Football: Dunbar takes down Lely, 26-6

FORT MYERS -- Lely High coach Chris Metzger decided to defer the

game's opening coin toss, opting to kick the ball to the host

Tigers in a move that would ultimately be the only time his Trojans

controlled anything.

Dunbar High (7-2) did its part in keeping their slim postseason

hopes alive, riding tailback Brandon Fuller's 96 yards to a 26-6

victory over the Trojans at Tiger Stadium on Friday night.

"We did not perform very well at all," said Metzger, whose team

still qualified for a postseason spot with Barron Collier's victory

over Cape Coral. "Our defense played very good football for

three-and-a-half quarters, but there were too many mental mistakes

all the way around."

Those mistakes included eight penalties for 70 yards, and a

passing game that disappeared quicker than a Halloween candy haul.

Quarterback Ward Tanner did not complete his first pass until 57

seconds remained in the third quarter, and he finished the night

5-for-17 for just 50 yards, with three interceptions.

The first of the three interceptions put Dunbar on the board

with 2 minutes 17 seconds to go in the first quarter, when

cornerback Brandon Jackson returned a deep out down the left

sideline to put the Tigers up 6-0.

Dunbar would add another score when quarterback Cole Stinson

(5-of-13, 52 yards, 1 TD, 1 interception) hit a wide-open Wilford

Garner, giving the Tigers the 14-0 advantage at the half.

A Fuller touchdown run with 8:58 left in the third gave Dunbar a

20-0 edge, and a 68-yard punt return by Chris Singleton finally put

things out of reach for Lely.

A late, clock-chewing drive by Lely, which was capped by a

1-yard Fritz Jacques touchdown run spoiled the shutout for the home

team and helped Lely end on a relatively positive note heading into

their final game, but this one had long been over for the

Trojans.

"They have some very talented athletes, but we have got to get

better," a disappointed Metzger said after making his team do

pushups in the endzone following the game. "It's our job as coaches

to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Lely: 0 - 0 - 0 - 6 -- 6

Dunbar: 6 - 8 - 12 - 0 -- 26

Scoring

D -- Jackson 14 interception return (kick failed)

D -- Garner 8 pass from Stinson (Stinson pass to Garner)

D -- Fuller 5 run (run failed)

D -- Singleton 68 punt return (run failed)

L -- Jacques 1 run (run failed)