Prep football: Wolfpack squeak by Charlotte, remains perfect

Wolfpack squeak by Charlotte

South gets 28-27 nondistrict win.

FORT MYERS — Somehow South Fort Myers and its undefeated season survived.

A five-yard touchdown run by Kelsey Dawson and the ensuing extra point kick from Connor Kammerlocher with 1:44 left in the game lifted South to a 28-27 nondistrict win against Charlotte on Friday night.

"I don't like them that close, but I'll take it," said South coach Grant Redhead, whose team upped its record to 9-0. "It was a great football team we played. It was a great game. They made plays; we made plays. Both teams ran the ball well. That's what you get out of Charlotte. They're a great football team and they're always going to be tough. I was proud of my kids in the way we came back."

As if the night couldn't get any better for South, the Wolfpack learned after the game that they had clinched the Class 6A-District 11 title with Fort Myers' victory against Ida Baker. South, which concludes its regular season next Friday at Baker, will host a regional quarterfinal on Nov. 16.

The Wolfpack, who have not lost a home game since 2009, rallied from a 27-14 third quarter deficit.

Senior quarterback Andrew Dailidonis threw his second touchdown pass of the game late in the third quarter when he rifled a bullet to tight end Alex DeJesus for a 15-yard score that brought South to within six.

Charlotte had a chance to pad its lead, but a 30-yard field goal attempt from Austin Taylor, who earlier made a 57-yarder as well as a 41-yarder, went wide with 7:20 left in the game.

Down six points and faced with fourth and one at their own 29, South opted for a fake punt with 5:30 left. Speedy sophomore Antwan Dixon took a short snap and sprinted to the outside for an 18-yard gain that fueled the go-ahead scoring drive.

On the drive, Robert Brown rushed eight times and Dailidonis twice connected with wide receiver Eddie Collins, who earlier in the game caught a 15-yard touchdown. Dailidonis also completed a pass on the drive to homecoming king Dakota Phillips, but it was Dawson, using a block from Collins, that became the evening's hero as he scored the tying touchdown.

Both team's offensive lines had outstanding games. South's line — Brandon Rothhammer, Montrell Frei, Kyle Palmer, Cody Fordham and Joe Gold — paved the way for a career-best 203 yards on 24 carries from Brown, who broke out of a crowd for a 69-yard gallop into the end zone tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter.

"I give a lot of credit to our offensive line. They did a really good job today," DeJesus said.

South kept its perfect record intact despite allowing 216 yards on 30 carries to Charlotte's Clyde Newton — who often twisted and turned his way out of defenders' grasps — and all the distractions that come with homecoming and senior night.

Taylor's 57-yard field goal with a steady breeze at his back gave the Tarpons a 17-14 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Tarpons (5-3) received a 44-yard touchdown run from Newton and two touchdown passes from Brennan McGill, who connected with Dwight Reynolds from 12 yards in the first quarter and with Kei'onte Lattimore from 43 yards in the second quarter as South's secondary looked shaky at times. Charlotte held a 24-14 lead at halftime.

"I was happy with our running game," said Charlotte coach Mickey Waldrip. "We threw the ball well. We just didn't seem to find a way to win in the fourth quarter, but I'm proud of them. We came down here and played hard tonight."