Football: Indians claim region title

IMMOKALEE -- This season, Immokalee High School's Louis Gachette

has been an embattled figure. But Friday night against Clewiston he

put that all behind him.

The senior threw for two touchdowns and 198 yards to lead the

Indians to the Class 2A Region 3 Championship with a 36-21 victory

over the Tigers at Gary Bates Stadium.

On the left-handed arm of Gachette, Immokalee (8-4) advanced to

the state semifinals next Friday. The Indians will face

Hollywood-Chaminade, which defeated Miami Belen-Jesuit 49-7, in

Hollywood.

"I love you man," coach John Weber said, nearly in tears as he

hugged Gachette during the team's postgame gathering.

Later, Weber would say, "He had a great week him and I

communicated all week I thought there was a bond between us. He had

a great ball game."

Just a month ago, Weber and Gachette were involved in a practice

incident that resulted in the coach being suspended for two games.

It also affected Gachette's confidence.

"It was the best game that I ever had," said Gachette who was 7

for 14 on the night.

"Things were kind of iffy. They played a 5-3 defense, which was

different than the last game. I had worked on my technical problems

and I had more confidence in my line. This is big."

Gachette gained the confidence of his team trailing 7-0 in the

second quarter and faced with a fourth and 16. From the Tigers

39-yard line, Gachette stayed poised and threw a bullet that wide

receiver Earnest Jean managed to handle at the goal line for a

touchdown.

Sophomore Javarris James converted the two-point conversion run

and Immokalee grabbed the lead and the momentum.

"When you turn fourth-and- 16 into a touchdown that's a plus,"

Weber said.

And just when it looked like the Tigers (5-6) were going to make

a comeback, Gachette once again seized the moment.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Tigers cut the margin to

seven points, capitalizing on bad punt snap. Indians punter Renan

Saint Preux innocently put his knee down trying to scoop up the

errant snap, giving Clewiston new hope on the 18-yard line. Three

plays later quarterback Robert Johnson made it a one touchdown

game.

It took the Indians just one play to end the threat. After a

nifty 45-yard kickoff return by Jean, Gachette hit speedster

MacIntosh Nicolas in stride for a 51-yard scoring strike.

All but one of the Indians' scores where set up by Gachette's

passing. After the first touchdown, two different passes to James,

for 24 and 50 yards, resulted in short TD runs by Wilbur Jean to

give the Indians a 20-6 halftime lead.

Senior Larry Hicks, who scored on a 51-yard run, was the

Indians' leading rusher with 76 yards.

The Immokalee defense kept Clewiston and especially Johnson at

bay most of the night forcing four turnovers. Nicolas picked off

Johnson twice and Rock Magis added another. Ricardo Gomez recovered

a fumble that set up the Indians' second score.

One man who watched the game from a different view point than he

did the first meeting between the Indians and the Tigers was

Immokalee assistant coach Phil Vogt. After acting as interim head

coach in the first encounter, he observed Friday's game from the

press box, adding valuable input.

But Vogt was quick to heap all the praise on Weber.

"The plan we had before was the plan Coach Weber gave us," said

Vogt, who guided the Indians past the Tigers, 46-21 in the first

match-up. "We didn't do anything different. We just stayed the

course that man set up. He is a great coach."

Clewiston -- ImmokaleeFirst downs -- 17 -- 10

Rushing yards -- 36-189 -- 23-127

Passing yards -- 16 -- 198

Passing-intercep. -- 1-10-3 -- 7-14-0

Fumbles -- 1-3 -- 0-1

Punts -- 2-45 -- 4-34

Penalties -- 2-17 -- 4-30

Clewiston -- 7 -- 0 -- 7 -- 7 - 21

Immokalee -- 0 -- 20 -- 8 -- 8- 36

Scoring

C - Rubio 31 run (Rubio kick)

I - E. Jean 39 pass from Gachette (James run)

I - W. Jean 4 run (pass failed)

I - W. Jean 1 run (pass failed)

C - Minikwu 1 run (Rubio kick)

I - T.C. Hicks 56 run (James run)

C - Robert Smith 4 run (Rubio kick)

I - Nicolas 51 pass from Gachette (Jean run)

Individual Leaders

Rushing - Clewiston: Adderly 21-97, Ru. Smith 2-31, Ro. Smith

6-13, Johnson 7-48. Immokalee: J. James 11-29, Hicks 5-76, Nicolas

1-12, Gachette 2- (-5) W. Jean 5-15.

Passing - Clewiston: Smith 1-10-3 16; Immokalee: Gachette 7-14-0

198

Receiving - Clewiston: Wood 1-16. Immokalee: Nicolas 1-50,

Anthony 2-39, E. Jean 1-39, Alce 1-6, James 2-74