Playoff rematch: Dunbar and Naples headed for another regional final tussle
Some dominant teams have down years. Naples and Dunbar are proving they are not “some teams.”
As Naples and Dunbar head into a second consecutive battle in the Class 3S-Region 4 final, both squads have charted similar paths to the rematch. Facing early doubts and setbacks, the Golden Eagles and Tigers have thrived since the postseason began by playing their respective brands of football.
FHSAA Football: Class 3S regional championship preview
Last year, Dunbar left Staver Field with a surprising 14-7 win, a result that won’t be forgotten when both teams take the field on Friday.
“I’m excited,” Naples running back Shawn Simeon said. “We coming for that game. Last year, we lost to them. This year, we want that game.”
Simeon is coming off a stunning performance in the regional semifinals, running for 387 yards and seven touchdowns to help defeat Port Charlotte 63-33. Simeon’s single-game effort broke the school's rushing record and his seven touchdowns set a state playoff record.
The junior has scored 27 touchdowns this season and rushed for nearly 1,900 yards. With more than 1,100 yards in Naples' last five games, Simeon is closing in on joining Collier County’s exclusive 2,000-yard club.
“Honestly, we’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing,” Simeon said.
It was a bleaker picture for the Golden Eagles in Week 4 when they took a 31-17 loss at home to Golden Gate, a team that had never beaten them in their 19-year rivalry. Naples was held to 54 rushing yards, its lowest total of the season.
Questions emerged – with players like the running back tandem of Isaiah Augustave and Kendrick Raphael and defensive standouts like Kerry Brown and Jonas Duclona graduating, was this Naples team too young and inexperienced?
Quickly, Naples turned the page. The Golden Eagles won seven of their next eight games with their only loss coming on the road against an American Heritage team ranked in the top 10 by the FHSAA.
The defense has played a big part. Linebacker Khari Bendolph is having a breakout season, leading the team with 22 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. Safety Kensley Faustin, an Auburn commit, is making his mark as one of the area's most dangerous players, as evidenced by his two interceptions and punt return for a touchdown against the Pirates last week.
“In our program, we take one day at a time and we grind every single day, and it doesn’t matter what our outcome was the day before,” Naples coach Rick Martin said. “It doesn’t matter what our outcome was the Friday before – we just take the next step.”
It’s a near mirror of Dunbar’s season.
The Tigers came into this year without their starting quarterback and running back from a year ago, plus major defensive contributors like Javieane Stevens and Shawn Russ.
The week before Naples went down to Golden Gate, Dunbar lost 49-14 at home to Bishop Verot. The running clock loss snapped an 18-game winning streak the Tigers had built against Lee County opponents.
Like Naples, Dunbar only lost one game the rest of the way – a road trip against Lowndes in Valdosta, Georgia.
The Tigers’ recipe for success in this stretch has been defensive proficiency and the ability to finish games.
In the team’s past five games, including last week’s 12-7 playoff win at Golden Gate, Dunbar has held opponents to fewer than 20 points. The Titans had been putting up 39 points a game coming into the contest.
Six different Dunbar players are responsible for the team’s 11 interceptions with cornerback Kelby Tyre leading the way with four. It was Hezekiah Jones who played hero against Golden Gate, picking off a pass at the goal line to secure the victory.
“Anytime you play after Thanksgiving, you’re one of the best ballclubs in the area,” head coach Sammy Brown said. “That’s what we wanted to do. Again, not taking anything away from anybody else, but our guys just fight, man. At the end of the game, we dial in and good things happen for the Tigers.”
Dunbar has won 12 of its past 13 games that have been decided by one score. That includes their playoff victories against Golden Gate and Fort Myers, plus, of course, the upset against Naples last year.
More: 'The heart of the team': Dunbar head football coach Sammy Brown making history
The offense has been opportunistic with first-year starter Austin Price at quarterback (1,872 yards for 22 touchdowns, 6 interceptions). Eric Fletcher’s 11 touchdown receptions lead the team, and receiver TJ Abrams and running back Chris Singleton have been coming on strong in recent weeks.
Abrams, a Florida commit, posted 178 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the Golden Gate win. He said he has no plans to overlook his next opponent.
“We know we’re gonna come out, we’re gonna play ball,” Abrams said. “We’ve got to give (Naples) their props. We can’t just go in there thinking they sweet. We’ve got to win this game.”
It won't come easy — the chance at revenge has been on this Naples team's mind for a year.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I thought about it, and I’ve thought about it a lot,” Martin said. “But we’re going to prepare like it’s any other opponent. We’re going to take it just like we take any other week. And we’re going to try to give it our best shot on Friday.”
The News-Press/Naples Daily News Pick: Naples 21, Dunbar 18
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Dunbar, Naples set for playoff rematch with final four trip on line
