Football: Estero finishes tough season with 54-0 loss to Gulf Coast

ESTERO - Estero High head coach Bill Swats said just days before

his team's season finale against Gulf Coast that with a long,

disappointing year finally wrapping up, there was no real urgency

to go out and win the last one.

"I think it's a bit cliche-ish," the coach said of the idea that

winning the final game builds momentum and provides a positive mind

frame for the underclassmen heading into offseason workouts.

"Is it that important to go out and win the last one? The

season's already not what we had looked for, but we are going to go

out and give it our best effort. I have heard some of the

underclassmen say that they want to go out and win this fourth one

for the seniors, though."

Swats said he would use the game as an opportunity to play some

of the less experienced players on the roster, and that win or

lose, he and his staff were more concerned with assessing the

individual performances of his underclassmen.

Still, the coach couldn't have been too pleased with what the

scoreboard read at Estero Stadium after this one.The Wildcat

defense allowed 346 rushing yards, including a pair of 100-yard

backs in Rahshaan James (121) and Tim Alvaranga (116), and

quarterback Chadd Rivera had two touchdown runs in leading the

Sharks to a 54-0 drubbing of Estero on Friday. The Wildcats ended

the season with 3-6 overall record, 2-3 in 4A-12.

"We came out and played hard and had a lot of fun," said Sharks

head coach Frank Tudryn, whose team closed the season with a 5-5

mark overall, 1-3 in District 5A-12.

"I was really nervous because we didn't have a great week in

practice, and most people talk about how important it is to win the

last game and its importance on building for the future."

The future was supposed to be on display for Swats and the

Estero offense, who were hoping that quarterback Derek Hatfield

could improve in just the second start of his varsity career. The

sophomore completed 12 of 21 passes for 255 yards, three touchdowns

and two interceptions in last week's 59-20 loss in Fort Myers, and

Swats was hoping to see how the young signal-caller would react

against a less formidable opponent.

Hatfield did look impressive early, connecting with wideout

Brian Fitzgerald down the left sideline for a 35-yard gain on

Estero's second play from scrimmage. After completing 2-of-5 passes

for 43 yards in the first quarter, Hatfield was pulled for freshman

Caleb Nemitz, and would return to the Wildcat sideline in the

second half with his left arm in a sling.

Swats, who later helped sophomore receiver Jose Rodriguez off

the field with a foot injury, would not comment on the nature or

severity of Hatfield's injury after the game. The coach did say he

was pleased with the play of Nemitz, who was 1-for-4 for 1 yard,

and had six carries for eight yards.

"We kind of threw him to the wolves tonight," Swats said of

Nemitz, who unexpectedly saw his first varsity action. "He's good

throwing at the freshman level, but he can't read all the coverages

yet, so we wanted to limit his chances to throw tonight."

Gulf Coast started the scoring on their first possession of the

evening, with Alvaranga heading in off right tackle from eight

yards with 11:07 left in the first. The Sharks' never looked back,

building a 19-0 halftime advantage thanks to senior kicker Zac

Kolegue, who was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goal attempts from 37,

47, 33, and 24 yards.

The night wasn't a total wash for the Wildcats, who got a

respectable performance from tailback Bronwyn McCant (15 carries,

66 yards) and linebacker Francis House, whose two sacks helped

prevent further first half damage for Estero. Fitzgerald concluded

his impressive senior season with a pair of catches for 36 yards

and two carries for 15 yards.

Ultimately, the game came down to the Gulf Coast offensive line,

a week removed from allowing eight sacks against Naples, which

dominated the line of scrimmage and allowed the Sharks to chew

clock and yardage on the ground.

"(Our offensive line) has gotten a lot of abuse," said Tudryn,

whose team set a school record for wins (five) and shutouts (two)

this season.

"We have four underclassmen there, so they really needed this.

They lacked confidence, and by nature, offensive linemen are

sensitive guys."

Said Swats, "They just played better than we did. They did a

good job running their offense and their defense took some things

away from us. Our kids played as tough as we can play and that's

all I can ask of them."

In spite of the lopsided scoreboard, the Estero coach said he

was optimistic about his younger players and thinks the program is

headed in the right direction. Still, he said, there will be little

recovery time from what has been a tumultuous season in Estero.

"I'm never relieved," the coach said after addressing his team

in the end zone and the Estero stands emptied for the final

time.

"I have a passion for the game and for the kids. I'll take a

week or two off, and then we'll do it all over again. I have a

passion to watch these kids grow."