by the Gators and their fourth shutout on the year. This season has been quite the turnaround for a club that posted a 5-12-2 record last season with a 37-64 goal differential. This year, they’ve outscored teams by a margin of 50-19 with one match left.

“We’ve been growing steady every week,” Pertner said. “It’s like a big family here. We’ve all got each other’s back, and it’s all about love with these guys – commitment. Our coaches, we love them and they love us and that’s what makes a good team.”

Ida Baker junior Lhegend Carter (2) races through the offensive zone during the Bulldogs' match against Island Coast Friday night. To view more photos from the match, see the Cape Coral Breeze Facebook page. MICHAEL PISTELLA mpistella@breezenewspapers.com

The Gators take on Lehigh (7-7) this Thursday in their regular season finale at home for Senior Night.

Ida Baker has three left on their schedule, next taking on Lely (12-3-3) on the road.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj