High school football: Previews, predictions for Southwest Florida Week 5 games
Here are previews and predictions for Southwest Florida football games being played on Friday, Sept. 22. All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted.
Game of the Week
Barron Collier (3-0) at Immokalee (2-2)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for – Barron Collier: The Cougars enter this game on a high, blowing out Bonita Springs 49-0 last week. Barron Collier outgained the Bull Sharks 314-149, with Niko Boyce passing for 177 yards and four touchdowns. The junior quarterback found four different receivers in the end zone, led by No. 1 receiver Brody Graham (5 receptions, 82 yards, TD). The ground game averaged 6.8 yards per carry, led by Juan Acuna's 69 yards on three attempts. Tuff Bohannon's defense has surrendered just 12 points, which is the best three-game stretch defensively since the program allowed 19 points through its first three games in 2012. Immokalee: The Indians responded in a big way last Thursday, eclipsing 50 points against Lake Placid in a 52-8 blowout. The Immokalee run game averaged a first down per rush, led by Justin Compere's 150 yards and two touchdowns. Jontay Hais rushed for 146 yards on just eight touches, while Trannon Villarreal rushed for 25 yards and two more scores, adding 95 yards through the air with a touchdown pass to Omarion Carter. Immokalee's defense allowed just 119 yards against the Dragons. In this series, Barron has won the last four games by an average margin of 23 points, with the last two games being shutouts in favor of the Cougars. Since 2015, Barron is 6-1, but the series is 10-8 dating back to 2004.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Barron Collier 31, Immokalee 24
LISTEN: The Inside Southwest Florida Football podcast will get you ready for Week 5 action
Golden Gate (3-1) at Gulf Coast (2-1)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for – Golden Gate: The Titans scored a huge win over Naples on Thursday, grabbing a 30-19 win for their first win over the Golden Eagles in program history. Sam Powell completed just five passes, but two of them went for touchdowns to Trayvon Jean and Bradley Martino. Jean ran for 96 yards, while Martino picked off a pass on defense to preserve the win over Naples. Having allowed just 15 points per game against a relatively tough schedule to start the season, P.J. Gibbs’ defense will look to carry over the momentum into this week’s contest against a fresh Gulf Coast team. Gulf Coast: The Sharks are coming off a bye week, resting and recovering following a 38-0 loss to Port Charlotte on the road. Gulf Coast’s offense was held in check in that game, passing for 39 yards while rushing for 42 yards on 20 attempts. Todd Nichols’ group wouldn’t be a favorite in a shootout and must hope that his defense can win the line of scrimmage against Golden Gate in a low-scoring affair. Golden Gate is scoring just under 28 points per game, compared to Gulf Coast’s 11.7.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Golden Gate 31, Gulf Coast 14
Fort Myers (2-2) at Charlotte (0-3)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for – Fort Myers: The Green Wave are coming off a 40-39 double overtime time loss at District 3S-15 rival Dunbar. Fort Myers overcame an eight-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation, tying the score on junior Madrid Tucker’s 18-yard touchdown catch and subsequent two-point conversion run with 1:01 left in the fourth quarter. The Green Wave had a chance to win at the end of the first overtime, but multiple Tigers broke through the line and blocked kicker Vaughn Lennon’s potential game-winning extra point. Fort Myers is sitting at 699 all-time wins and can become just the fourth Florida high school football program to reach 700 with a victory at familiar foe Charlotte. This is the 68th meeting between the Green Wave and the Tarpons in a series that dates back to 1935. Fort Myers has faced Charlotte more than any other opponent and is 43-23-1 all-time against the Tarpons. The game will be a homecoming of sorts for Fort Myers assistant coach Justin Midgett, a former standout quarterback for the Tarpons and the school’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. Midgett was an assistant coach with the Tarpons before joining the Fort Myers coaching staff last season. Charlotte: The Tarpons had a well-placed bye last week after a series of early-season injuries made a tough opening stretch of games even more daunting. Charlotte has failed to generate positive yardage in any of its games this season, and following a 46-7 loss to Manatee on Sept. 8, it has been outscored 124-7 and outgained 799 yards to minus-71. After leading the Tarpons to a 41-17 preseason win over Mariner, freshman quarterback Logan Flaherty was injured early in the Week 1 loss to Dunbar and has not played since. Charlotte scored its first points of the season in its loss to Manatee on sophomore running back Jamari Vaughn’s 4-yard touchdown run.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Fort Myers 35, Charlotte 12
Rankings: Who's atop The News-Press/Naples Daily News Football and Volleyball rankings after Week 4?
Killian (0-4) at Naples (3-1)
What to watch for – Killian: The Cougars have struggled to score in their first four games, being outscored 142-13 in losses to Booker T. Washington, Columbus, Palmetto, and South Dade. In last year’s contest, Killian lost 56-6 and allowed 435 yards rushing to Naples, which averaged 12.1 yards per attempt. The Cougars have never found its footing since a 2021 season that saw the program go 12-2. Naples: The Golden Eagles will aim to bounce back, following a 30-19 home loss to Golden Gate. Naples only rushed for 39 yards, the lowest total ever by the program in the MaxPreps era – 20 years and 229 games. Despite being held to 34 rushing yards, Shawn Simeon still leads Collier County in rushing, with 552 yards and six touchdowns. Expect Naples to bounce back in a big way, avoiding back-to-back home losses under Rick Martin.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Naples 44, Killian 12
Cape Coral (4-0) at Estero (3-1)
What to watch for – Cape Coral: The Seahawks stayed unbeaten with a 20-6 win against Cypress Lake last week. In every game this season, Cape has held opponents to 9 points or less. The defense forced five turnovers against the Panthers – Ivan Harvin was responsible for three with a couple of forced fumbles and an interception. Harvin also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Maddox Howerton and Tadarien Green in the win. Expect a low-scoring affair on Friday, as the Wildcats managed a 3-0 win against the Seahawks last year. Estero: The Wildcats defense once again came up big, helping them to a 21-6 win against Island Coast last week. Estero intercepted Island Coast quarterback Rex Elliot five times, including a pair of pick-6s in the first quarter. Luke Ghannam led the team with three interceptions. Quarterback Matt Wilson connected with Kegan Kreuscher for a touchdown pass, and Malik Allen led the team with 94 yards rushing.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Estero 13, Cape Coral 9
True North Classical (4-0) at First Baptist (3-1)
What to watch for – True North: The Titans have started their season strong, posting a 4-0 record in Class 1M while outscoring opponents 208-20. True North is most recently coming off a 55-0 win over Florida Christian. Zac Katz, a freshman, threw for 317 yards and five touchdowns on 10 completions in the game. Katz has completed 52 of 63 passes on the season for 1,093 yards with 21 touchdowns, seven of which have each gone to Jasen Lopez (18 receptions, 404 yards) and Joshua Reyes (15 receptions, 399 yards). First Baptist: The Lions were unable to go point for point with Bishop Verot on the road last week, falling in a 49-22 decision that saw Verot post 33 unanswered points in just the second quarter. The Lions were gashed for 480 total yards that was split 244-236 in favor of the run game. Ethan Crossan completed 22 of 39 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, one of which went to Jayden Petit while another went to Andrew Azunque in the fourth quarter. Sam Sparacio’s absence in the run game has forced FBA to become one-dimensional, having rushed for 114 yards on 51 attempts (2.2 yards per carry) over their last two games. The good news for the Lions? Sparacio could return this week.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: First Baptist 42, True North 17
Bonita Springs (1-3) at Mariner (4-0)
What to watch for – Bonita Springs: This is the fourth all-time meeting between the Bull Sharks and the Tritons. Mariner leads the series 2-1, including a 24-17 victory last season in which Bonita Springs rushed for 301 yards. That run game hasn’t been as effective for the Bull Sharks’ ground-based offense so far this season. Bonita Springs is averaging nearly 170 rushing yards per game, about 80 fewer than last year. The return of senior Riley DeRemer should help boost the offense. In last week’s 49-0 loss to undefeated Barron Collier, DeRemer accounted for 117 of the Bull Sharks’ 149 total yards, passing for 62 and rushing for 55. Mariner: The Tritons are coming off a 36-19 win over visiting Riverdale, its sixth consecutive regular-season victory dating back to last season. Senior Noah Tolbert passed for 176 yards and four touchdowns, two to junior wide receiver Kaelan Davidson, while also rushing for 121 yards and another score. The Tritons have outscored their opponents by an average score of 40-11 so far this season; however, those four foes have a combined record of just 1-14.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Mariner 42, Bonita Springs 13
Riverdale (0-4) at Cypress Lake (2-2)
What to watch for – Riverdale: The Raiders are still seeking their first win. Last week’s loss came against Mariner – some early mistakes set the Raiders back and they ultimately fell 36-19. The team was able to rally from a 14-0 deficit when the Tritons scored off turnovers and got as close as 22-19 in the second half. The Riverdale running game flourished as Cole Hayes and Lovesky Blanchard combined for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Hayes is currently leading Southwest Florida in rushing yards. Cypress Lake: After starting 2-0, the Panthers have dropped their last two contests. Last week, the Cape Coral defense shut them down for a 20-6 win. The Panthers were able to get on the board late in the fourth quarter with a 29-yard touchdown run by E.J. Codie. However, the team struggled with penalties, turnovers and also gave up a safety.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Cypress Lake 21, Riverdale 18
Bishop Verot (4-0) at Sarasota (0-4)
What to watch for – Bishop Verot: The Vikings continue to raise the bar, recording their third consecutive running clock victory to start the season – this time against the reigning Class 1S state champions in First Baptist. Verot outgained the Lions 480-182 after a slow start, scoring on seven straight possessions. Deshon Jenkins, Carter Smith, Ryan Gadson and Leroy Roker all rushed for scores, and Smith threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns, bringing the Vikings’ star quarterback to 9 passing touchdowns this season. This will be the first meeting with the Sailors. Sarasota: The Sailors are without a win in the early goings of the season, giving up 137 points in their four losses. In last week’s 49-31 loss to Palmetto, quarterback Johnny Squitieri rushed for three touchdowns and scored another through the air. The team might be without two defensive starters who were ejected for a sideline disturbance last week.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Bishop Verot 50, Sarasota 14
Palmetto Ridge (0-4) at Lely (2-2)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for – Palmetto Ridge: The Bears were in their most competitive game of the season, falling 35-22 to Hardee on Thursday night. While Palmetto Ridge bottled up the Wildcat passing game for four quarters, the team ran for 234 yards on 30 attempts, led by Edner Cherry’s 130 yards on 15 rushes. On the other side of the ball, Zach Yates’ offense was balanced, as Demetri Zertopoulis completed 14 of 24 passes for 168 yards with a touchdown. The ground game added 190 yards on 42 attempts, led by Mark Whalen’s 64 yards on nine rushes. Isaac Garcia was Zertopoulis’ go-to receiver, hauling in seven passes for 94 yards and the lone touchdown through the air. Lely: The Trojans rebounded in a big way Friday night, moving to 2-2 on the year with a 46-13 win on the road over Bradenton Southeast. With Jayvian Tanelus being forced out of the game with an injury, it was up to freshman Nino Joseph to carry the run game. Joseph delivered, going for 139 yards on 20 attempts with a score. Colin Raymond completed 10 of 14 passes for 129 yards, with Joshua Philogene catching four passes for 94 yards and two scores. Ben Hammer’s group has a chance to move to 3-2 before a tough second half of the season arrives.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News pick: Lely 33, Palmetto Ridge 16
ECS (2-2) at Aubrey Rogers (0-4)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - Evangelical Christian: The Sentinels are coming off of last week’s 62-27 loss to IMG White. It was the first game this season in which ECS’ defense conceded more than two touchdowns, and the most points they’ve allowed since the 2018-19 season, so expect a bounce-back performance against a young Patriots squad still looking to find their footing. Tanner Helton was efficient in the loss, throwing for 355 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-26 passing. This week, Helton will face a defense that is allowing over 37 points per game, so expect some big numbers from the senior. Aubrey Rogers: The Patriots fell to St. Stephen’s Episcopal 47-7 last week in a game in which the Falcons tallied 517 total yards of offense. Aubrey Rogers’ defense is mostly underclassmen, who are learning plenty of lessons with each game. They’ll have another session of class with Helton and company this week.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: ECS 49, Aubrey Rogers 7
Oasis (3-1) at SFCA (1-2)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - Oasis: After rattling off three-straight wins to start the season, the Sharks fell to Community School of Naples 37-13 last week. Gavin Witmer and Tommy Murphy had 106 and 109 receiving yards, respectively, and how quarterback Parker Smith connects with them will be key to getting back on track. The defense was active in the loss, coming up with timely three-and-outs in the first half. If they can keep that pressure on the King’s for all four quarters, the Sharks will be well on their way to their best start in five years. SFCA: The King’s had a bye week to regroup after losing to CSN 44-0 two weeks ago. The offense tallied just 84 total yards and will try to rebound against a Shark defense coming off a lackluster performance of their own.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Oasis 28, SFCA 21
St. John Neumann (2-1) at St. Petersburg Catholic (0-3)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - St. John Neumann: The Celtics had a bye week after falling to LaBelle 26-14. Quarterback Jake Bruni had a strong showing in the loss, going 24-of-34 in the air for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw two interceptions so keep an eye on how he bounces back against a Barons defense that has floundered thus far. The Celtics have plenty of momentum on the other side of the ball, allowing just under 10 points per game. They will need more of the same after a week of rest, as St. Pete Catholic has had no issues moving the chains in their three losses. St. Petersburg Catholic: The Barons have struggled on defense this year, highlighted by last week’s 54-47 loss to Indian Rocks Christian. If they want to be competitive against the Celtics, they’ll have to find a way to get stops. It may be easier said than done, as they will face a quarterback with plenty of wind in his sails.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: St. John Neumann 27, St. Petersburg Catholic 23
Dunbar (3-1) at Clewiston (1-1)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - Dunbar: The Tigers escaped last Friday’s double-overtime slugfest against Fort Myers with a 40-39 win. The Tigers were slow to get going in the first half but overcame a slew of hurdles led by quarterback Austin Price and wideouts T.J. Abrams and Eric Fletcher. Price finished 19-of-28 in the air with 223 yards and four touchdowns and one interception. Fletcher reeled in two touchdown passes and took a punt return 85 yards for a house call while Abrams registered a rushing and receiving touchdown before catching the game-winning two-point conversion. Clewiston: The Tigers are coming off of last week’s 42-7 loss to Calvary Christian. Yohan-li Louis was a bright spot in the loss, rushing for 103 yards and a touchdown on just six carries. Coming up on the end of September, however, Clewiston has played just two games and will have to match up with a Dunbar squad that has plenty of battle scars in just their third game of the year.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Dunbar 42, Clewiston 14
LaBelle (3-1) at Florida Christian (1-3)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - LaBelle: The Cowboys are coming off of last week’s 28-0 win over Gateway Charter. It was another stellar night for the defense, who have yet to give up more than 14 points this year. Gavin Johnson and Marquay Bradshaw highlighted the shutout with two sacks each. The Cowboys tallied 302 rushing yards, led by Isaac Santamaria’s 156 yards and two touchdowns on 11 touches. The Patriots defend the run relatively well, so watch for how Santamaria carries the load alongside Darian Robinson, who tallied 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 tries last week. Florida Christian: The Patriots fell to True North Classical 55-0 last week. Florida Christian has allowed 82 points in their last two games, and have the tall task of hitting the reset button against a hard-nosed Cowboy squad. Despite plenty of defensive shortcomings, the Patriots have controlled the run game well, so how they try to contain the rush-heavy LaBelle offense will be worth keeping an eye on.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: LaBelle 28, Florida Christian 7
North Port (2-1) at Gateway (0-3)
What to watch for – North Port: After a winless 2022 season, the Bobcats are coming into this one on a winning streak after defeating Ambassadors Christian Academy 35-0 last week. In that contest, North Port rushed for 254 yards. Zeke Baez had 113 yards and a touchdown, and Colton Eichten added 49 yards on 5 rushes, with two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion. Gateway: The Eagles are coming out a bye week after a 42-10 loss to Lemon Bay. Sophomore quarterback Ty Williams connected with Preston Ellis for a touchdown but also turned the ball over three times with an interception and two fumbles. The Eagles' first two contests of the season were more competitive affairs with the team taking consecutive 14-9 losses to Cypress Lake and Cape Coral. This will be the first matchup between North Port and Gateway.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: North Port 30, Gateway 21
Gateway Charter (1-3) at Moore Haven (2-2)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - Gateway Charter: The Griffins are looking to clean things up after falling to LaBelle 28-0 last week. Gateway Charter had five turnovers in the loss with plenty of costly penalties in between, highlighting an issue that has plagued the Griffins all year. Gateway Charter has been shut out twice this year but did erupt for 45 points in their Week 3 win over Trinity Prep. Moore Haven: The Terriers lost to Appling County (Ga.) 40-6 last week. In both of their losses this year, Moore Haven has been held to one score or less. In their two wins, they’ve dropped at least 30 points. If Moore Haven wants to get in the win column, they'll have to find a way to get the offense some momentum. It may be easier said than done, as the Griffins have a solid linebacker core and can handle extended drives well.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Moore Haven 32, Gateway Charter 24
CSN (3-0) at Northside Christian (3-0)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - Community School: The Seahawks overcame a halftime deficit in last week’s 37-13 win over Oasis. Cale Austin led the charge, passing for 280 yards while connecting with five different receivers. CSN will need to have another efficient night on offense against a Mustang defense that is firing on all cylinders. The Seahawks' defense handled the balanced Shark offense well and will be watching tape on a similar style from Northside Christian. Northside Christian: The Mustangs defeated Seffner Christian 26-14 last week. It was the most points they’ve allowed all year but have yet to face an offense as efficient as the undefeated Seahawks. Freshman quarterback Chase Burrill went 16-of-33 in the air for 297 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw two interceptions and will have to tidy that up against a solid CSN secondary.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: CSN 28, Northside Christian 24
Warner Christian (0-2) at Marco Island (0-2)
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for - Warner Christian: Joshua Christian downed the Eagles 22-12 in Week 3 and will have to shake the rust off before a 4 1/2-hour bus ride from South Daytona to Marco Island. The Eagles have found the end zone just three times in eight quarters, so moving the sticks against a struggling Marco Island defense is a must. Marco Island: The Manta Rays fell to Glades Day 61-6 last week. The defense struggled for the second straight game, and enters their third game having allowed 103 total points. If the Manta Rays want to find the win column, they’ll have to find a way to slow down the Eagles.
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Warner Christian 13, Marco Island 12
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Southwest Florida high school football Week 5 previews, predictions
