A roundup of FHSAA games and SSAA Week 1 games in Sarasota and Manatee County high school football games played on Thursday, Aug. 20 and Friday, Aug. 21.
THURSDAY
North Port 28, IMG Academy State 21
NORTH PORT — Victories in the season opener have been few and far between in North Port's football history.
And after getting throttled in a Kickoff Classic game against Wellen Park, it seemed like the Bobcats would face another season-opening defeat.
What a difference a week makes. Sophomore quarterback Cameron Wilson threw a touchdown pass and rushed for 59 yards as the Bobcats held off IMG State, 28-21, Thursday, Aug. 20, at the Preserve for their first season-opening win since 2021, when they beat Estero.
The first quarter was scoreless. IMG had a broken play that became a touchdown called
back by an illegal block, and its drive fizzled.
North Port broke the ice in the second thanks to a nifty trick play where Wilson pitched it to Jax Joseph, who threw the ball back to Wilson for a first down. Katavion Comadore ran it in from the four to give the Bobcats a 7-0 lead.
The Ascenders drove right back. A 46-yard pass from quarterback Huck Bortz to receiver William Schmitt set up a Bortz-to-Brent Hirshfield 13-yard scoring pass to tie the game.
North Port needed one play to retake the lead as Wilson connected with Zachary Patchell on a 72-yard catch and run, making it 14-7 with 1:40 left in the half.
The Ascenders tied the game on the first drive of the second half with a 13-play, 80-yard drive that chewed up half the third quarter.
North Port countered quickly. After a long Patchell kickoff return, Wilson and Patchell hooked up on their second TD of the night from 9 yards to give the Bobcats the lead for good.
Joseph returned a punt to the IMG 10. Comadore scored his second touchdown in the third quarter, making it 28-14.
Hortz and the Ascenders weren’t ready to quit. Hortz ran the ball for large chunks of yardage and finally hit Harrison Sobel with four minutes left to cut the lead to 28-21.
But the Bobcats ran out the clock, with Wilson hitting Ar'Marian Gilchrist on a 25-yard slant to clinch it.
North Port takeaways
This is a resilient bunch. After getting lit up by Wellen Park in the Kickoff Classic, the Bobcats never trailed on Friday. When they needed to respond or get a big play, they did. “There was a lot of talk going on after last week," Devon Gales said. "I told everyone we’re a different team this year. Last week things snowballed. This week, we showed who we were."
Cameron Wilson might be the real deal. Wilson had eight carries for 59 yards and threw for 104 yards and two touchdowns. His 18-yard run in the closing minute put the game away. “We love what Cam does for our team," Gales said. "He’s progressing as an individual and as a player, and we’re seeing him make the plays we expect him to make."
The four-minute offense worked. Comadore and Wilson ran out the clock, and Wilson had a huge completion on third down to Gilchrist with two minutes left. It ensured IMG wouldn't get the ball again. “We got the kids," Gales said. "Armarian hadn’t had his name called in two weeks. The biggest play of the game, we said we were going to throw to him and he would catch it. He did, and we ran out the clock."
— Chuck Ballaro
FRIDAY
Venice at Rabun Gap
Bayshore at Sarasota
Berkeley Prep at Cardinal Mooney
Riverview at Naples
Lakewood Ranch at Parrish Community
Wesley Chapel at Southeast
Wellen Park at Mariner
Pasco at Braden River
Manatee at Tampa Plant
Babcock at Out-of-Door Academy
Palmetto at Clearwater Central Catholic
Hudson at Saint Stephen’s
Sarasota Christian at Canterbury
Orlando Christian Prep at Bradenton Christian
The Classical Academy at Riverview Academy
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Football Roundup: North Port defeats IMG Academy State in season opener
