Port Charlotte storms past North, 63-7
After the game, interim North Fort Myers head coach Dwayne Mack could only shake his head, smile and say “no comment.”
What could he say? His Red Knights had just experienced shock and awe against Port Charlotte on Friday. Save for a few minutes in the first quarter, it was complete Port Charlotte domination as standout quarterback Logan Flaherty threw for five touchdowns as Port Charlotte handed North Fort Myers a 63-7 tumping in a game that had a running clock for the entire second half.
Port Charlotte is now 2-0 and has outscored its opponents 125-7. North is 0-2.
The Pirates scored twice in the first three minutes, sandwiched around a Chavon Lizana interception. Flaherty found Eli Pearl twice for 6 and 30 yards, respectively, to make it 14-0.
North Fort Myers tried to make a game of it. It drove 68 yards on eight plays, with Christian Weber running the ball in from four yards to get the Red Knights on the board.
The appeared set to tie the game after recovering a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Port Charlotte 28.
The Knights stalled and tried a short field goal. It was blocked and Ahmad’dra Greene scooped it up and ran it the other way for a score to make it 21-7 late in the first quarter.
The floodgates opened from there. In the second quarter, Flaherty hit Dallas Lambert on a nice 24-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone, then hit Pearl, then Lambert again on another nice catch. Late in the half, Greene made an interception on a screen pass and took it back 42 yards to make the score 49-7 at the half.
Bruce Blanden added another two touchdowns for the Pirates in the second half.
Flaherty was 14 for 16 for 265 yards and five touchdowns. Lambert had eight catches for 145 yards and two scores, while Pearl had four for 73 yards and three scores. Peter Kalphat had 78 yards rushing in garbage time for Port Charlotte while Blanden added 74 yards with his two touchdowns.
North Fort Myers quarterback Caedon Conn threw for 109 yards with two interceptions. Jamarion Irons had 48 yards on 16 carries to lead the Red Knights.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com