Who's atop The News-Press/Naples Daily News Football and Volleyball rankings after Week 4?

The fourth week of the high school football and volleyball seasons saw some very interesting outcomes.

The News-Press and Naples Daily News will rank the Top 10 football and volleyball teams in Collier and Lee counties and LaBelle each week. The power rankings are based on record, strength of schedule, and head-to-head matchups for the area's 30-plus schools.

Here are the Top 10 teams in The News-Press/Naples Daily News Football Rankings heading into Week 5.

Records of games played through Saturday, Sept. 16

FOOTBALL

1. Bishop Verot (4-0)

Last week: 1

Analysis: The Vikings continue to dominate area competition, posting a 49-22 win over First Baptist that was more lopsided than the score. Verot has running-clocked each of the three opponents it played on the field this season, with CalPreps suggesting in its computer model that the Vikings are at least 28 points better than any team locally. A road game two counties north against a winless Sarasota squad is on the horizon, as Richie Rode's group looks to stay unbeaten.

2. Golden Gate (3-1)

Last week: 7

Analysis: This week's biggest mover happens to be the Titans, who move all the way up to No. 2 following a two-score win on the road against Naples. Nick Bigica's group has now outscored two top 15 squads in Immokalee and the Golden Eagles by a combined score of 72-29, showing that this group is for real. We'll see if ranking the Titans this high was an overreaction over the next two weeks when the program takes on a pair of ranked squads in Gulf Coast and First Baptist.

3. Dunbar (3-1)

Last week: 3

Analysis: The Tigers needed double overtime and a game-winning two-point conversation to win by the skin of their teeth against Fort Myers on Friday. Dunbar won the game 40-39, and currently hold a firm grip on Class 3S-District 15. Sammy Brown's group will head inland to take on Clewiston on Friday.

4. Naples (3-1)

Last week: 2

Analysis: Perhaps the Golden Eagles were the high school football equivalent to Alabama locally this season? Naples has been a formidable opponent in Southwest Florida for years, but Thursday's loss to Golden Gate caught quite a few by surprise. The argument that Collier County football this year is as balanced and competitive as ever gained a ton of steam. Rick Martin's group will look to turn the page this Friday against Miami Killian.

5. Fort Myers (2-2)

Last week: 4

Analysis: The Green Wave were one point-after try and one stop away from beating Dunbar in overtime, but Sam Sirianni's group could not seal the deal on the Tigers Friday night. This Fort Myers team is better than the record indicates, with Frank Starks, Madrid Tucker, and Chris McFoley anchoring the offense. They'll look to get right on the road this Friday against Charlotte, looking to become the fourth program in Florida to eclipse 700 wins.

6. First Baptist (2-1)

Last week: 5

Analysis: Facing arguably the toughest opponent they'll see all year, the Lions were flat Friday night against Bishop Verot, falling victim to the running clock in a 49-22 blowout. A lot of pressure was on quarterback Ethan Crossan and the receiving corps, with starting running back Sam Sparacio held out of the game due to an ankle injury. The Lions did add four-star wide receiver Winston Watkins this week from IMG, further solidifying their chances to repeat in Class 1S. Billy Sparacio's group will look to rebound on Friday at home against True North Classical.

7. Barron Collier (3-0)

Last week: 6

Analysis: The Cougars continue to dominate in games in which they're supposed to, downing Bonita Springs in a 49-0 shutout on Thursday. Niko Boyce was efficient through the air, completing 14 of 19 passes for 177 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers in Brody Graham, Brian Willians, Dylan Schmid, and Braden Johnson. Facing a total of three teams with a combined two wins to start the year didn't give us a good indicator of how good Barron is, but that'll change when the team heads inland to take on Immokalee.

8. Mariner (4-0)

Last week: 8

Analysis: The Tritons continue to win under Josh Nicholson and are on pace to post their best season since 2004. Mariner downed Riverdale 36-19, as the passing game with Noah Tolbert and the running game were both effective. Expect the Tritons to be home favorites this week against Bonita Springs, as the program will aim to stay undefeated.

9. Gulf Coast (2-1)

Last week: 9

Analysis: The Sharks were idle last week, recovering after a 38-0 road loss to Port Charlotte. Gulf Coast will get a chance to move up in the rankings this week, hosting second-ranked Golden Gate on Friday. CalPreps currently has the Titans as a 16-point favorite if the game were to be played on a neutral field.

10. South Fort Myers (3-1)

Last week: 10

Analysis: The Wolfpack handed East Lee County its worst loss of the season, looking dominant in a 41-7 win over the Jaguars. Chase Enguita continues to impress at the quarterback position, while the defense is allowing fewer than nine points per game. While Gulf Coast does own the head-to-head over the Wolfpack, a Sharks loss to Golden Gate could move South ahead to the No. 9 spot next week.

First Five Out: Immokalee (2-2), Community School (3-0), Estero (3-1), Lely (2-2), North Fort Myers (0-4)

VOLLEYBALL

Records of games played through Tuesday, Sept. 19

1. Seacrest Country Day (11-1)

Last week: 1

Analysis: The Stingrays continue to impress, capturing the Private 8 championship with a four-set win over Canterbury, while also beating Westminster Christian on Saturday. Seacrest did lose earlier in the day to Tampa Prep, suffering their first loss of 2023. Seacrest will travel to Bradenton Christian on Thursday before heading to the east coast again to play Lake Worth Christian and University School.

2. Barron Collier (5-2)

Last week: 3

Analysis: The Cougars have been well-rested in the first few weeks of the season, winning convincingly over Naples in a 3-0 sweep Tuesday. Barron Collier's schedule starts to ramp up a bit, with road games against Gulf Coast and Community School, both ranked squads, slated for this Thursday and next Tuesday.

3. Canterbury (8-5)

Last week: 2

Analysis: The Cougars started slow out of the gate in the Private 8 championship against Seacrest last week but fought hard in the third and fourth sets before ultimately losing 3-1. Canterbury did snap a lengthy streak in the area though, as Seacrest had won 66 consecutive sets against local opponents dating back to Oct. 6, 2021. Charlie Castillo's group will be idle until next Tuesday, taking on St. John Neumann on the road.

4. Bishop Verot (11-3)

Last week: 4

Analysis: The Vikings have now won seven of their last eight games, most recently a 3-0 sweep of St. John Neumann. Verot is clicking at the right time, with a relatively generous second half of the season on the horizon. It's conceivable that the program finishes the regular season with 18 or 19 wins, which would be the most since the 2018 season. The Vikings will look to continue the streak going against Lemon Bay on Thursday, followed by Evangelical Christian next Tuesday.

5. First Baptist (8-2)

Last week: 6

Analysis: The Lions got back in the win column Tuesday night, winning in four sets over a CSN team that downed them in five sets the week prior. First Baptist moves ahead of the Seahawks on aggregate, winning five sets to CSN's 4. Zara Stewart remains at the forefront of the Player of the Year conversation in Southwest Florida after a 25 kill, 20 dig night on Tuesday. The Lions will host Marco Island on Thursday before hosting Estero on Tuesday.

6. Community School (6-4)

Last week: 5

Analysis: The Seahawks are inching closer to reasserting themselves as one of the area's best teams, staying competitive in virtually every set they've played in this year. A sweep over Estero on Monday was good for the program, after losing to Bishop Verot in the Private 8 third-place game on Thursday. CSN fell to First Baptist in four sets on Tuesday and will aim to rebound at home against Donahue Catholic and Barron Collier.

7. Gulf Coast (10-2)

Last week: 7

Analysis: The Sharks did suffer their first two losses of the season on Saturday to Bishop Moore and St. Brendan, but rebounded as expected against Golden Gate. Gulf Coast went 3-2 at the Lake Howell Invitational, notching wins over True North, Riviera Prep, and Master's Academy. The Sharks will start to get tested heavily over the next few weeks, taking on Barron Collier on Thursday, Fort Myers on Tuesday, and CSN on Wednesday.

8. Fort Myers (10-1)

Last week: 9

Analysis: The Green Wave have officially matched their win total from a season ago, with a total of 14 matches remaining in the regular season. It's been a chalky season for the program, winning games they're supposed to win. Fort Myers will take on Port Charlotte on Wednesday and South Fort Myers on Thursday. Gulf Coast on Tuesday will arguably be the biggest local test to date for the Greenies.

9. Estero (6-3)

Last week: 8

Analysis: The Wildcats couldn't get much going on Monday in a 3-0 sweep against CSN but responded with a sweep the following night against Cape Coral. Sitting at 6-3, John Ban's group could dip under .500 after this weekend, as the program takes on Plant (No. 1 in Florida), Academy of the Holy Names (37th), and Land O' Lakes (150th). After that, Estero is slated to hit the road against First Baptist and Barron Collier.

10. North Fort Myers (11-2)

Last week: NR

Analysis: Welcome to the party, Red Knights! North Fort Myers has quietly been putting together a special season under Nancy Eskay, with 11 straight wins after starting the season with a pair of four set losses to SFCA and Fort Myers. The Red Knights grabbed a huge road win over Riverdale in five sets on Monday, giving this program momentum heading into the second half of the season. Expect the team to move to 13-2 with contests against Lehigh and Cape Coral.

First Five Out: St. John Neumann (8-5), SFCA (11-6), Bonita Springs (7-3), Riverdale (5-4), Aubrey Rogers (8-5)

Follow Southwest Florida Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Bishop Verot football, Seacrest volleyball continue to hold top spots in rankings