High school football: Previews, predictions for Southwest Florida Week 1 games
Here are previews and predictions for Southwest Florida football games being played Thursday, Aug. 24, and Friday, Aug. 25. All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Port Charlotte at Bishop Verot
Time: 7 p.m. Thursday
What to watch for — Port Charlotte: This is a big-time Week 1 matchup between teams with state championship aspirations in their respective classes. The Pirates used the one-two backfield punch of senior Edd Guerrier and junior Ike Perry to power their way to a 33-14 over Dunbar in a kickoff classic. Look for Port Charlotte to try and pound the ball against Bishop Verot in an effort to keep junior quarterback Carter Smith and the rest of the Vikings’ offense on the sidelines. But if they choose to throw, the Pirates’ have a bevy of talented wideouts, led by senior Jamal Streeter. New quarterback Eli Manley, a senior transfer from Venice who had never started a varsity game, was solid in the win over Dunbar. Defensively, Port Charlotte is strong at every level, but especially up front where four-star junior defensive tackle Myron Charles will be a handful for Bishop Verot’s offensive line. Bishop Verot: The Vikings’ offense showcased its big-play ability in last week’s 60-27 win over Lely in a kickoff classic. Bishop Verot scored 54 points in the opening half, racking up nearly 500 yards of offense with Smith passing for 141 yards and rushing for 82 more. Sophomore running back Deshon Jenkins added 130 yards on the ground while the Vikings’ defense had three interceptions. They’ll get a physical test from the Pirates, who’d like nothing better than to avenge last year’s 57-49 defeat. Port Charlotte could be the best team the Vikings face during the regular season and a good performance here will go a long way toward legitimizing the state title chatter on Sunrise Drive.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Bishop Verot 38, Port Charlotte 35
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North Fort Myers at Fort Myers
What to watch for — North Fort Myers: The Red Knights handled their business in the kickoff classic, defeating Gateway 63-0. Quarterback Bryce Duross had an encouraging performance, scoring a 65-yard touchdown on a keeper on the team’s first play. He also connected with Andre Devine on two touchdown passes. Defensive lineman Adrian Stone also had a strong night. North has won their last three meetings against the Greenies, including a come-from-behind 16-10 win in overtime last season. Fort Myers: The Green Wave washed over Ida Baker with a 41-6 preseason win. Freshman Jyden German caught a 60-yard pass from quarterback Chris McFoley on the first play from scrimmage, and Alex Thelusma returned a punt for a touchdown in the game’s early going. The Fort Myers running backs saw some action as Frank Starks, John Holcy, and Trevon Moate all got in the red zone. McFoley also bought time and connected with Keiland Terrell for a 23-yard touchdown. The defense recovered two fumbles, and linebacker Bryan Fitzgerald intercepted a pass. Friday’s game, where the Greenies will be going for revenge against a rival, will be the first on the new turf field at Edison Stadium.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Fort Myers 27, North Fort Myers 24
Naples at Lehigh
What to watch for — Naples: This will be the 13th meeting between the Golden Eagles and the Lightning. Naples leads the series 7-5, winning the past six games, including a 45-9 victory last season at Staver Field. The Golden Eagles showcased their defense in last week’s 14-7 win over Gulf Coast in a kickoff classic. Naples forced a pair of turnovers and held the Sharks to just 115 yards and no offensive touchdowns. Junior running back Shawn Simeon rushed for 127 yards and a pair of scores and senior quarterback Jack Melton was solid in the short passing game. Despite losing a bunch of top-end talent to graduation, the Golden Eagles look to again be formidable, especially in the defensive back seven where they have arguably Southwest Florida’s best pair of defensive backs in seniors Kensley Faustin and Ben Bouzi. Lehigh: The Lightning got the Antwan Dixon era off to a positive start with a 26-8 victory in a kickoff classic. Lehigh got an outstanding game from its defense with sophomore Ja’kiee Robinson returning an interception 84 yards for a score, junior Sean Battle recovering two fumbles and junior Haykym Henry notching three sacks. Offensively, junior quarterback Dorian Mallory tossed two scoring passes to sophomore Marquan Young. The Lightning piled up a mind-boggling 25 penalties for 200-plus yards, something it simply cannot do against the Golden Eagles. Lehigh’s youthful front lines will be tested against a physical Naples team that is typically strong in the trenches.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Naples 35, Lehigh 8
Estero at First Baptist
What to watch for — Estero: The Wildcats hung with a deeper Barron Collier squad for three quarters Friday night, before the Cougars scored 28 points over the final 9:55 of regulation to win 38-14. Estero quarterback Matt Wilson completed 17 of 29 passes for 206 yards with a touchdown through the air and on the ground. Drew Arrington caught seven passes for 128 yards and a touchdown from Wilson. Luke Ghannam, the team’s projected No. 1 wide receiver, sustained an injury against Barron and did not return after catching three passes for 28 yards. With Estero rolling with 34 players on varsity, it’ll be worth watching to see if the team can hang in competitive ballgames for a full 48 minutes as the season progresses. Malik Allen, who rushed for 36 yards on 16 attempts Friday, will look to break through against a First Baptist defense that has to replace its entire front seven from a season ago. First Baptist: The Lions did not play in a kickoff classic last week, giving Estero a slight advantage in having game action this fall. First Baptist returns a nucleus of skill players for the next two years in junior quarterback Ethan Crossan, sophomore scatback Sam Sparacio, sophomore wide receiver Jayden Petit, junior wide receiver Andrew Azunque, and freshman wide receiver Landon Wolny. Logan Bartley, the team’s only returning full-time defensive starter, will likely be matched up against Arrington or Ghannam out wide. Tommy Cusick, who logged 53 tackles last season splitting time, will get a chance to be a full-time starter in his final season. Coming off a state title in Class 1S, the Lions will be tested in a variety of ways right out of the gate with new players in starting roles against an Estero squad that posted shutouts in five games last season.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: First Baptist 31, Estero 20
South Fort Myers at Gulf Coast
Time: 7 p.m.
Radio: 105.9 FM, Fox Sports SWFL
What to watch for — South Fort Myers: Despite being down two scores early, the Wolfpack didn’t quit against Lemon Bay, falling 31-24 in last week’s kickoff classic. South took the lead, going on a 21-6 stretch to lead at halftime over the Manta Rays. The offensive line had its ebbs and flows, forcing quarterback Chase Enguita to scramble more often than not. He completed 12 of 26 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown, while rushing for 54 yards on 13 attempts with another touchdown. Victor Jenkins had seven rushes where he was stuffed for a loss behind the line of scrimmage but ended the night with an identical 54 yards on 13 rushes with a touchdown. Justin White will be a playmaker to watch, as Gulf Coast surrendered 73.9 yards per game against the opposing team's No. 1 receivers, with five of those players eclipsing 100-plus yards a season ago. White logged one catch for 15 yards against the Sharks in last year's contest and is seeking a revenge game to open the regular season. Gulf Coast: The Sharks hung around for four quarters against a Naples squad that’s been known for dominating county competition, losing just 14-7 on the road. Outside of a four-minute stretch in the second quarter, Gulf Coast managed to keep Naples off the scoreboard for 44 minutes and limited Shawn Simeon to 127 yards and two touchdowns. For perspective, last year’s Naples team averaged 308 yards per game on the ground. Gulf Coast quarterback Peyton Hale scrambled for much of the game, tallying 84 yards rushing. The Shark defense stuffed Naples on a pair of fourth-down tries, keeping the game within reach. The other good news for the Sharks is that they expect to be close to 100 percent healthy for their Week 1 clash. “We came out of this pretty clean,” Sharks coach Todd Nichols said. “Naples is a physical team, but we’re pretty physical too. You saw that out here tonight. We’ve got some young bodies, and we’ll be ready to go next week.”
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Gulf Coast 24, South Fort Myers 17
Lely at Riverdale
What to watch for — Lely: The Trojans went down to Bishop Verot 60-27 in last week’s kickoff classic. Despite the lopsided scoreline, Lely showed positive signs under new head coach Ben Hammer, who runs a high-tempo offense. The team also showed a knack for the big play with Joshua Philogene scoring on a kickoff return, a 27-yard touchdown pass from Colin Raymond to Loveguens Avena and a 60-yard touchdown run from Jayvian Tanelus. The Trojans suffered a couple snafus on special teams, a safety on a punt and a blocked field goal. Riverdale: The Raiders grounded and pounded their way to a preseason victory, topping Island Coast 41-33. The team got on the board right away with a 75-yard kickoff return by Jermaine Redden Jr. Lovensky Blanchard and Cole Hayes scored two rushing touchdowns each and Nickardo Dunkelly-Allen added another. Fumbles were a problem for the Raiders in their first game action.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Lely 35, Riverdale 27
Victory Christian at Golden Gate
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for — Victory Christian: The Storm finished 6-5 last season in Class 1S, posting three one-score losses in the process to Lakeland Christian (twice) and Ridge Community. The program is slated to return starting quarterback Jackson Benton but will have to replace starting running back Rashad Orr (1,030 rushing yards, 298 receiving yards, 13 TDs) who transferred to Lake Wales. The program’s top returning receiver entering the season, Janius Taylor (252 yards, 3 TDs) transferred to Bartow, leaving Benton without a veteran group of skill players out wide. Defensively, the Storm return top tackler Martell Thomas (112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss). Thomas hopes to lead a linebacking corps to stop Golden Gate’s run-heavy attack. Golden Gate: The Titans looked impressive last week, dominating Winter Haven in a 42-7 win. Trayvon Jean averaged nearly a first down per carry, rushing for 189 yards on 19 attempts with a pair of touchdowns, while John Lee Honorat scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one special teams) in the win. The Titans return a vast amount of talent on both sides of the ball outside of Jean and Honorat, including defensive back/wide receiver Bradley Martino, quarterback Sam Powell, Claude Bastien, and the Fils-Aime brothers, Micah and Malachi. Nick Bigica’s squad returns a vast amount on the offensive line, making this one of Southwest Florida’s dark horses to make a deep postseason run in 2023 Golden Gate is poised for a stiff test in Week 1, but will be favored to win this one at home before a huge Week 2 clash against Immokalee.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Golden Gate 30, Victory Christian 14
Charlotte at Dunbar
What to watch for — Charlotte: The Tarpons earned a preseason victory, thumping Mariner 41-17 at home. The team came back from a 17-8 deficit at halftime, led by freshman quarterback Logan Flaherty. The Tarpons limited the Triton offense to 55 yards in the first half and 5 yards in the second half. Charlotte does not have a win over Dunbar since 2018 and lost 23-3 in last year’s opener. Dunbar: The Tigers took a second consecutive loss in the preseason to Port Charlotte, but last year, they brushed it off for a dominant season that ended in the Class 3S semifinals. Against the Pirates last Friday, Dunbar committed three turnovers in the second half. The Tigers scored on a 70-yard punt return by Florida commit TJ Abrams and a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Austin Price to Travaris Schley. Friday will be Price’s first start in the regular season.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Dunbar 21, Charlotte 10
Immokalee at Booker
What to watch for — Immokalee: Quarterback Trannon Villarreal had a strong season opener against North Miami last week, leading the Indians to a 48-15 win and throwing for two touchdowns in just the first half. Villarreal’s continued growth will be important for the Indians’ success. On both sides of the ball, Immokalee’s front looked dominant. The Indians should be able to match up well across the board against Booker, which had a balanced attack last season. If Immokalee can tweak a few things and clean up the penalties, it could result in a Week 1 win over a Tornadoes team that’s expected to make a deep run in Class 2S. Booker: The Tornadoes return last year’s leading rusher Ahmad Hunter, who tallied 1,212 carries and 12 touchdowns last year. Hunter will be a key test for the Indians, so watch for how their defensive line looks to contain him. On the other side of the ball, Jayson Evans returns at safety for Booker, who tallied 5.5 sacks and one interception last year.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Immokalee 24, Booker 21
St. Cloud at Barron Collier
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for — St. Cloud: The Bulldogs are looking to rebound after a 34-6 loss to Haines City in last week’s kickoff classic, where miscues offensively and defensively let Haines City pulled away. One of the bright spots for St. Cloud was Osceola transfer Alex Springs, who caught seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Logan King will return for his junior season after completing 109-of-201 passes for 1,922 yards with 18 touchdowns to seven interceptions. Alongside Springs, Terrence Griffin returns for the program in the backfield, while Owen Conner comes back at wide receiver after finishing with 865 yards and 6 TDs on 43 receptions last season. A 3 1/2 hour bus ride awaits St. Cloud, giving the Cougars a slight advantage. Barron Collier: It took 38 minutes, but the Cougars managed to pull away from Estero in last week’s kickoff classic, winning 38-14. Barron scored four times in the final 10 minutes as Jackson Polly, Juan Acuna, Braden Johnson, and Will Branscum all hit paydirt against the Estero defense, which surrendered 484 yards on the night. Niko Boyce had a relatively good showing, completing 20-of-33 passes for 254 yards with a touchdown, but had a few errant throws over the heads and behind receivers early on. Brody Graham was the constant of the offense, catching nine passes for 174 yards with a score. With high expectations this season, Barron will look to start 1-0, but in his time at Barron, Mark Jackson has never won back-to-back season openers. Entering his ninth season, Jackson is 4-4 in regular season openers and will look to change that on Friday.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Barron Collier 27, St. Cloud 20
Cypress Lake at Gateway
What to watch for — Cypress Lake: The Panthers suffered a 26-8 loss to Lehigh in their kickoff classic. The team kept it close and even had a short field after a safety made the game 13-8, but a fumble proved costly and the Lightning pulled away. The defense held Lehigh’s running game in check and recovered two fumbles. The offense had some struggles, and Tyrese Nelson and Joey Zube-Garrett are battling it out for the quarterback position. Penalties were a problem for the Panthers on Friday. Gateway: The Eagles were steamrolled 63-0 last Friday, but their record is 0-0 coming into this week. The Red Knights were up 49-0 at halftime. There were problems with communication on the offensive line, resulting in several sacks and a fumble. The opener should be a more competitive contest – a rematch of last year’s opener that the Panthers won 35-20. The Eagles will be going for revenge.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Cypress Lake 23, Gateway 20
Ida Baker at Cape Coral
What to watch for — Ida Baker: This is the 18th meeting between the Bulldogs and the Seahawks. Cape Coral leads the series 11-6 but Baker has won three in a row, including a 7-3 victory last season. The Bulldogs allowed six first-half touchdowns in last week’s 41-6 preseason loss to Fort Myers. Sophomore running back Jesiah McKnight rushed for 70 yards and Baker’s lone touchdown while junior quarterback Adrian Scott showed good accuracy and quick decision-making. The Bulldogs are young and have depth issues which may lead to some early-season struggles. Cape Coral: The Seahawks scored in all three phases of the game in last week’s 27-6 preseason win over DeSoto County. Cape Coral overcame a handful of motion penalties, two turnovers inside the red zone and a missed field goal. The Seahawks’ offense finally got going in the second half and they finished the game with 175 rushing yards. Continuing to improve on that side of the ball is imperative for a team that allowed 10 or fewer points four times last season yet managed to win just one of those games.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Cape Coral 28, Ida Baker 6
Island Coast at Bonita Springs
Time: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
What to watch for — Island Coast: The Gators are coming off of a preseason 41-33 loss to Riverdale that showed Virdarian Maloy’s return from injury has been welcome, and he will be a big factor in this week’s matchup with the Bullsharks. Gervaris Leaphart will also be key for the Gators and may cause issues for Bonita Springs in the backfield. The Gators also have strength at linebacker, which will be instrumental against a Bonita Springs squad that will likely rush 40 or more times. Bonita Springs: The Bull Sharks' biggest question mark is the health of their load-carrying running back Riley Deremer. Deremer has been battling a hamstring issue all summer and missed last week’s preseason game with East Lee. His absence was apparent, and the offense struggled to gain momentum without a dynamic playmaker like Deremer in the backfield. If he’s able to suit up, the Bull Sharks will be a tough fight for the Gators. The defense showed flashes against a talented Jaguar squad last week, so keep an eye on how they improve and match up with an Island Coast squad that has weapons of their own.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Island Coast 24, Bonita Springs 14
Mariner at East Lee County
What to watch for — Mariner: The Tritons allowed 33 unanswered points in last week’s 41-17 preseason loss to a young Charlotte team. The Tarpons held Mariner to just 60 total yards, including five in the second half. Both of the Tritons’ touchdowns came on special teams with Kaelan Davidson grabbing a squibbed kickoff and returning it for a score and Marcus Kelley recovering a blocked punt in the end zone. While preseason performances don’t often equate to regular season results, another subpar offensive outing against East Lee could signal trouble for Mariner, especially with nine starters returning on that side of the ball. East Lee County: The Jaguars looked explosive in a weather-shortened 28-9 preseason victory over Bonita Springs. Junior running back Lazaro Rogers, a transfer from Gateway Charter, rushed for a pair of touchdowns, and senior quarterback Gary Hagen added another on an 84-yard burst. East Lee, which went winless last season, appears poised to be a much-improved squad this year and would like nothing better than to take down Mariner in front of its home fans.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Mariner 28, East Lee County 20
Evangelical Christian at Palmetto Ridge
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for — Evangelical Christian: The Sentinels stayed hot coming off last season’s 8-1 campaign, posting a 42-8 win over Lake Placid in a kickoff classic. The program scored on its first three drives, setting the tone early on. Tanner Helton threw for 217 yards, and rushed for 12 more, posting three touchdowns, while L.J. Blackwell ran for 102 yards and a score. Jordan Rizzo, Jamarion McElroy, Seven Bullock, and Calvin Kress also found the end zone in the win. ECS comes into this season with high expectations despite losing a pair of standouts in Myles Graham and Jyden German over the last two seasons, and have a chance to make a splash in Class 1S. Palmetto Ridge: The Bears were in familiar territory on Friday night, getting blanked by a superior opponent in Sebring, 54-0. Over the past 291 minutes and 50 seconds dating back to Sept. 2 of last year, Palmetto Ridge has scored just six points, with coach Zach Yates hopeful that he can change the identity and culture that has disappeared from the program since Chris Toukonen’s firing in 2021. “We're really trying to just get comfortable and finding that rhythm that we are able to kind of run with on offense and on defense,” Yates said. Demetri Zertopoulis will be the likely starter at quarterback, with Isaac Garcia, Colby Blocker, and Steven Rousseau expected to anchor the team at their respective positions. ECS will be the start of a tough stretch early on for the Bears, which face Barron Collier in Week 2 before traveling to Lake Brantley in Week 3.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Evangelical Christian 38, Palmetto Ridge 10
St. John Neumann at Canterbury
What to watch for — St. John Neumann: The Celtics, a youth-heavy squad, dropped their preseason matchup with veteran-led Oasis last week. Jake Bruni looked solid in the loss, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for one. The loss was a good experience for the Celtics, who will likely learn from the loss. Keep an eye on the defense, which conceded three rushing touchdowns. If they can keep a new-look Cougar squad one-dimensional, expect a competitive contest. Canterbury: This week 1 matchup will be the Cougars’ first look at another opponent, as they did not play in a fall kickoff classic. This game will be an important yardstick for Canterbury, who graduated eight seniors and saw plenty of talent transfer. This season, first-year head coach Vince Camarca is looking to transform the offense to a more balanced attack, so watch for how he uses weapons like Azarian Levatte.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: St. John Neumann 17, Canterbury 14
Somerset Academy at Aubrey Rogers
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for — Somerset Academy: The Panthers are coming off a 26-0 loss to Avant Garde in last week’s kickoff classic. The shutout was a new feeling for junior quarterback Camden Hartzell, who tallied 2,455 yards and 30 touchdowns for a squad that was never held to less than three scores last year. Their week one matchup with the Patriots will be a good opportunity to regain footing for the offense. Aubrey Rogers: This is the official start of the program for the Patriots, who dropped last week’s kickoff classic against Gateway Charter 15-7. The Patriots have a lot to work on, which is to be expected against a team loaded with underclassmen. The quarterback situation is worth monitoring, with a battle that will be played out between sophomore Dom Ardezzone and freshman Cade DiLoreto. Ardezzone played a bulk of the snaps last week and went 7-for-12 with two interceptions before DiLoreto got his chance in the fourth quarter, where he went 2-for-8 with an interception. The defense showed flashes against a tough Griffin running back trio, and will have to take a step if they want to hang with a Panther squad that averaged just over 34 points per game last year.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Somerset Academy 38, Aubrey Rogers 17
SFCA at Santa Fe Catholic
What to watch for — SFCA: Southwest Florida Christian Academy is coming off of last week’s 28-14 preseason loss to St. Stephen’s Episcopal. The King’s are looking to turn things around under first-year head coach Roy Stabler, and with Eli Moore, the program will have veteran experience under center. Moore, who averaged just under 300 passing yards per game last year, will start the season against a tough Santa Fe defense that returns plenty of talent and allowed just under 16 points per game last year. With Moore serving as a key focal point under center, his success is critical on a weekly basis if the King’s want to win ball games. Santa Fe Catholic: The Hawks took last year’s week 1 matchup with the King’s 25-21, and are hoping to start the year off again in a similar fashion. Returning for Santa Fe is last year’s leading rusher in Julian Franzino, and quarterback Blaine Walker. The defense also returns plenty of talent, which picked Moore off twice in last year's contest.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Santa Fe 28, SFCA 24
Glades Day at LaBelle
What to watch for — Glades Day: The Gators, coming off a 2-7 season, have their work cut out for them in LaBelle. After being held to one score or less five times last year, Glades Day will start the year off against a Cowboy defense stout with size and speed. Expect the Cowboys to make quick work against a Glades Day squad that has historically struggled against good defenses. LaBelle: With so many Cowboys expected to play both sides of the ball, head coach Maurice McClain has spent all summer getting his squad into midseason condition. LaBelle’s last contest as a team was a lackluster 40-7 spring game loss to Evangelical Christian. Now, the Cowboys will finally suit up against another opponent and test just how ready they are. Isaac Santamaria will be important in the backfield, having rushed for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. But with Santamaria making the shift to both running back and cornerback, Immokalee-transfer Darian Robinson. Santamaria joins a defense with lots of talent and will stifle a Gator offense that was shut out three times last year.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: LaBelle 28, Glades Day 14
Oasis at Gateway Charter
Time: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
What to watch for — Oasis: The Sharks came away with a 27-20 win against St. John Neumann in last week’s preseason clash. The offensive line played a key role in the win, paving the way for a 3-touchdown performance by Colin Anderson. On defense, cornerback Rex Williams came up with an interception and two pass breakups, and defensive lineman Sean McFee also impressed. The teams last played in 2018 with Oasis earning a 33-8 victory. Gateway Charter: The Griffins’ experience came through in the team’s 15-7 preseason win against Aubrey Rogers. Junior quarterback Juan Ibarra saw his first competitive game action, throwing for more than 100 yards and scoring a rushing touchdown. The linebacking tandem of Tavian Villareal and Clifton Hood Jr had a stifling night. The Griffins could have finished the game with a more dominant scoreline, but the team had two touchdowns called back and several more drive-killing penalties in the red zone.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Gateway Charter 17, Oasis 16
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: SWFL Week 1 Football previews: North Fort Myers at Fort Myers is the game to watch
