Island Coast football coach Joe Bowen learned a lot of things about his team in Friday’s preseason game at Lehigh.

For one, the jump from Class 2A to 6A will be a tough one for the Gators. Also, they won’t win many games when they commit five turnovers.

They also learned that star running back Mario Pender will wallpaper over any flaws in the Gators’ attack.

Pender ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns as the Gators overcame a sloppy first half before turning things around after halftime and pulled away for a 20-9 win in the final tuneup before the regular season opener next week.

“We faced a good team. It’s a positive that we came out with the victory. We know we have things to work on,” Bowen said. “It’s the turnovers that bothered me.”

Lehigh scored all its points off turnovers, including the first one on Island Coast’s first possession.

Isaac Reed pounced on Willie Fleming’s fumble on the Gators’ second play from scrimmage to put the Lightning in business at the 32.

Ten plays and four minutes later, senior Manny Copeland took a direct snap and scored from four yards out to make it 6-0 after the extra-point was blocked.

After Lehigh pinned the Gators deep on the ensuing kickoff, Pender took the pitch, eluded several tacklers, found a hole in the middle and kicked it into high gear for a 94-yard touchdown run for a 7-6 lead after Kevin Vigne’s PAT.

“There’s a reason he’s the No. 1 back in the state,” Lehigh coach Pete Fominaya said. “He’s so strong and physical and blessed with speed.”

Island Coast turned the ball over twice more in the half, but Lehigh couldn’t cash in to keep the score 7-6 at the break.

On their first possession of the second half, Gator quarterback Mike Dumas was picked off by junior defensive back Quashae Cobb who returned it to the Gators’ 15. The Lightning settled for a 35-yard field goal for a 9-7 lead.

The Gators responded with a 10-play, six-minute drive that ended with Pender breaking several tackles on a fourth-down carry and taking it 20 yards to grab a lead they would not relinquish at 13-9.

The Gators iced it in the fourth on a one-yard plunge by Dumas, set up by Pender’s 26-yard burst to make it 20-9.

The Gators gained 271 yards on the ground as they wore down Lehigh’s big front seven. Dumas added 81 yards rushing. Defensively, Vincent Green recovered a fumble and Luis Olivo had a pair of sacks to contain Lehigh’s star quarterback Malik Simmons, who was held to 39 yards rushing.

“Our lines are doing good work. Having guys in front of them for three years pushed them. They learned from the players from the past,” Bowen said. “We wanted to prove something.”

Island Coast 7 0 6 7 20

Lehigh 6 0 3 0 9

First Quarter

L – Manny Copeland 1 run (kick failed)

IC – Pender 94 run (Vigne kick)

Third Quarter

L – FG, Chris Ludwig 35

IC – Pender 20 run (kick fail)

Fourth Quarter

IC – Mike Dumas 1 run (Vigne kick)