East Lee County High

After three straight losing seasons, the returning players on the East Lee County High football team are ready to win now.

“Last year, we spent a lot of time bringing kids along and growing from there,” head coach Dave Smith said.

“The last three years have been a struggle; we didn’t know how to finish games. These kids are tired of losing, their motto this year is now.”

To take that next step, Smith is shifting his coaching scheme to playing the best 11 players on both sides of the ball.

“This is the next step of our progression. I believe fielding our best 11 will be a strong point for us,” Smith added.

“This allows us to having a player that knows both sides of the field. It keeps everyone involved; we’ve gotten to the point where it’s been a total buy-in with the team.”

Offense: Last year, senior Dallas Campbell ran routes and caught passes as a tight end for East Lee County. This year, he will be commanding the Jaguars offense as its quarterback.

“With him being a receiver for us last year, he really knew our passing game. So, it’s been a natural fit for him at quarterback,” Smith said.

“He has good speed, a strong arm and is very athletic.”

Campbell will be leading a multiple formation offense with one and two back sets.

Three-year starting running back Lothario Adderley will be returning as a senior. He rushed for 693 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Aurtrell Seay and Jeremy Williams will be the senior pass-catchers for East. Juniors Chamar Cobb (OG) and Jeremaih Mensah (OT) are returning to the offensive line. Senior tackle Evander Barr will be a first-year starter.

Defense: The Jaguars will be bringing experience into their odd front defense. They will be returning five starters. Others that have game experience will also be starting.

Junior Jamari Williams and sophomore Darius Parker will flank the two ends of the defensive line. Williams led the defense with two sacks last year.

Sophomore Emmanuel Devaney will be the team’s middle linebacker. Jeremy Williams, Seay and Campbell will anchor the secondary.

Outlook: The Jaguars will be returning 12 starters this year. Ten players on the team are seniors who have been with the team and learned from many of its hardships. Look for East to hinge on that experience and the strength of their best 11 players when competing in District 6A-11 this year.

“Our goal is to get to the playoffs this year,” Smith added.

“Being at the bottom of the barrel the last three years, these kids know what the best looks like. They’ve stayed with us and hopefully that experience will carry us this year.”

East Lee County

District: 6A-11

2015 record: 2-7, no playoffs

Schedule

Aug. 19 — Lemon Bay, 7 p.m.

Aug. 26 — Gateway Charter, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 — at Cypress Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 — Sebring, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 — at Riverdale, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 — BYE

Sept. 30 — Estero, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 — Bishop Verot, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14 — at Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 — Mariner, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 — at Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 4 — SFCA, 7 p.m.

Claudin Cherelus

Claudin Cherelus has been taking notes.

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The Golden Gate rising senior watched his brother, Weeginne, go through the college football recruiting process two years ago, taking notice when he ultimately ended up at Ohio Wesleyan.

This past season, his best friend, Patrick Volcy, navigated the road again, eventually finding a home at Massachusetts.

So Cherelus, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety for the Titans and No. 14 on The Big 15 list of Southwest Florida’s best football prospects, says he’s not really worried about the process.

“I know at the end of the day I’ll find the right place that I should end up,” Cherelus, 17, said.

In May, he received his first Power 5 offer from Minnesota. Two weeks later, a scholarship opportunity from Massachusetts followed. He holds verbal offers from Samford, Northern Illinois and South Dakota.

That’s all great, Cherelus says.

In the meantime, what he really wants is something more tangible: a District 6A-12 championship for Golden Gate.

The program hasn’t won a championship since the school opened.

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Going into his third year as a varsity player, Cherelus wants to change that. He’s been part of one 6-win season and last year’s disappointing 3-win campaign.

“We see the capabilities and the explosiveness and big play ability he has,” Golden Gate coach Mike DiGrigoli said. “We’ll utilize him. He was a role player on defense last year, but each game he got better with assignments. He developed into that type of game changer, and we depended on him.”

On top of that, Cherelus will be named one of Golden Gate’s captains next season and has developed into a natural field general — a by-example leader rather than a rah-rah guy, DiGrigoli says. He can run the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, posts a 37-inch vertical and can bench 270 pounds.

“I think my athleticism helps me play the ball in the air,” he said. “My size and strength mix with my speed. It helps me come down and hit.”

Physically, the Naples-born safety is one of the more powerful defensive backs in Southwest Florida. DiGrigoli said some of those instincts came from playing different positions early in his career.

Cherelus, whose parents are Haitian, first began playing in the eighth grade, following in the footsteps of his brother, Weeginne, currently a sophomore defensive end for Ohio Wesleyan.

At first, coaches weren’t quite sure where to place him. As a freshman, he was a defensive end. As a sophomore, he moved to linebacker. But as the Titans staff recognized his obvious speed and vision, Cherelus eventually found his way to strong safety.

“Playing on the line and close to the ball early on in his career, he developed a sense of contact and being in the mix off the snap,” DiGrigoli said.

Cherelus admits he only started to see the big picture early in his sophomore year. Explaining that further, he says, he missed tackles because he played out of position and freelanced on defense.

However, Cherelus began to understand and accept his role as a junior. DiGrigoli saw him transition into a strong player that could play at the next level, which is why he entrusted him in critical fake punt situations.

“When there were those five plays in a game that could make or break in the game, he’s the first guy we went to,” he said.

While Cherelus remains a raw talent, that hasn’t precluded a range of schools from showing interest. Programs such as Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic are also keeping tabs on the safety.

No unofficial visits are on the horizon, Cherelus says, but he considers the Gophers a frontrunner at this point. He ultimately wants to find a home that suits his academic interests and his best possible opportunity to play.

DiGrigoli says he could see him either as a safety or an outside linebacker in the right scheme. Currently, the Titans’ base defense is a 4-3 cover 2.

In the meantime, DiGrigoli has a plan for him.

“It’s to become a consistent, dominant player in what his position requires him to do,” he said. “He’s got to be that guy at the safety position that everyone knows they have to game plan against. He has to continue to make plays and put up stats that merit his ability.”

The Big 15 

The News-Press and The Naples Daily News is counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

29. Xavier Perez, Fort Myers, RB: A bruising junior running back who rushed for 307 yards and seven touchdowns. 

Counting down the Big 15: 

South Fort Myers junior Jeshaun Jones is a fast rising football prospect

Big 15: Darrian Felix

At this point, few in Southwest Florida would argue the star appeal of Fort Myers senior football player Darrian Felix.

But for argument’s sake, let’s say you need some examples.

In January, there was his 40-yard dash during the US Army All-American combine in San Antonio, when Felix hit 4.39 seconds on the clock. Maybe you could point to Nike’s The Opening combine in February, when he posted a 43-inch vertical.

Or perhaps you could rewind to July when Felix performed against the best football players in the country and was deemed the fifth best athlete at The Opening Finals in Oregon.

Green Wave coach Sam Sirianni points to his team’s spring game against Island Coast.

“He breaks the first play in 70 yards but it’s called back,” Sirianni said. “So he comes back the very next play and breaks the next one. I didn’t hesitate. I went back and gave him a read option on the second play and he ended up with another 70 yard touchdown.”

Felix, Fort Myers pounce on Island Coast

His online film through Hudl has been watched over 10,000 times.

Felix, the No. 2 prospect on The News-Press/Naples Daily News Big 15, could finish his career as one of the best football players to ever compete at Fort Myers, let alone Southwest Florida.

The argument could be made right now that we have Felix ranked too low on this list. Nearly 30 college programs have offered scholarships. The senior likely will narrow his list between Oregon, Tennessee, Auburn, North Carolina and Miami.

The 5-foot-11, 194-pound athlete returns as perhaps the most proven high school football player in Lee County. He’s a four-year varsity player who’s featured at cornerback, running back and wide receiver. As a senior, he’ll start at quarterback for a team many expect to contend for a state playoff berth.

“He’s blessed with a skill set that very few kids have,” Sirianni said. “I call him Midas. He’s got a golden touch. If I put Darrian at wide out, he has great ball skills and leaping ability. If you put him at running back, he’s very physical. He’s got great hips and vision. 

“If I put him at cornerback, he’s physical and he has a great burst,” Sirianni said. “He’s blessed with a great skill set that you can’t miss wherever you put him.”

And even with all that said, when practice ends and conditioning begins, Felix leads his team through sprints.

“His teammates believe in him,” Sirianni said. “They know he’s not the kid who rests on his laurels and cuts corners. He’s not that kind of kid.”

Last season, Felix compiled over 1,500 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns for a Green Wave program — which many believed would take a huge step back following graduation to a team that won 12 games the season prior — that won nine games and reached the region playoffs.

He ran for over 1,000 yards. He caught balls out of the slot. He returned kicks. He often was a big play waiting to happen.

“I’ve just been working hard toward building into something,” Felix said.

Inside the locker room, his teammates are attracted to his sense of camaraderie. If you were to peer into the locker room, you would find no overwhelming sense of ego from Felix. He remains humble to a fault.

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

“Teams are going to be surprised at what we can do this year with him at quarterback,” senior Bensley Bornelus said.

Coaches rave about his character. His film shows an ability to find seems in the line, bounce off tackles and out run the second line of defense with breakout speed.

“He has good change of direction,” said Corey Bender, a high school football analyst for Scout.com. “He’s a fleet footed runner and has nice footwork. Going forward, his acceleration is good.”

After his stellar outing at Nike’s The Opening regional combine early in the year, an invitation to the company’s big high school football showcase in Beaverton wasn’t immediate. He had to wait a few months for it to arrive. And in those months, Felix had to shrug off feelings of doubt. His recruiting profile at 247 Sports still has him as a three-star prospect and the 600th recruit nationally.

White, Felix headed to national football showcase in Oregon

But Felix and Sirianni continued to believe. Felix had a feeling his invitation would come. When competed in the finals, he certainly left an imprint on those who attended. His SPARQ school rated him as the fifth best prospect in the entire showcase. Days later, he took an unofficial visit on the University of Oregon campus.

“I’m just astonishing,” he said. “It was a great feeling, knowing all the hard work I put in came.”

So it’s no wonder why many already count Felix as one of the best in Fort Myers history, along the likes of Fort Myers greats like Jammi German, Clyde Allen and Richard Washington.

“He’s right there in that upper pantheon,” Sirianni said. “Being here 30 years as an assistant and a coach, I’ve been around some obviously great players. I’m hard-pressed to find a total package who doesn’t put him right up there with that top couple.”

Felix shrugs off the suggestions, but he also considers the comparisons as complements.

“It’s something kids always dream of being compared to, and I have a chance to do it,” he said.

The Big 15 

The News-Press and Naples Daily News will be counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

17. Joe Wilkins, North Fort Myers, WR: The 6-foot-2, 175-pound junior athlete has four scholarship offers from the likes of Indiana State, Southern Mississippi, Bowling Green and South Florida. 

Canterbury Cougars

The Canterbury football team looks to continue its winning ways this year under first year head coach Derrick Crudup.

The offensive coordinator for the Cougars last season, Crudup is inheriting a solid core of 28 players.

“It was nice to finally get some lineman this year, so now the big boys won’t have to play both ways,” Crudup said. “But all of my skill-position guys play both ways.”

Offense: The offense has seven returning starters and will feature a new look under junior quarterback Danny Cunningham. Sophomore running back Jalen Ellis and senior wide receiver Ryan Misewicz should combine to form Cunningham’s most likely targets down the field.

Crudup, a former University of Miami quarterback, says he will mentor Cunningham.

Cunningham will lead a pro-style offense which will feature a balance of running and passing plays. Crudup is hoping that his running game will then open up the necessary throwing lanes for his quarterback.

“We don’t really have an offensive identity, but we’ll be running the ball a lot,” Crudup said.

Defense: The defense will be relatively the same as it will be returning eight starters. The Cougar defense will be led by first-year coordinator Tariq Humes. Crudup says the defense will begin the year in a 4-3 formation, but could transition into a 5-2 formation during the season.

Ellis and Misewicz will also lead the defense. They have been chosen, along with Cunningham, as the team’s three captains.

Humes will pin his hopes on rotating lineman to get enough pressure on the quarterback to give his secondary opportunities to make plays in the defensive backfield.

Outlook: The Cougars will hinge on those combined 15 returning starters to lead them to another successful season. Even though the team is small, they all have trust in one another and look to build stronger relationships on and off the field.

“Our biggest challenge will be coming together as a team, since we don’t have a lot of depth,” Cunningham said.

Crudup believes this is the year for his players to shine and is looking forward to seeing all their success this season.

Canterbury

District: Independent

2015 record: 5-3, no playoffs

Schedule

Aug. 26: at ECS, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2: Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin, 7 p.m.

Sept. 9: St. John Neumann, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16: at St. Petersburg Canterbury, 7 p.m.

Sept. 23:  BYE

Sept. 30:  Ocala St. John’s Lutheran, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7: Winter Haven All Saints Academy, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14:  Riverview Bell Creek Academy, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21:  at Lake Placid, 7 p.m.

Cape Coral High running back Isaac Washington will be the focal point of the Seahawks’ offense this season after rushing for over 1,300 yards in 2015.

Cape Coral High’s worst season in 13 years may have been difficult for fans to watch in 2015. It wasn’t completely unexpected, though.

Coming off a 2014 regional final appearance, the team lost its leader in nearly every major statistical category to graduation or transfer. Calling the Seahawks, who finished 2-8, young was an understatement.

Heading into a new season with the slate wiped clean, fifth-year coach Larry Gary expects to experience some of the positive residual effects of a rough 2015 where his underclassmen took some bumps and bruises.

“We want the kids to see growth,” Gary said. “Last year they were babes being nurtured. Now, the kids have taken their protein and have grown up.”

Nonetheless, the Seahawks will still have some major questions to answer before their Aug. 26 opener at Sarasota High, particularly at the quarterback position.

Offense: Cape was again hurt by transfers when senior signal caller Maurice Flournoy left for South Fort Myers High. Flournoy was the most productive of a two-quarterback stable last season as a dual threat who threw for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns and was the team’s second-leading rusher.

Gary said junior Chris Kovacs and Chase Sealander are in the midst of a battle for the starting spot, which could be decided after both get turns in a preseason classic game against Fort Myers on Friday.

Make no mistake, the Seahawks’ air attack will take a backseat to senior running back Isaac Washington, who had a breakout junior campaign and followed that up with an eye-catching performance in May’s spring game.

Taking over the lion’s share of the carries last season, Washington, a workmanlike back who is hard to take down, carried 170 times for 1,306 yards and seven touchdowns. Against Dunbar in the spring, he toted the ball 28 times for 163 yards.

When asked whether Washington could be one of the few backs in Southwest Florida to carry between 25 and 30 times a game this season he said, “He doesn’t have a choice.”

One of Cape’s main strengths will be its play up front with three returning starters – Kobie Green, Garrett Hicks and Kyle Todd – on the offensive line.

After losing six receivers, including Jacksonville recruit C.J. Lewis, the Seahawks will rely on a young group of receivers led by junior Dwayne Emilus.

“We want to see them catch the ball and get what they can get,” Gary said. “That’s all we need.”

Defense: Last season was marked by the Seahawks getting sliced and diced by every offense they faced to the tune of surrendering more than 45 points per game.

Gary’s answer to that is making stopping the run a priority. Expect Cape to stack the box, daring opponents to throw the ball.

Byron Widemon, Logan Russo and Hicks are back on the defensive line while promising talent Kris Reaves and Luke Schulz leading the linebacking corps.

“All the guys returning didn’t like what they saw last year,” Gary said. “We had much better attendance in the weight room during the offseason. We got bigger and stronger. They really showed their desperation and want to get better.”

Outlook: In a deep District 6A-10, the expectation is Cape may be a year away from making a run at a playoff spot.

Gary disagrees.

“If we do what we need to do, we’re going to shock some people,” he said.

While the Seahawks’ first three district games against Port Charlotte, Ida Baker and Island Coast are all winnable, the three matchups are all on the road and should be very telling.

Cape Coral

District: 6A-10

2015 record: 2-8, no playoffs

Schedule

Aug. 26 — at Sarasota, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 — South Fort Myers, 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 — BYE

Sept. 16 — at Port Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 — at Cypress Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 — Ida Baker, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 — at Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 14 — at Island Coast, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 — Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 — North Fort Myers, 7 p.m.

Nov. 4 — Mariner, 7 p.m.

Gateway Charter Griffins

First-year Gateway Charter coach Chris Morant, taking over the reigns from Johnny Brown, has welcomed about 60 potential players to preseason practice. Morant has made it a priority to expand the Griffins’ roster. And with plenty of enthusiasm around, as well as Evangelical Christian School transfer Chris Ceasar in the fold, there is good reason for the excitement after an 0-10 showing in 2015.

Offense: Ceasar is Morant’s main weapon, but the Griffin offense is far from one-dimensional. Leading the unit is junior quarterback Tyous Savoy, and he will have decent receivers like Jerramie Joseph and Christopher Walton to which to throw. The offensive line is solid, led by big 6-foot-3, 285-pound lineman Billy Blanc. The line will also feature Luke Ford, Devon Chisam and Shawn Corgelas.

Gateway will run a basic spread offense and will both run and throw the ball against opponents. With a big, disciplined offensive line, Morant is confident the Griffins can move the ball around when they need to do.

Defense: Morant and the defensive players have the mantra of “If they don’t score, they don’t win.”

The Griffins will throw a 4-4-3 scheme at other teams, giving Gateway some simple blitz schemes that hope to confuse offensive linemen and create lanes to the football. It’s primarily designed to be a run-stopping scheme allowing some adjustment for teams that pass.

The Griffins appear to be strong at linebacker and on the defensive line. Ben Cherry returns at outside linebacker and Josh Rogers is back at inside linebacker. Giovanni Castirato is ready to go at middle linebacker.

Chisam will lineup at defensive end and Ben Wade and Michael Stabile at defensive tackle. Andrew Toledo and Christian Rodriguez will start at defensive back. With three linebackers coming up to help out, Morant feels the Griffins’ front seven can handle the run.

Outlook: The Griffins might base their hopes around the defense, since Morant says that unit could be what wins games for the team.

Gateway is also looking to finally build its own stadium. Morant, who says the new facility could cost about $250,000, will break ground in December and should be ready for the 2017 season. For now, Gateway will play its home games at East Lee County High. The Griffins will again compete in District 4A-6 and will have its league opener at Lake Placid on Sept. 23.

“Right now, we are trying to grow in numbers,” Morant said. “We are sort of a basic team, and kind of young, and we’re trying to teach the players discipline. These players are very excited about Gateway Charter football, and they will be ready to go out and have some fun every night.”

Gateway Charter

District: 4A-6

2015 record: 0-10

Schedule

All home games to be played at East Lee County High

Aug. 19 — at Marco Island, 7 p.m.

Aug. 26 — at East Lee County, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 — at SFCA, 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 — at ECS, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 — OPEN

Sept. 23 — at Lake Placid, 7 p.m.

Sept. 30 — at LaBelle, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 — OPEN

Oct. 14 — Lakeland Tenoroc, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 — at Bishop Verot, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 — Mulberry, 7 p.m.

Evangelical Christian School

Evangelical Christian School coach Tyler Gold is missing a few thousand rushing yards but not enthusiasm in practice these days.

Gold has welcomed back about 30 players and his Sentinels look strong on the offensive and defensive lines after losing leading rusher Chris Ceasar, who transferred to Gateway Charter. In his place, the Sentinels have several talented young athletes at skill positions and, because five starting offensive linemen are returning this fall, there’ll be plenty of experienced people blocking for them.

“There is a lot of excitement in practice now,” said Gold. “These guys had a great time at the team camp over the summer, and it rejuvenated the team.”

Offense: The Sentinels will run a multiple offense with multiple people in the backfield to make up for the loss of Ceasar.

Logan Pearlman is an all-around athletic talent who will start at quarterback.

“Logan is a great athlete, first of all, but he especially has the brains for the game,” Gold said. “He reads the defenses well and is great in the huddle. So he is great at handling the job mentally.”

In the backfield, ECS will have Judson Turley, who will also see time at wide receiver. Daniel Ibarra and Tucker Rogers and Will Spearman, all of whom played at the middle school level a season ago, will also play at running back.

The offensive line will feature Chris Bradley at right tackle, Josiah Wetmore at left guard, Kevin Murphy at center, Andrew McCarty at right guard and Shane Smith at left tackle.

Defense: The defensive line will look similar to the offensive line. Along with Murphy, Bradley, McCarty and Wetmore, Gold will also start senior Max Pennington  — who is in his seventh year with the team — at defensive line. Mark Fuchs and Smith will start at linebacker.

Outlook: Gold thinks the lines are undoubtedly the Sentinels’ strength.

“The offensive and defensive lines have the most experience,” he said. “They have played a lot against some very good opponents, so these guys know what to expect.”

Gold is a little concerned about the defensive secondary, where he is still trying new players, and replacing Ceasar in the backfield, where he says “a lot of other guys will have to step it up a little.”

District 2A-7 looks tough with four-time defending champ First Baptist and Southwest Florida Christian Academy and the Community School of Naples expected to be good again. The Sentinels will open the season with Canterbury, LaBelle and Gateway Charter before beginning 2A-7 play at home against First Baptist on Sept. 16. The Sentinels’ game with the Lions is the first of six straight district games.

Evangelical Christian

District: 2A-7

2015 record: 3-7

Schedule

Aug. 26 — Canterbury, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 — at LaBelle, 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 — Gateway Charter, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 — First Baptist, 7 p.m.

Sept, 23 — BYE’

Sept. 30 — Moore Haven, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 — at St. John Neumann, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14 — at Community School, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 — at SFCA, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 — Marco Island, 7 p.m.

Nov. 4 — at Seffner Christian, 7 p.m.

South Fort Myers defensive coordinator Anthony Dixon was named the school’s head football coach in June.

A day after South Fort Myers High football coach and security guard Anthony Dixon was fired by the Lee County School District, a wave of support rolled through the school.

On Twitter, the hashtag #DixonisSouth began to circulate late Tuesday night. The next day, a petition on Change.org was created by the username “Dixon Supporters” and had over 800 signatures by late Wednesday night.

Dixon, 39, had worked within the school district for 18 years and at South Fort Myers for the past 11 years before his removal on Tuesday following an investigation into an incident involving sex between a number of male students and a girl inside a school restroom on May 17.

The sexual encounter was videotaped and shared on social media. A hallway camera at the school captured 25 students entering the restroom during time of the incident, but school officials say not all participated in a sex act. Sixteen male students were disciplined, including five receiving suspensions.

The details of that investigation cannot be made public until Aug. 26 pursuit to District policy. Dixon retained employment lawyer Ben Yormak, who was unavailable for comment on Wednesday. Dixon is entitled to an appeal process through school board policy and the collective bargaining agreement.

Dixon spent 10 years as a Wolfpack assistant before being hired last June as head coach following the resignation of Grant Redhead and finished his only season with an 8-3 record.

When the school district was asked in May whether South Fort Myers football coaches were under professional standards inquiries and whether contracts would be renewed for the next calendar school year, former Lee County School District spokesperson Amity Chandler responded in an email: “While (former South Fort Myers principal) Ms. (Melissa) Layner will naturally be looking at what could be or could have been done differently I do not understand the implication of teachers. I also don’t understand the correlation or implication with Coach Dixon – other than to say that these are all non-issues.”

Matthew Holderfield, who was promoted from assistant to interim head coach Tuesday, said the team was working through a difficult period. He will guide the Wolfpack in its preseason home game Friday against Largo

“It was definitely a shock to some of the players but we have to move forward,” he said. We only have one last practice in pads to get ready for Friday night.”

South FM football coach Dixon fired after sex investigation

Robert Giles, an Exceptional Student Education teacher at South Fort Myers who had previously coached with Dixon before becoming the schools’ bowling coach, said he was blindsided by the dismissal.

“It’s devastating,” Giles said as he worked through tears. “All the stuff going around with the Dunbar community. All the violence we’ve had. You have a guy who still lives in the Dunbar community and is probably one of the best role models for these young black men that I’ve seen in my years of coaching.

“I’ve witnessed him taking four or five kids home at a time,” Giles continued. “They’re doing these kids a bunch of harm. The kids who really need a good role model. And they threw it away.”

One student wrote early Wednesday that T-shirts were being sold inside South Fort Myers art teacher’s Jeanne Dozier’s classroom for $5. Dozier is the daughter of school board member Jeanne S. Dozier.

Dozier said she was unaware that shirts were being sold in her room.

“This was not my thing,” she said. “I don’t know why my name is on it. It wasn’t me.”

South Fort Myers principal Ed Matthews could not be reached by comment early Wednesday.

District heaps all the blame on Dixon in South sex case

Dozier said she could not comment on the Dixon case, but added that teachers support him. “We love Dixon,” she said.

Wolfpack assistant football coach Nathan O’Jibway was also removed from his coaching position on Tuesday but remains a teacher.

Holderfield, a graduate of Jacksonville State University, is an Alabama native with 19 years of high school football coaching experience. The social studies teacher joined the Wolfpack in 2012 and says the program will need to continue to grow from this.

“Our guys have stepped up tremendously,” he said. “Everybody on the staff. Everybody in the administration. All the teachers. All the players. Everybody stepped up in the last 24 hours. That’s what we’ll have to continue to do.”

Naples Daily News reporter J. Scott Butherus contributed to this report.

Cypress Lake competes with Bishop Verot during a spring football game at Cypress Lake High School on Wednesday.

Bishop Verot High broke through with its second winning season in five years in 2015. The Vikings finished 8-3 and pushed eventual district champion Avon Park to the limit before ultimately settling for second place and a postseason berth.

As fall camp opened nearly three weeks ago, coach Bill Shields and his staff wanted to focus more on sustained success rather than continuing to celebrate last season. Verot football may be relevant again in Southwest Florida, but Shields wants the program to return to its status as an impact player in the region.

And it starts in heavily-regimented practices where players are on the clock roaming from station to station, expected to not go a second without hustling.

“We’re getting the kids to understand how to practice,” said Shields, who is in his third season of his second stint with Verot after coaching the Vikings from 1987 until 1992. “I think it started to take last season. When you have that success you want to play harder and practice harder. When you do that it puts you further ahead.”

With 46 players slated to make the varsity roster, Verot appears in good shape to make another run at its first district crown since 1991.

It will have to find a way to replace the production of transferred running back William Scott and rebuild a defense that came up big in some crucial games last season.

Offense: Scott’s absence from the program leaves a large hole in the rushing game after he accounted for 1,468 yards and 17 touchdowns en route to all-state honors last season.

Verot’s ground game will be more of a committee approach with promising junior Deven Thompkins, a dual threat who put up 848 all-purpose yards last season, earning the start. However, with Thompkins playing cornerback, senior Keeshaun McCaulley, sophomore Joslyn Mira and junior Brayden Cook will have chances to contribute.

Shields thinks an increase in the passing game led by junior quarterback Korey Besse could make up for a lot of Scott’s lost production. Besse came on strong late in 2015 and passed for 271 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game against Cypress Lake.

Verot’s numbers in the receiving corps have increased this season with juniors Gabe Garcia, Keith Messery, Josh Schwartz and Joel Webb joining seniors Bryce Faubel and Bryce Glassgow.

“We’re looking for consistency in catching the ball,” Shields said. “We have some vertical threats that can open up the passing game underneath.”

The offensive line is anchored by Central Florida commit Viktor Beach at tackle. Junior Garrett White will play opposite Beach at the other tackle while senior David Mahan and junior Jeff Mocarsky will be the guards and sophomore Alex Crouch will play center.

Defense: In what could be a much taller order than replacing Scott on offense, Verot must find a way to deal with the graduation of nine starters on defense. Particularly daunting will be recreating the unit’s dominance up the middle and stopping the run.

Gone are middle linebacker Jake Bowlin, defensive tackle Aidan Maribona and strong safety Anthony Cecere.

Shields plans to have just two players going both ways, but that could change. In anticipation of any depth issues, the coaching staff had each player learn a position on both sides of the ball.

Messery, a defensive end, will be joined on the defensive line by an assortment of offensive linemen like White. Fletcher Reynolds, Lorenz Thomas, Trey Oakley and Xavier Kelly make up the second level

Webb will join Thompkins at corner in the secondary while Garcia and Faubel will see time at safety.

Outlook: The assumption is Verot and Avon Park are the favorites again in District 4A-6. Shields put that to rest quickly.

“This is far from a two-horse race,” he said.

Lakeland Tenoroc made great strides last season, making a push toward that playoffs. Meanwhile, Lake Placid and Mulberry each have weapons this season and LaBelle returns a good portion of its 5-5 team from a year ago.

“You have to respect everyone,” Shields said. “Everyone is out there practicing just like we are. Every game is going to be tough.”

Bishop Verot

District: 4A-6

2015 record: 8-3, lost to Cocoa in a regional semifinal

Schedule

Aug. 26 — at Sarasota Cardinal Mooney, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 — at Mariner, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 — Lakeland Christian, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 — Lake Placid, 7 p.m.

Sept. 23 — at LaBelle, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 — at Avon Park, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 — at East Lee County, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14 — at Mulberry, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 — Gateway Charter, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 — Lakeland Tenoroc, 7 p.m.

One ill-advised decision continues to follow North Fort Myers High running back Zaquandre White around. The punch he threw at a South Fort Myers High player during a preseason game last August not only cost him a five-game suspension and a shot a memorable 2015 season, but the mistake has carried with it some very unflattering labels.

Zaquandre White, South Fort Myers

Immature. Lack of control. Bad attitude.

White spent plenty of time on a mea culpa media tour, answering questions about the punch, showing contrition and vowing to learn from it. However, it was when all the cameras and microphones disappeared that the senior could turn his words into actions.

Over the last six months, White hasn’t sought to repair his image in the public eye. Behind closed doors, he wants to become the best teammate he can be.

The Florida State commit, who is ranked No. 1 on The News-Press and Naples Daily News’ Big 15 list, whether he knew anyone was watching or not, has shown judging someone at their worst is misguided.

“I’m moving forward,” White said. “I’ve committed myself to my team.I would never do anything else to hurt them.”

White’s suspension helped derail a much-hyped North’s season and even nearly 1,000 rushing yards and seven touchdowns from him to end the season wasn’t enough to get the Red Knights into the playoffs. A four-star recruit ranked a top-10 back in the country, White knows he has a lot of making up to do and he enters the season in the best shape of his life, sporting a 4.53-second 40-yard dash time, a 40.5-inch vertical leap and he squats 515 pounds.

When volatile situations arose during the spring, as they did in North’s spring game with Sarasota Riverview, White displayed an unflappable attitude that will benefit him during his senior year. The 6-foot, 203-pound back was on the receiving end of a late hit out of bounds on the Riverview sideline similar to the one he took against South. A penalty flag was thrown and, unlike last season, White stood up and ran back to the huddle, paying the defender no mind.

“That’s the new me,” White said. “Back to the huddle. Lets’s go. Let’s keep it going.”

Knowing full well the expectation is that he will self-destruct at the slightest bit of trash talk, White has become deaf to the taunts of linebackers and safeties alike.

“You just tell them, ‘Alright, I’ll get you on the next play,'” he explained.

North coach Earnest Graham, a former University of Florida and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, understands all the drama that takes place between the lines and how hard it is to ignore. However, he sees the change in White every day.

“What he brings each and every day is a certain type of intensity, a kind of exuberance,” Graham said. “Being able to come in and settle himself, it’s a practice. He’s balancing himself well. He’s focused on what the coaches want from him and what his teammates want from him and the rest takes care of itself.”

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

The biggest challenge will be letting go of the idea that he alone has to carry the entire team to a District 6A-10 title or even a regional championship as some have predicted.

With offensive weapons at every position, he doesn’t have to do that.

As a trendy pick to make some noise this season once again, White said he and his teammates aren’t paying any attention.

“We’re not trying to let it get to our heads,” he said. “We know North is hyped. We’re just focused.”

Another issue that will be hanging over White’s head until February will be where he will be playing at the next level. The answer may seem simple. He’s been verbally committed to FSU for nearly two years.

“I’m still firmly committed Florida State,” White said. “I think I should take other visits, though.”

He plans to take official visits to Auburn and Florida as well as FSU.

His recruitment is secondary at this point, though. White won’t let anything derail his senior season.

The Big 15 

The News-Press and Naples Daily News counted down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday leading up to the start of high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

16. George Takacs, TE, Gulf Coast: The 6-foot-6, 230-pound junior has had a great spring, picking up offers from Florida, Minnesota, Iowa State, North Carolina State and South Florida.

Fort Myers players Dawson DeGroot, left, and Darrian Felix celebrate a touchdown made by Felix against Island Coast Friday in Cape Coral.

A season ago, the Fort Myers football team was trying to fight the temptation to compare itself to any other team of the previous decade.

The Green Wave won’t have that problem in 2016.

With a balanced rotation of experience, talent and motivation, this season’s group of athletes will have every chance to make the type of dent in Southwest Florida very few teams have done before it.

“We got a little taste of the postseason going two rounds in the playoffs and losing to a really good Naples team,” Fort Myers coach Sam Sirianni said. “But being competitive, it became a play of what ifs. A couple plays here or there, our kids believed we were really in that ball game. So that spurred them on in the offseason. It’s been their rallying cry.”

Felix, Fort Myers pounce on Island Coast

Fort Myers, which plays in District 6A-11, returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense as it looks to improve upon the nine-win campaign it completed a year ago.

Can they do it?

Offense: Every year it seems the Green Wave take that old Wing-T and add a new wrinkle. In recent times, Sirianni and his coaching staff have screwed in elements of the spread to open up the field with high-level skill players who can complement it.

This year, expect the offense to flourish again. Moving over to quarterback are two of the Green Wave’s best athletes. Senior Darrian Felix, a three-star recruit with scholarship offers from Oregon, Tennessee and Miami, and Ben Stobaugh, whom Sirianni calls his “underrated gem,” will helm the offense.

White, Felix headed to national football showcase in Oregon

While Felix will be asked to command the offense with a steady mix of read option plays, he’ll also spend time at other positions across the line of scrimmage. Sirianni believes Stobaugh will be given ample time to make plays with his arms and legs, too.

Fort Myers has tough, hard-nosed runners. Junior Xavier Perez will feature at the fullback position in front of senior running back Pierre Cherry. Senior Widchard Guervil, who runs a 10.73 second 100-yard dash, could eventually find carries as well.

“We return a good skill group,” Sirianni said.

Fort Myers will be without junior Randy Smith, a dynamic running back with an array of moves, following an offseason injury. At wide receiver, the Green Wave will feature two top-end Division I prospects.

Senior Bensley Bornelus, who caught 22 passes for 402 yards in 2015, will feature as one of the team’s go-to receivers alongside Dawson DeGroot.

Along the offensive line, Sirianni said he has a two-deep rotation which returns all its starters from a season ago.

Defense: Defensively, the Green Wave’s base 3-4 will be a tough sell for opposing offenses. If everything clicks, Fort Myers could have one of the best defenses in the area.

It’s anchored by senior Matt McQuinn, a three-year varsity player who led the team in tackles with 120 in 2015, and Guervil, who moves from nose guard to outside linebacker.

Southwest Florida Christian transfer Jordan Weatherbee, Dylan Chase, Cherry, Perez and senior Eddie Ferguson also will complete an athletic and ranging middle defense.

“We’re strong up the middle,” Sirianni said.

The Green Wave will have to find production on the line, however, after the graduation of two defensive tackles — including Division I bound Amos Corgelas.

In the secondary, DeGroot will oversee the field with surefire tackling and frontline speed. Bornelus and Felix will provide spot duty alongside Stobaugh, who Sirianni believes will become Fort Myers’ “shutdown corner,” on the outside.

The Big 15: DeGroot becoming leader in the secondary for Fort Myers

Freshman Yasias Young could become a young talent to watch on defense.

Outlook: While the Green Wave have right amount of experience and talent, the team will need to produce on the field.

The schedule leaves no room for error, with a devil’s row of tough opponents: Palmetto (Week 1), North Fort Myers (Week 2), South Fort Myers (Week 3), Charlotte (Week 4) and Dunbar (Week 10).

If Fort Myers can put together the pieces at the right times, expect the Green Wave to flourish on both sides of the ball.

“These kids, they are competitive,” Sirianni said. “They want to be good. They want to be on the wall in that locker room and want to be mentioned among those great teams.”

District: 6A-11

2015 Record: 9-3, Region 6A-3 playoffs

Schedule: 

8/19: Cape Coral, 7:00 p.m.

8/26: Palmetto, 7:30 p.m.

9/2: North Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

9/9: Cypress Lake, 7:30 p.m.

9/16: South Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

9/23: Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

9/30: Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.

10/14: Estero, 7:30 p.m.

10/21: Clewiston, 7:30 p.m.

10/28: East Lee County, 7:30 p.m.

11/4: Dunbar, 7:30 p.m.

Mariner High is chasing its first winning season since 2007.

If attitude and enthusiasm parlayed into victories, Mariner High will have a great shot at its first winning season since 2007.

“It’s been really good, really good,” Mariner coach Travis Smith said. “The kids have been enthusiastic. We’ve had the best practices since I’ve been working here. The kids are all excited about the new season. They’ve been up the entire time. It’s been contagious.”

Smith is going into his third season as head coach and he believes a good foundation has been set. It’s his sixth year with the program. He coached the offensive line before being promoted.

Weather wreaks havoc with preseason football games

With six returning starters on offense and five on defense, the Tritons have talent to back their excitement. However, there are depth issues as Smith plans on having as many as eight or nine players going both ways, although he said they’ll get breaks.

Mariner also lost a lot of experience on offensive line, Smith’s speciality, while the defense has to improve.

Offense: Smith is real high on QB Cairo Jeunegens who has grown on and off the field. He believes sophomore tailback Jessie Charles will be on a lot of Friday night highlights as he complements FB Geovanni Garcia.

Offensive coordinator Nate Sund, formerly the Lehigh coach, also has an array of wideouts to work with. He has talented pass catchers with wide receivers Chance Reiter and tight end Chris Ramsey. “He’s got great hands and runs perfect routes,” Smith said.

Lehigh football team downs North Port in preseason

Offensive tackle Alex Gonzalez (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) will get scholarship offers, Smith said. Offensive tackle Justyn Cordones “is gonna be a beast”, the coach said. However, he said the interior linemen will be young and inexperienced.

“We still run a wing T but will move in and out of formations,” Smith said.

Defense: Hunter Rees, the team’s defensive MVP last season, will be back at strong-side linebacker.

Cordones will be a defensive end as well as Nick Simon, who plans on having a bounce-back season.

The secondary is inexperienced but has been bolstered by Joey Lane coming out. He played soccer in the past and is considered a good leader.

Last season, Mariner gave up 37 or more points six times so defensive coordinator Keeth Jones is working to improve that.

Outlook: Don’t be surprised if Mariner gets involved in more shootouts like last season’s 57-48 win over Cape Coral.

Jeunegens has good weapons to work with. Given time, he could light up some defenses.

Facing Jeunegens in practice will hopefully help the secondary. “We’re still figuring out who they are just yet,” Smith said.

The coach said he’s not thinking playoffs.

“Just teaching kids what they need to know,” he said. “I definitely think we have a good foundation here.”

Mariner

2015 record: 4-6

District: 5A-12

Schedule

Aug. 26 — Estero, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 2 — Bishop Verot, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 — at LaBelle, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 — at Cypress Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 — North Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 — Lely, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 — BYE           

Oct. 14 — at Immokalee, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 — at East Lee County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 — Dunbar, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 4 — at Cape Coral, 7 p.m.

LaBelle High School logo

Optimism surrounds the LaBelle football program in 2016. The Cowboys improved from a 1-9 mark in 2014 to a 5-5 record last season. While just coming up short of a playoff berth, head coach Chris Siner will return 15 starters from a year ago.

“With so many returners from a season ago coming back, it’s exciting for us,” Siner said. “The postseason is where we want to get back to. We had a couple key guys graduate that we’ll need to replace their production, but we feel comfortable with our personnel to step in and contribute.

LaBelle is most known for its 1995 season, marching all the way to the Class 3A state championship game and shared a successful run from 2005-2007 with three state postseason appearances under Ron Dunbar. Three years have passed since Siner took LaBelle to the postseason in 2013 and the Cowboys are hungry to return to the playoffs.

Among the graduating seniors from a year ago, Hugo Vargas vacates a hole at quarterback and safety. Marcellous Mitchell was a valuable utility threat who thrived in the return game, tallying four returns for touchdowns a year ago. Luke Storey led the Cowboys in tackles and sacks a year ago from the defensive end spot.

Offense: Seven starters return in 2016 for LaBelle with Tray Williams headlining the skill positions at running back. Rushing for 1,059 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago, Williams will run behind an offensive line returning two three-year starters in Matthew Price and Dillon Powell. Adan Zamarron will help shoulder the load in the backfield.

Tyler Burton will look to give the Cowboys a more balanced attack at quarterback with tight end Michael Rothenhoefer looking to become a go-to target. Wide receivers Denilson Casseus, Noah Lawson and Angel Vargas expect to contribute with the Cowboys working under a pro-style offense.

Defense: Price and Jaxon Purvis headline the heart of the defense at linebacker, leading eight returners from a year ago that allowed 17.7 points a game.

Zamarron is a versatile defender who can play on the interior and come off the edge. Amir Yates and Roethenhoefer will look to replace the production of Storey at defensive end.

The secondary is deep with Lawson, Casseus, Williams, and Vargas all sharing duties in the defensive backfield. Where the Cowboys may have as big of advantage over most teams in Southwest Florida is their kicking game, as they return second team all-state punter Jonathan Morales. Morales displayed his kicking prowess in the spring game against Southwest Florida Christian, kicking two field goals from 44 and 49 yards out.

Outlook: LaBelle will have to contend with a tough District 4A-6 with Avon Park, Bishop Verot, and Lakeland Tenoroc all finishing ahead of the Cowboys a year ago.

Close defeats against the Red Devils (14-7), and Titans (10-9, OT) showed LaBelle wasn’t too far off from a playoff berth last season. The Cowboys gets Bishop Verot at home on Sept. 23, but travels to Tenoroc Oct. 7 and Avon Park Oct. 21.

“Last season we were close against a really good Avon Park team and lost in overtime to Tenoroc, and the district will remain very competitive,” Siner said. “It won’t be any easier for us this season.”

LaBelle

District: 4A-6

2015 record: 5-5

Schedule

Aug. 26 — at Clewiston, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 2 — ECS, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 — Mariner, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 — at Mulberry, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 — Bishop Verot, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 — Gateway Charter, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 — at Lakeland Tenoroc, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 14 — Lake Placid, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 — at Avon Park, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 — BYE

Nov. 4 — at Moore Haven, 7 p.m.

Longtime Dunbar assistant coach Sammy Brown took over as the team’s head coach in the spring. The Tigers are coming off a 9-3 2015 that included a run to a regional final.

At Dunbar High nothing much has changed, but the head coach’s name. Sammy Brown took over the position after a decade-plus of service as an assistant with the Tigers program.

The transition to Brown has been seamless because of his familiarity with the players and the expectations of the program. If anything, last year’s 9-3 season where it reached a regional final has raised expectations more than any other season.

Players made it known anything less than a run to state will be a disappointment. Brown, meanwhile, is focused on the Tigers’ opener at Ida Baker High.

“We want to believe that we are good enough to get there,” Brown said. “These guys want to see all their hard work during the offseason pay dividends. I want to see us play hard through the whistle and be in a position every game late to win that game.”

Offense: Something was missing from the Dunbar offense last season and Brown, who served as the offensive coordinator after years as the defensive coordinator, knew just what it was. The Tigers didn’t throw the ball as much as he would have liked last season and has made every effort to change that this season.

He brought back former offensive coordinator Dwayne Donnell to work with improving junior quarterback Jairus Johnson, who struggled last season.

“We stuck by him last season and believe it’s going to pay off,” Brown said. “He’s in his second year in this offense and he better understands the terminology.”

Johnson will also have plenty of weapons with which to work. The transfer of bruising running back Abraham Alce, who rushed for 1,138 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2015, to Plantation American Heritage hurt, but Alce gave the coaching staff enough notice so they could rework the offense around a group of talented scat backs.

Speedy sophomore Seneca Millidge, senior Kenny Benjamin and Lehigh Senior High transfer Shocky Jacques-Louis are capable of busting big plays from multiple positions. The game plan will be to get the ball in their hands by any means necessary.

Look for the trio to be lined up all over the field from the slot to the backfield.

“Our goal is for the defense not to be comfortable,” Brown said.

Filling in for Alce, senior Lajuan Preston will start at running back while junior Keanu Young will provide depth.

Guards Quaveon Wright and Dwight Bartley and center Oistin Jones are the returning starters on the offensive line.

Defense: Over the last decade, Dunbar has established a strong reputation on the defensive side of the ball that was further reinforced by last year’s unit, which gave up a little less than 17 points a game.

For the trend to continue the Tigers will need to fill two huge holes at linebacker vacated by standouts Zach Lackman and Jaiylin Mays. Joining all-state caliber outside linebacker Shanon Reid will be senior Isaiah Lyons and junior Bakari Jackson.

Junior defensive tackle Judas McKenzie headlines a big, athletic defensive line which will be filled out by defensive ends Jerry Galety and Rocky Jacques-Louis.

The secondary will be made up of cornerbacks Marcus Young and Craig Small and safeties Millidge and Trevon Kennedy.

Outlook: The defending District 5A-12 champions should be in line to repeat with a rebuilding Immokalee and Lely serving as its top threats, but that isn’t the ultimate goal.

“We play a tough schedule. We’d like to think we’re pretty tough too,” Brown said. “To get to where we want to go we’re going to have to cut down on penalties and turnovers and win the field position game.”

Dunbar

District: 5A-12

2015 record: 9-3, lost to Tampa Jesuit in a regional final

Schedule

Aug. 26 — at Ida Baker, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 2 — Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 — at Riverdale, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 — at Lely, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 — South Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 — BYE

Oct. 7 — at Island Coast, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 14 — Cypress Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 — Immokalee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 — at Mariner, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 4 — Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Lehigh Senior High’s Chris Curry played just five games after suffering a dislocated shoulder last season, but should be the focal point of the Lightning’s offense this season.

Last season was a lost season of sorts for the Lehigh Senior High football team.

First-year coach James Chaney coached just two games before being suspended for a sideline infraction by his assistants. He also spent five weeks away from the team when he was under a professional standards inquiry by the Lee County School District.

Injuries also wreaked havoc at key positions.

Those hurdles let what should have been a promising season slip to a 3-6 record and missing the state playoffs.

One would think Chaney and his team left 2015 in their rearview mirror. Not exactly.

“We all have to learn from our mistakes,” Chaney said. “When I was going through what I was going through I didn’t wallow in it. I didn’t blame anyone but myself. I didn’t hold any grudges. That’s the type of mentality I want my kids to develop.”

That being said, Chaney and his staff have focused on getting their team better each day to achieve its goals.

“We’re going to eat this elephant one teaspoon at a time,” Chaney said. “Our goal is to get better hourly and daily. When you put enough pennies in the cookie jar you end up getting what you need in the end.”

Offense: The 2015 season could have looked a lot different for Lehigh if not for a few plays here and there. The Lightning lost two one-point games and didn’t get the offensive performance they hoped for in a de facto postseason play-in game against District 6A-11 foe Estero, mustering just seven points.

Lehigh’s main focus will be improving upon its 16 points per game average of last season.

A lot of the onus will be on the running back tandem of junior Chris Curry and senior Jalane Nelson. The versatile Curry, who has offers from North Carolina and Western Kentucky, posted three 100-plus-yard rushing performances in five games before dislocating his shoulder, but is now 100 percent healthy.

Nelson could be the perfect compliment to Curry with great vision and quickness.

“You don’t have to wear one person out,” Chaney said. “The goal is to keep people healthy and fresh. We’re going to give it to the guy with the hot hand.”

Another player making his way back from injury is senior quarterback D’Marquise Collins, who possess an above average arm and great mobility.

Chaney will work to fill some holes on the offensive line and at wide receiver. Losing standout receiver Shocky-Jacques Louis to transfer was a huge blow to the offense, but Chaney thinks a trio of big targets in 6-foot-3 senior Brock Hall, 6-foot-3 junior Russell Brown and junior Christian Guerra are up to the task.

“The best thing about those guys is they love to block,” Chaney said.

Along the offensive line, center Chad Sykes will anchor the unit that also features Travis Lewis, Rigo Villa and Smith Joseph.

Defense: The Lightning didn’t participate in a lot of 7-on-7s this summer because a premium was placed on time in the weight room to get stronger. The reason for that was Chaney’s priority of stopping the run.

Achieving that goal will start with a big, athletic group of line backers led by middle linebacker Jacquez Brown, whose name is gaining momentum on the recruiting circuit after receiving offers from UNC-Charlotte and Toledo. He’ll be joined on the second level, which is made up of three juniors and a senior, by Jeff Augustin and Thyreek Etienne.

Up front, Chaney expects big things from nose guard Mardochee Simon and defensive ends Chris Pierre and Derrick Massey.

Free safey Quan Martin, who led the team with seven interceptions last season, is in the secondary along with cornerbacks Demontae Hart and Arthur Nance as well as rover Delshawn Green.

Outlook: Just as it was last season, behind powerhouse Fort Myers High, District 6A-11’s second playoff spot is up for grabs between Lehigh, Estero and East Lee County. Chaney, however, isn’t much for looking that far ahead.

“We don’t want to hear about (Week 1 opponent) Palmetto Ridge. We don’t want to hear about Fort Myers,” Chaney said. “We’re not focused on anyone else. We’re preparing soundly and working on us.”

Lehigh

District: 6A-11

2015 record: 3-6

Schedule

Aug. 26 — Palmetto Ridge, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 — at Dunbar, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 — at South Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 — at Barron Collier, 7 p.m.

Sept. 23 — Island Coast, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 — at Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 — Cape Coral, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 14 — East Lee County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 — BYE

Oct. 28 — at Estero, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 4 — Riverdale, 7:30 p.m.

Island Coast quarterback Kory Curtis will look to lead the Gators in 2016

There’s a renewed sense of belief with the Island Coast football program as it begins its second year under head coach John Schwochow.

The Gators, who went 2-8 in 2015, are thinking playoffs again.

“Spring football was tremendous,” said Schwochow, who was hired last June. “I didn’t have that a year ago. They know what our expectations are and what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Much of last season felt rushed for Island Coast, which found it hard to compete in District 6A-10 (1-5) or its nonconference schedule (1-3) without the benefit of spring practice with Schwochow. They won two games by a combined four points and lost eight others by an average of 28 points per game.

With five starters returning on the offensive side of the ball and four others on defense, this year feels different, Schwochow says. The Gators are stronger, faster and smarter. 

Offense: Island Coast threw more than most high school programs in 2015 with a 40-60 run-to-pass ratio, and that likely won’t change a season later. With two-year starter Kory Curtis under center, Island Coast may even extend its offense to allow for more vertical action down the field.

Curtis completed just 46 percent of his passes last year for a total of 1,233 yards, but he also had less time to throw and was forced to make a lot of throws under pressure.

Senior Marlon Gaymon, who did a little bit of everything last year, including kick and punt return duties, returns after caching 43 passes for 694 yards and five touchdowns. He was the only skill position player who produced more than 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2015.

He will pair with senior Smith Joseph and junior receivers Drew Lusk and Marcus Evans to create a talented receiving corps.

“Talent-wise, top to bottom, I think they’re one of the best,” Schwochow said of his receivers.

If the Gators are to have any success, senior running backs Jerry Cambric and Calvin Smith will also have to produce between the tackles. Cambric split time a season ago with senior Antonio Greaves and finished with 378 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

At offensive line, the Gators will feature junior tackles Chris Taylor and Dylan Woods, junior guard Chris Sutton and a handful of others.

Defense: Island Coast will feature a 4-2-5 defense that will morph, at times, to resemble a 4-4. It will be strong up front with defensive end Jordan Zorbas and tackles Wood and Taylor.

At middle linebacker, the Gators will rely on the playmaking ability of Zahir Alma, JD Thomas and Brodrick Hamilton.

Cornerbacks Cameron Howitt and Clifton Henderson return as two of Island Coast’s most experienced defensive players.

Safety, however, is a question mark. And the same can be said for tackling. In their spring game against Fort Myers, the Gators struggled wrapping up ball carriers and gave up a number of big plays.

“Our big thing is creating turnovers,” Schwochow said. “If we can do that, we should be all right.”

Outlook: The schedule begins with a tough opponent in South Fort Myers and continues in ensuing weeks with dates against Naples, Sarasota, North Fort Myers and Lehigh — almost all teams with legitimate playoff aspirations themselves.

So if the tide is to change with the Gators in 2016, Schwochow believes the program will need to build momentum over the first five weeks.

Difficult games remain with Charlotte on Sept. 30 and Dunbar on Oct. 7 before Island Coast finishes the season with three straight district games.

“We have to have some momentum and some success early on so we keep everybody going,” he said.

District: 6A-11

2015 record: 2-8, no playoffs

Schedule

Aug. 26: at South Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 2: at Naples, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9: Sarasota, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16: at North Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23: at Lehigh, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30: at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7: Dunbar, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 14: Cape Coral, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21: Port Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 28: at Ida Baker, 7:30 p.m.

Thomas Edison is consoled by his teammates after speaking on behalf of his football coach Anthony Dixon at the Lee County School Board meeting on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, in Fort Myers.

Anthony Dixon could not be here to see this community come to life but could the dismissed South Fort Myers football coach feel it?

When they arrived in waves wearing T-shirts supporting his name? Or when they stepped to the podium in front of the Lee County School District school board on Tuesday and wiped away tears? When these athletes, students, teachers, football coaches, parents, community members and friends met afterward and chanted his name?

“We just want to show how important he has been for us,” said South Fort Myers senior Ethan McDaniel, a co-captain of the Wolfpack football team.

What Dixon couldn’t see were moments like the one Robert Souza, a South Fort Myers football player, gave during public comment among an overflow crowd of almost 200.

UPDATE: South Fort Myers student pleads not guilty

Hundreds were there to show support for Dixon, who was suspended without pay or benefits Aug. 17 following an investigation into a sexual incident that took place between a number of boys and a teenage girl inside a South Fort Myers High bathroom in May.

Following the investigation, Dixon was released of his duties at South Fort Myers as a security guard and football coach and was recommended for termination pending a review from the school board.

Bobby Souza, center, and his teammates from the South Fort Myers High School football team gathered to show their support for coach Anthony Dixon at the Lee County School Board meeting on Tuesday. the Lee County School Board meeting on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, in Fort Myers.

Souza’s two-minute speech became the heart of this journey in front of the decision makers in this case. The senior football player’s tears gave the lasting image on a night when hundreds appeared inside the auditorium and many spoke in reverence of their suspended coach.

“I was coached four years to tell the truth, to show character, to show integrity and to stand up for what I believe in,” said Souza, who first met Dixon during youth football with his stepdad, Shane Owens. “I believe this man has been wrongfully persecuted. This is a man who has donated so much of his time to myself and my teammates. And I can’t thank him enough.

“When you have a family as a son or daughter, you have to love them,” he continued. “But when you find someone that loves you that’s not a family member, that’s special. And that is coach Dixon.”

South Fort Myers community unites to bring former coach Dixon back

Of the 30 public comments presented to the school board on Tuesday, nearly all of them centered around the suspension of Dixon, which could not be publicly discussed in length because of a privacy statute that prevented the release of the investigation until Friday.

That did not limit the public’s discourse of the subject.

South Fort Myers’ booster club vice president Priscilla Doyle urged the school board to re-examine its investigation into the matter, claiming that if Dixon “could not adequately supervise” students during the time of the incident, how could other administrators, coaches and staff personnel inside the school at the same time do the same?

The father of a current player, Bill Morris, expressed the idea that Dixon was being painted wrongly by the school district.

“Everything that I’ve understood about this is that he has not been treated how a longstanding employee of the school district should be treated,” Morris said. “And it’s unfortunately symptomatic of the way political bodies often treat their employees. From a bigger perspective, he’s not someone who has warranted this.”

Some believed Dixon’s life would be ruined by an eventual firing, that his reputation would be crushed. And for what?

Players like Darfnell Gouin, a senior with the Wolfpack football team, hobbled into the auditorium on crutches. He injured his knee a day before the school year began, and over the last weeks had seemed to get a grip on his lost season … before his coach was dismissed.

“It’s a huge loss,” he said. “I didn’t really have a father growing up. I looked up to him as a father. That’s how we was for most of the team.”

The mood inside the auditorium was palpably tense, sometimes bordering on restless. Board meeting regulations were declared beforehand, preventing audience members from standing, clapping or cheering following moments of public comments at the stand.

Removal caught South High football coach Anthony Dixon off guard

And yet, early on, some audience members couldn’t resist. Some clapped following Doyle’s comments. Others began to cry after Souza’s remarks.

Once more, they were told to quiet.

Until, as if prompted without plan, they adjusted, raising their hands and silently snapping their fingers together.

“A lot of people felt like there was injustice. I’m bitter. I’m bitter from stuff that just wasn’t fair,” said Riley Ware, an assistant coach on the South Fort Myers football team and one of Dixon’s closest friends. “But today just just shows that we have a lot of people here that care.”

Dixon couldn’t be here to see this, but perhaps he could sense it.

North Fort Myers High and Florida State commit Zaquandre While will look to lead the Red Knights to a playoff spot in 2016.

As a second-year head coach last season, Earnest Graham was still on a bit of a learning curve. The former Florida Gator and Tampa Bay Buccaneer was still settling into his job at North Fort Myers High.

The last thing he and the Red Knights needed was to be so hyped up thanks to an abundance of talent that they had a target on their backs every week. And North didn’t handle it well, hitting plenty of bumps along the way that derailed a 2015 season with sky high expectations.

It started with a preseason fight with South Fort Myers, which kept the Knights without standout running back Zaquandre White for five games, and followed with missed opportunity after missed opportunity in some key games.

“You have to have a certain amount of poise playing in these games,” Graham said. “I think our issues in the second half got the better of us last season.”

It amounted to a 5-5 season and stretched North’s postseason drought to nine seasons.

Armed with even more talent this season, the preseason hype machine again set its sights on Graham’s team.

This time North believes it’s prepared.

Offense: White continues to think of what could have been had he not thrown a punch at a South player during a preseason classic game. The Florida State commit rushed for nearly 1,000 yards in just five games upon his return.

The plan is to play in more than 10 games this season.

While he’ll be the feature back, Graham plans to go with a back-by-committee approach with South transfer Fa’Najae Gotay, sophomore Hunter Kobylanski, senior Luis Alfonso and sophomore Chris Lucas all getting their chances.

The running game will be reliant on a young, talented offensive line led by senior Collin Tumbarello and junior Colton McMullen. Sophomores Adolphus Taylor and Isaiah Taylor as well as senior J.P. Perez will fill in.

Blocking from the receiving core will be crucial to North’s production. Joe Wilkins, Eric Harris, Herb Riggins, Garrett Morgan, Bryce Adkins and Blake McPherson are also part of unit who can stretch the field and make crucial catches on third down with junior quarterback Ben Pogue running the offense.

Defense: Graham is looking for increased physicality down the stretch from his defense after it tired during the second half of games last season.

“Last year we had a couple of games, if we had gotten a stop late we could have won the games,” Graham said. “In our district a lot of teams make a point of it to run the ball. Out of district, Fort Myers closed us out running the ball down our throat. Island Coast same thing, Port Charlotte. Those are teams that get stronger as the game goes on so our physicality needs to be present for a full four quarters.”

Up front will be Perez and senior Hunter Warren along with juniors Michael Chase and Brandon King on the edges.

Gotay replaces University of South Florida recruit Mi’Cario Stanley at linebacker and is joined by Kobylanski and junior Cameron Taylor.

White will see some time in the secondary with Riggins and Wilkins at cornerback and senior Tanner Mounce and Alfonso at the safety positions.

Outlook: Defending District 6A-10 champion Charlotte appears to be the favorite this season with the second playoff spot up for grabs.

Graham expects this past offseason will make all the difference as North has learned from last year.

“This offseason was less eventful,” Graham said. “We really just focused on being around each other as a team. We focused on leadership and accountability.”

North opens its district schedule Sept. 16 with a home game against Island Coast before a crucial stretch hosting Port Charlotte, at Charlotte and hosting Ida Baker, which should determine its fate.

North Fort Myers

District: 6A-10

2015 record: 5-5, no playoffs

Schedule

Aug. 26 — at Riverdale, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 2 — at Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 — Estero, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 — Island Coast, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 — at Mariner, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 — Port Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 — BYE

Oct. 14 — at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 — Ida Baker, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 — at Cape Coral, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 4 — Barron Collier, 7:30 p.m.

Darrian Felix and Fort Myers are among the favorites to win a Region 6A-3 title this season. The Green Wave opens at Palmetto Friday.

At the start of fall camp each season, Ida Baker High coach Brian Conn has a harsh reminder for his team. When it comes to preseason rankings and district projections, don’t expect to see Baker anywhere.

That’s just how Conn likes it. He’ll happily fly under the radar and watch opponents overlook the Bulldogs.

Some area teams like Baker, without the greatest of expectations, relish playing the disrespect card. Meanwhile, there are Lee County’s blue blood programs like Fort Myers High, Dunbar High, North Fort Myers High and South Fort Myers High who carry the weight of sky-high expectations on their shoulders every season.

With Week 1 of the 2016 season set to kickoff Friday, it will be no different.

While its on coaches like Fort Myers’ Sammy Sirianni to downplay the hype that has fans thinking regional championship, Conn uses labels like “mediocre” and “middle of the pack”, which Baker is tagged with each year, as motivation.

“I tell them that no matter what you kids do nobody is expecting much of you,” Conn said. “And even if you do succeed the next year they’re going to say you won’t.”

In Baker’s case, over the last five years, being buried in the rankings never really lasts for long. The Bulldogs have posted winning records in four of the last five seasons.

Week 1 high school football previews, rankings

Coming off a 4-6 slate in 2015, Conn’s squad is expected to finish in the middle of District 6A-10. However, as Conn knows, opinions can change in the span of a week, especially with a golden opportunity to take down a highly-touted Dunbar team Friday at home.

The Bulldogs took the Tigers, who ended up reaching a regional final last season, to overtime before being beaten by a jump ball in the end zone in last year’s opener.

The Ida Baker football team averaged 26 points per game in 2015 but gave up 33. A reversal of those numbers would push the Bulldogs back to their winning ways after their first losing season since 2010.

“We’re hoping to change some people’s minds about us,” Conn said. “We played them very tough last year and are eager for the chance to play them Friday.”

As one of the state’s winningest programs, Fort Myers always commands respect. The Green Wave are used to being hyped in the preseason and Sirianni understands it’s natural for teenagers to buy into it.

“Inner belief in yourself is important, but you have to channel it the right way,” said Sirianni, whose team has won 21 games the last two seasons and returns 16 starters, including three-star recruit Darrian Felix.

“I really believe we’re not a very good football team on Aug. 24, especially with where we hope to be later in the year.”

The Green Wave along with Charlotte and Naples are among the favorites to come out of Region 6A-3.

Last season Fort Myers had to rally back from some shaky performances to start the season to finish 9-3 and reach the second round of the postseason. That included losing its opener for the first time in 12 years to Palmetto High, which it will face on the road Friday in a rematch.

Sirianni scheduled the Manatee County team with the sole purpose of challenging his team early. The loss took the team down a few pegs and prepared it for the rest of the season.

“The greatest respect you can get is everyone targets the game against you, they circle it, they want to win it,” Sirianni said. “We expect we’re going to get the opponent’s best shot and we’re better for it.”

North coach Earnest Graham, whose team opens with Riverdale, expects a similar situation with the talented Red Knights having a target on their back to open the season for the second straight year. It didn’t go well last year with Florida State running back commit Zaquandre White losing half of his junior season due to suspension.

North went 5-5 and missed the playoffs, serving as a learning experience to Graham and his players.

Football preview: North Fort Myers ready to live up to hype

“There’s a lot of hype and now we’re used to it,” Graham said. “We know we can’t control anything but what we do as a team. If we do what we need to do it all will take care of itself.”

Much like North, Lehigh entered the 2015 season with a good amount of preseason hype before injuries and a five-week suspension to head coach James Chaney derailed it. In Chaney’s second year, the chatter about Lehigh has died down, allowing him and his staff to stress what is important rather than what is projected in the media.

“These kids want to win, but it’s our job as coaches and leaders to show if you don’t do A, B, C and D, you can’t win,” said Chaney, whose team opens with Palmetto Ridge . “A lot of that doesn’t have to do with the way you practice and play. It’s the things you don’t do on the field. It’s the weightlifting, being accountable and being a good teammate.”

"Its been emotional around here," said Matthew Holderfield, South Fort Myers High School’s interim head football coach, before Friday’s game against Largo at South Fort Myers High School. Holderfield was referring to the team’s reaction to the firing of former head coach Anthony Dixon recently. Holderfield, his assistant coaches and fans wore #DixonIsSouth shirts in support of Dixon.

In South Fort Myers’ current situation, team unity is needed more than ever. The suspension of second-year coach Anthony Dixon as a result of an investigation into an after-school sex incident last May has left the players and coaching staff in a vulnerable position during a season where they’ll seek a fifth straight district title.

Interim coach Matthew Holderfield said the shock of losing Dixon weighed heavily on the players’ minds last week, but this week preparing for the Wolfpack’s opener with Island Coast has shifted the focus.

“It’s on their minds, but I really feel like all the coaches — we’re all really close — the players know where they’re coming from. We know where they’re coming from.”

The high expectations remain the same because they know that’s what Dixon wants.

“They take pride that they’re South,” Holderfield said. “They know what that represents.”

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Cory Mull and Adam Regan

 Inside Southwest Florida Football

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