Cape High quarterback Ivan Harvin (0) sprints out and looks for a receiver down field with pressure coming from the North Fort Myers defense. CJ HADDAD

It came down to a single drive with advantageous field position for the North Fort Myers Red Knights to come out with a 7-0 win over Cape C

The Seahawks (0-1) coughed up the ball on a quarterback/running back exchange in the third quarter, and after two personal foul calls, the Red Knights (1-0) set up shop on the Cape 20-yard line.

A few plays later, it was junior quarterback Caleb Curls who ran it in from 1-yard out for the first and last score on the night. Curls came in the game for an injured Cadeon Conn.

“He did a great job,” said North head coach David Pasquale. “He’s a kid that’s bought-in and done everything he can to make himself better. And he was prepared for the moment.”

It was an offensive struggle for both teams for the majority of the game, with both defenses stepping up to the plate. The Seahawks forced and recovered a North fumble on the just the second play from scrimmage, but they were unable to turn it into points.

North Fort Myers quarterback Caleb Curls (16) and teammate Charles Lombardo (6) take a moment after Curls scored the only touchdown of the game Friday. CJ HADDAD

Cape Coral again turned over the Red Knights in the first quarter, intercepting Conn. Once again, the North defense shut down the Seahawks’ offense.

“I like the way our defense played the entire game,” Pasquale said. “They got after the quarterback, eliminated the run, made the quarterback move around, and that’s exactly what our game plan was.”

It looked as if Cape Coral broke the scoreless game in the second quarter, when senior quarterback Ivan Harvin scrambled out of the pocket and found a receiver in the end zone, but a holding call brought it back.

Tyler Murphy, first-year head coach of the Seahawks, said he was happy with the way his team fought, but that they have some adjustments to make moving forward.

“I thought we battled,” Murphy said. “I think defensively, our guys were physical (and) did a good job. I think offensively, we had our struggles. And a lot of the struggles were self-inflicted. There are some things we have to clean up ASAP leading into our next game.”

Following North’s touchdown with 4:32 to play in the third quarter, the Seahawks put together its best drive of the game and worked deep into Red Knights’ territory. That’s when North’s sophomore linebacker Adrian Rivera came up with a huge sack and fumble on Harvin, giving the ball back to North.

“It’s a huge play,” Pasquale said. “At the end of the day, the game of football comes down to four or five key plays in the game. And that was one of those plays.”

The fourth quarter featured some back-and-forth action, but neither team was able to tack any additional points on the board, though the Red Knights did go into victory formation in the red zone to run out the clock. Junior running back Christian Weber led the way on the ground for North, totaling 86 rushing yards on 20 carries.

“He was the horse. He was the stallion tonight,” Pasquale said. “At the end of the day, we have a lot of good running backs. But he was the guy we leaned on tonight.”

As for the offensive tweaks Murphy is looking for moving forward, he said, “For me, I have to simplify it. We maybe put a little too much on their plate where they couldn’t play fast. So try to simplify it and just make sure they understand their blocking assignments and we’re in-sync.”

Pasquale also chimed in with some offensive adjustments he wants to see from his squad.

“Focus on the fundamentals,” he said. “It comes down to fundamental football. At the end of the day, you win football games by taking care of the football, and you win football games by taking the ball away. It all comes back down to the basics.”

This week, North hosts Port Charlotte (1-0), while Cape Coral travels to Lemon Bay (0-1).

1 2 3 4 F

North Fort Myers 0 0 7 0 — 7

Cape Coral 0 0 0 0 — 0

3rd Quarter

NFM: Caleb Curls, 1-yard rush; Brooke Hankinson kick