By DAVE DEVEREUX, “mailto:ddevereux@breezenewspapers.com”>ddevereux@breezenewspapers.com

Traveling to Sarasota for last Friday’s season-opening football game may have seemed like a difficult challenge for the young Island Coast Gators, who were playing their very first varsity contest.

Then again, the Gators are experienced at playing on the road. Al eight of their freshman games last season were played on the road, but they managed a 7-1 record.

Behind a powerful rushing attack, led by sophomore Phil Woolbright, the Gators defeated Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy 22-7 in their debut.

Woolbright, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound running back/linebacker, rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

“It was very exciting,” said Wool-bright, the Daily Breeze Football Player of the Week. “Our coaches had a good game plan and the line blocked well. It came together.“

Woolbright is one of a large group of players that helped get the program going as freshmen. They spent last season practicing behind Cafferata Elementary School before Island Coast High School was built. The Gators did not participate in either a spring game or a preseason classic.

Gators coach Joe Bowen said Woolbright consistently has displayed a team-first attitude on the practice field.

“He’s one of those kids that if you ask him to play on the line (even undersized) he’ll do it,” Bowen said. “In an ideal situation we would put him at defensive back, but we needed a linebacker and he was willing to do it.“

Woolbright, who helped lead a strong defensive performance Friday, said Island Coast was his second choice of schools. He applied for North Fort Myers High.

“I’m happy I chose to stick with it,” he said of Island Coast.

The Gators are gearing up for their first home game against Evangelical Christian this week.



Honorable mentions:



Nate Felder, Cape Coral: Senior running back filled in for injured starter Spencer Boyd, gaining 115 yards on 11 carries and scoring on a 55-yard run in a 17-0 win over Immokalee.



Ryan Schneider, Mariner: Senior running back/defensive lineman ran for one touchdown and recorded a safety in the Tritons’ win at North Port.



Tre Boston, North Fort Myers: Junior defensive back returned a fumble recovery 50 yards for a TD in the Red Knights’ win over Wauchula Hardee. He also has an interception and six tackles.