Football: 'Cats in turmoil, fall to Green Wave

FORT MYERS -- It wasn't exactly the varsity debut Estero High

sophomore quarterback Derek Hatfield had in mind.

Making his first start by necessity rather than by choice

following a post-practice fight that resulted in three Estero

players being suspended or thrown off the team -- including

starting quarterback Anthony Rodriguez and backup Jeff Morse --

Hatfield was thrown into the teeth of a Fort Myers defense ready to

gobble up the skinny sophomore.

Hatfield didn't fold, though the Green Wave did have their way

with the Wildcats much of the night in a 59-20 victory.

Still, considering the disastrous week the program, it could

have been worse. Really.

"Our kids showed some character in the face of some adversity,"

said Estero head coach Bill Swats. "Derek had a nice little quarter

for himself. In the beginning he was a little jittery."

As were the rest of the Wildcats (3-6, 2-3 Class 4A District

12). Hatfield threw an interception on Estero's first possession,

and the Green Wave quickly turned it into a touchdown.

It was a pattern that would repeat itself time and again in the

first half. Fort Myers (7-2, 5-0) scored the first six times it

touched the ball, as the Wildcats couldn't stop whichever running

back the Green Wave put back there.

Fort Myers ran for 226 yards, much of it in the first half as it

quickly built a 42-0 lead.

Hatfield, to his credit, recovered to throw three touchdowns in

the second quarter on his way to 255 yards on the game. He

completed 12-of-21 passes with the three scores against two

interceptions.

"He made some mistakes," Swats said. "He's got to learn to get

it to the receiver or get rid of it."

The Wildcats would close to 45-20 late in the second quarter,

but the Green Wave were simply too much. Executing the Wing T

offense to perfection, the Green Wave ate up yards in bunches and

the Wildcats were powerless to stop them.

"All year long the kids have played a little bit at a time, we

haven't got 48 minutes," Swats said. "Fort Myers is a good football

team."

The Wildcats finish the season next Friday at home against Gulf

Coast.

Estero: 0 - 20 - 0 - 0 -- 20

Fort Myers: 28 - 17 - 7 - 7 -- 52

Scoring

FM -- Rivera 1 run (Dorchak kick)

FM -- McCutcheon 36 pass from Younger (Dorchak kick)

FM -- McCutcheon 1 run (Dorchak kick)

FM -- Renner 4 run (Dorchak kick)

FM -- Renner 3 run (Dorchak kick)

FM -- Marc 25 interception return (Dorchak kick)

E -- J. Rodriguez 61 pass from Hatfield (kick failed)

E -- Fitzgerald 45 pass from Hatfield (Caster pass from

Hatfield)

FM -- Dorchak 47 field goal

E -- Thomas 80 pass from Hatfield (run failed)

FM -- McCutcheon 1 run (Dorchak kick)

FM -- McBride 13 run (Dorchak kick)

Individual Leaders

Rushing -- Estero: Brandon Hannahan 2-14, Fort Myers: McCutcheon

12-72, Sergio Rivera 10-56.

Passing -- Estero: Derek Hatfield 12-21-2 255; yards Fort Myers:

Adam Younger 6-9-0 144 yards.

Receiving -- Estero: Brian Fitzgerald 8-93; Fort Myers:

McCutcheon 2-70.