In the first round of the regional playoffs, the Cape Coral Seahawks defeated the Palmetto Tigers 23-3 Friday night at Dave Warkinten Field.

With the win, the Seahawks (10-1) advance to the Region 4A-3 semifinals next Friday at Charlotte, a 49-11 winner over Gulf Coast.

The Seahawks started roughly Friday night. Lined up in the shotgun on their first possession, the center snap sailed over quarterback Bryan Greenwell’s head. Palmetto recovered at the Cape 24. The Seahawks defense held on fourth-and-one at the 15 to get the ball back.

Cape then drove from their 15 to the Tiger’s 15, and faced a similar situation with fourth-and-inches. Greenwell bobbled the snap and in the scramble put his knee down short of a first down.

Palmetto took over, but gave the ball right back three plays later when Terrance Mann fumbled at the end of a 32-yard pass play.

The game’s first score came in the second quarter when the Seahawks took only two plays to get into the end zone. On second down at the 35, T.J. Johnson took an inside handoff and broke through the middle on a 65-yard sprint to the end zone. The first try at a two-point conversion was short, but Palmetto was guilty of a penalty. Dustin Thibadeau ran it in on the second try for an 8-0 lead.

Later in the quarter, Cape fumbled the ball again at their own 22. With a short field the Tigers tried to muscle their way through, but the Seahawks gave up only two yards on three plays. The Tigers settled for a 37-yard field goal by Carlos Vasquez.

Before the end of the half, both teams mounted good drives, but were prevented from reaching the end zone. Both teams missed field goals and the half ended with Cape leading 8-3.

Aided by a good kickoff return to the 45, the Seahawks drove the final 55 yards in six plays capped by Greenwell’s TD pass to T.J. Jiles in the right corner of the end zone. Again the Seahawks went for two and Jiles easily ran it in.

Late in the third quarter Palmetto got the ball at the Cape 36 after a punt. They picked up one first down, and drove to the Seahawks 21. On fourth down, QB Melvin Burston threw into coverage and was intercepted by Jiles at the 10. Jiles ran it back 63 yards into Palmetto territory.

The final exclamation point came midway through the fourth quarter. The Seahawks used 12 plays and more than four minutes of the clock. On first-and-goal at the 3, they tried to run it up the middle three times. On fourth down inside the 1, Cape was guilty of illegal motion putting the ball back at the 6. Johnson took a handoff to the right and dove into the end zone to complete the scoring.

“I thought our defense played really well,” said Seahawks coach Brad Metheny. “We gave them the ball three times deep in our territory, and they only came out with three points.”

Palmetto coach Dave Marino thinks the Seahawks have a good chance against Charlotte next week.

“I am happy with a win,” said Metheny. “Any playoff win is a good win. Next week we’ll definitely be underdogs.”

Palmetto 0 3 0 0 – 3

Cape Coral 0 8 8 7 – 23

Second Quarter

CC – T.J. Johnson 65 run (Dustin Thibadeau run)

P – FG, Carlos Vasquez 37

Third Quarter

CC – T.J. Jiles 15 pass from Bryan Greenwell (Jiles run)

Fourth Quarter

CC – Johnson 6 run (Jonathan Ramirez kick)