MICHAEL PISTELLA Island Coast quarterback Micheal Dumas (6) tries to find running room against Lake Highland Prep Friday night. More photos are available online at: cu.cape- coral-daily-breeze.com.

The Island Coast Gators came up empty on the scoreboard in their first playoff game Friday night, but sure tried.

Even with 1.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Gators threatened at the 12-yard line, throwing a fade pass to the end zone that was batted down.

The host Gators tried a variety of players on offense, but never found the spark needed to turn the momentum in their favor, and Orlando Lake Highland Prep (10-1) prevailed 28-0 in the Region 3-2B semifinals game.

“We’re a young team, we’re trying to grow,” Gators coach Joe Bowen said. “We knew that running the ball would keep us in games, but down the road we would have to rely on the passing game. We needed it tonight and obviously it wasn’t pretty.”

The Gators (6-5) had rushed for close to 250 yards per game entering Friday’s contest. They ended with 187 yards on 39 carries, but the numbers are deceiving.

They struggled picking up first downs on the ground, and when forced to pass it led to disastrous results.

Lake Highland’s David Jean picked off sophomore quarterback Mike Dumas in the second quarter and returned the ball 28 yards for a touchdown.

Their final touchdown came on a 61-yard interception return by Taylor Barton on a pass attempt by Nelson Candelario in the fourth.

The Gators’ quarterbacks were a combined 2-of-10 passing for 19 yards.

The Gators fell behind 14-0. It had a lot to do with their mistakes.

After a promising drive to midfield, the Gators snapped the ball over punter Kyle Fitzgerald and the Highlanders took over at the Gators’ 37. They advanced the ball on the ground and quarterback Bobby Borcky scored on a sneak for the 7-0 lead.

Early in the second, the Gators fumbled a pitch attempt that set the Highlanders up at the 33. Sophomore Willie Fleming came up with a tackle on fourth down to halt that drive, but three plays later the Highlanders took a 14-0 lead on the interception return by Jean.

The Highlanders were aggressive in the first half, trying three onside kick attempts. They recovered one and caught the Gators off guard on the other two attempts.

“We’ve done that all year,” Highlanders coach Tim Borcky said. “That’s part of our special teams package. We give them the signals from the sidelines after we see where they’re lined up and we go from there.”

The Gators’ defense held tough in the first half. Junior Aaron Lynch had two sacks, giving him 14 1/2 on the season, and junior Jimmy Stewart had one sack.

With the Gators struggling to sustain offense, they began to wear down in the third quarter. After rushing 17 times for 64 yards in the first half, the Highlanders gained 128 yards on 17 carries in the second half. B.J. Simpson led with 111 yards and scored on 15-yard run early in the fourth to stretch the lead to 21-0.

The loss brings an end to the Gators’ impressive and in many ways surprising first full varsity season. They lose five seniors, but return 10 starters on both sides of the ball.

“I’m very proud of them,” Bowen said. “I don’t know many programs in their first year that made it to the playoffs. The future looks bright.”

Lake Highland 7 7 0 14 – 28

Island Coast 0 0 0 0 – 0

First Quarter

L – Bobby Borcky 1 run (Michael Rasmussen kick)

Second Quarter

L – David Jean 28 interception return (Rasmussen kick)

Fourth Quarter

L – B.J. Simpson 15 run (Rasmussen kick)

L – Taylor Barton 61 interception return (Rasmussen kick)