YUNET JOMOLCA Baker Highs Rafaelito Palazzolo (9) lies on the turf after being tackled by multiple North Fort Myers defenders Friday night. More photos are available online at cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

Ida Baker entered Friday night’s District 5A-12 contest against North Fort Myers with a clear objective. They needed a victory to stay in the hunt for their first playoff berth in school history.

The host Red Knights, who had their own playoff aspirations dashed a week prior, were stingy in their role as spoilers.

The Red Knights (5-5, 2-2) clamped down defensively after Tommy Bohanon scored on a one-yard run in the second overtime, leading to a dramatic 35-28 victory at Moody Field.

Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime, including a seven-yard run by Baker’s Rafaelito Palazzolo, but the Bulldogs had a fumbled snap and sack that pushed them back on their final possession.

When a fourth-down pass sailed incomplete, the Bulldogs (4-5, 2-2) were eliminated from playoff contention.

YUNET JOMOLCA North High’s Tre Boston (6) changes direction to pick his way through Baker High’s defense Friday night at Moody Field. More photos are available online at cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

In the first quarter, both teams were held scoreless, but the game turned into a thriller.

North started the scoring midway through the second quarter on a nine-yard touchdown run by Robenson Merci.

Baker struggled the remainder of the second quarter, until the closing seconds of the half.

They intercepted a pass with seven seconds left and quarterback Jake York threw a desperation touchdown pass to Darryl Gary with one second left, tying it 7-7.

The Bulldogs struck quickly in the third quarter. Joseph Byrd returned the opening kickoff 99 yards, giving them a 14-7 lead.

Special teams led to the next two scores. At the start of the fourth, North blocked a punt and Kyle Schmidt recovered it in the end zone to tie it 14-14.

Later, the Red Knights lined up for a 30-yard field goal, but it was blocked and Mike Anderson returned in 70 yards for a score.

With three minutes left, Merci tied it again, scoring on a drive engineered by quarterback Mike Nelson.

After Palazzolo’s touchdown put Baker up in the first overtime, the Red Knights answered on a 10-yard TD pass from Nelson to Tre Boston.

Baker still has one regular-season game next Friday at Island Coast.

Ida Baker 0 7 7 7 7 0 — 28

North Ft. Myers 0 7 0 14 7 7 — 35

Second Quarter

NFM — Merci 9 run (Yeatter kick)

IB — Gary 34 pass from York (Dean kick)

Third Quarter

IB — Byrd 99 kick return (Dean kick)

Fourth Quarter

NFM — Schmidt blocked punt recovery (Yeatter kick)

IB — Anderson 70 return blocked FG (Dean kick)

NFM — Merci 18 run (Yeatter kick)

Overtime

IB — Palazzolo 7 run (Dean kick)

NFM — Boston 10 pass from Nelson (Yeatter kick)

NFM — Bohanon 1 run (Yeatter kick)