Ida Baker stumbles in preseason tilt with Fort Myers
Ida Baker had a tough time handling a talented Fort Myers team in its preseason football match-up, losing 41-0 at home.
The Bulldogs couldn’t quite find an offensive rhythm throughout the game, while the Greenies big-play prowess was on full display.
Fort Myers sophomore Madrid Tucker and senior Ricardo Noel both had rushing scores of 90-plus yards, with Tucker’s going for a game-high 93.
When asked what he’d like to take from the game, Ida Baker head coach Chuck Faucette said, unsurprisingly, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. We played like a JV team. We’re nowhere near where we need to be to compete with the upper-tier teams. If we don’t play better, we’ll be in trouble next week.”
Fort Myers got rolling from the jump, putting together a 17-play, 87-yard drive to open the contest. Tucker scored his first touchdown of the game to cap things off, reeling in a great pass from quarterback Chris McFoley in the corner of the end zone, going to up get the ball at its highest point and staying in-bounds for the 24-yard highlight.
The Bulldogs would punt on their ensuing possession and Fort Myers scored once more. This time it was La’ern Bonelli rushing 19 yards on the sixth play of the drive.
Ida Baker got a jolt when their next punt back to the Greenies was muffed and recovered by the home team, but the Bulldogs were unable to gain a first down with good field position.
Without a few key playmakers in the lineup due to early-season injury precaution, Faucette said some underclassmen were put into roles they would normally not find themselves in. Ida Baker is a young team as it is.
As for their offensive output, he said, “We should have blocked a little bit better up front. You could see our struggles out there as a whole. We’re not ready yet.”
Before the first half came to a close, Tucker made his 93-yard run to the house to give Fort Myers a 20-0 lead at the break.
Noel scored his first of the game, a 3-yard run, early in the third quarter. Tucker brought in another touchdown from McFoley, a 45-yard catch-and-run, also in the third. And Noel capped the scoring with his 90-yard scamper early in the fourth to make it a running clock.
“Defensively, it’s too much,” Faucette said. “We’re missing assignments.”
Despite the score, there were a few bright spots for Ida Baker. Senior Franky Rivera picked off McFoley towards the end of the second quarter, and senior Cason Humble provided an offensive spark in the fourth, putting together some first down runs.
“He’s got some fight,” Faucette said of Humble. “I’m glad to have him. He’s got to play both ways for us.”
Ida Baker kicks off the regular season next week against Cape Coral at Cape High at 7 p.m.
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Fort Myers 14 6 14 7 — 41
Ida Baker 0 0 0 0 — 0
1st Quarter
FM: Madrid Tucker, 24-yard reception from Chris McFoley (Vaughn Lennon kick) 5:18
FM: La’ern Bonelli, 19-yard run (Lennon kick) 1:26
2nd Quarter
FM: Tucker, 93-yard run (kick fail) 10:43
3rd Quarter
FM: Ricardo Noel, 3-yard run (Lennon kick) 8:19
FM: Tucker 45-yard reception from McFoley (Lennon kick) 5:47
4th Quarter
FM: Noel, 90-yard run (Lennon kick) 11:09
To reach CJ HADDAD , please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com