Fox Sports Florida was there Thursday night, as was every local TV outlet, for what was expected to be the game of the year in District 6A-11.

Then came the kickoff.

Mario Pender scored on a 63-yard run on the first play from scrimmage and the Island Coast Gators put on a clinic in the first half on both sides of the ball as they raced to a 30-0 lead and coasted past Fort Myers 37-7.

“All week we practiced with intensity and we came out fired up,” Pender said. “This puts us in the driver’s seat. We have to keep the momentum.”

Pender, who ran for 193 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns, wasn’t the only weapon at the Gators’ disposal. Junior T.J Johnson also scored twice with 109 yards rushing and another 68 receiving. Michael Dumas churned out 59 yards and a rushing touchdown.

“Looking back in history, we’ve always had headliners out there,” said Gators coach Joe Bowen. “We’ve always been balanced in who gets the ball.”

The Gators (5-1, 3-0 district) wasted no time in taking the air out of the Green Wave as Pender went up the middle and outraced everyone to the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

Kevin Vigne later booted a 25-yard field goal to boost the lead to 10-0.

Fort Myers (4-2, 1-1) went with a no-huddle offense that kept the Gators defense off balance at the start, with two trips into the red zone. Both drives ended with a fumble that senior lineman Marcos Canino recovered for the Gators.

“Tonight was a great game. The defense played with passion and we were fired up,” said senior safety Jordan Diggs, playing his first home game of the season. “We came out and played our best game. On my first tackle I almost cried.”

The Gators took advantage as Dumas found Johnson on a 32-yard pass play, then Johnson ran around end for a 48-yard TD run to make it 16-0 after the blocked extra point.

Pender’s second touchdown came from 66 yards out, making it 23-0. Johnson found his way into the end zone just before halftime from 25 yards out to make it 30-0 at the half.

The Gators were in cruise control in the second half. The Green Wave got on the board late in the third quarter on Ricardo Altenor’s two-yard TD run.

Dumas got the TD back for the Gators on a one-yard plunge early in the fourth.

Altenor led the Green Wave with 51 yards rushing on 12 carries replacing Dalvin Battle, who was injured in the second quarter and ran for 32 yards. Quinton Smith rushed for 42 yards.

With a road trip to Bishop Verot next for the Gators, Bowen is cautiously optimistic.

“It’s great to be up 3-0 in the district, but on any given Friday, any team can get us.”

Fort Myers 0 0 7 0 7

Island Coast 16 14 0 7 37

First Quarter

IC – Pender 63 run (Vigne kick)

IC – FG, Vigne 25

IC – Johnson 48 run (kick blocked)

Second Quarter

IC – Pender 66 run (Vigne kick)

IC – Johnson 25 run (Vigne kick)

Third Quarter

FM – Altenor 2 run (Brosy kick)

Fourth Quarter

IC – Dumas 1 run (Vigne kick)