Game of the Week

E’Quan Dorris and South Fort Myers host Island Coast in Week 1.

Island Coast at South Fort Myers

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for – IC: The Gators begin their second season under former South defensive coordinator John Schwochow with a tall order. This one wasn’t close last season as the Wolfpack accounted for 298 yards on the ground in a 33-10 victory. With senior quarterback Kory Curtis and playmakers like receiver Marlon Gaymon around him, the question won’t be whether the Gators can score with the Wolfpack, but if a defense, which gave up nearly 42 points per game last season, can put together some stops.

Island Coast helmet

South: The fallout from South coach Anthony Dixon’s suspension could makes this matchup a bit more interesting. Matthew Holderfield has taken over on an interim basis and is looking to continue what Dixon started. How the players, who have adamantly supported Dixon over the last two weeks, react to playing without him for the first time is up in the air. Will it be a rallying call that provides them with needed motivation or will the pressure to win for Dixon be too much?

South Fort Myers High

Game Previews

Cape Coral at Sarasota

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for – Cape: Seahawks coach Larry Gary said his squad has a chance to surprise Southwest Florida this season. It starts with a Week 1 road trip against a team it beat 28-21 last season. The teams combined for 37 points in the fourth quarter with Maurice Flournoy’s 48-yard touchdown being the deciding score. Without Flournoy, who transferred to South, this season, the Seahawks will rely on running back Isaac Washington, who rushed for 1,306 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Sarasota: The Sailors, who went 4-6 last season, are seeking the program’s first winning season since 2006. Sophomore Bryan Gagg is taking over at quarterback and will be on a bit of a learning curve early. Coach Brian Ryals will look to his defense to carry the load early on.

Cypress Lake at North Port

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for – Cypress: The rebuilding of the Panthers’ program begins under first-year coach Richie Rode this week. Serving as the team’s offensive coordinator, Rode installed the Wing-T offense which is designed to grind out first downs and cut down on the possessions of some of the area’s quick, high-scoring offenses. The Panthers don’t return a lot of starters on either side of the ball so it could be tough sledding early in the season. North Port: Coming off a 2-8 2015 campaign, the Bobcats hung with Lehigh in an 18-7 loss in the preseason last week despite giving up a ton of yards. The offense returns leading rusher Octavious Cummings and leading receiver C.K. Poulos.

Weather wreaks havoc with preseason football games

Palmetto Ridge at Lehigh

Time: 7 p.m.

What to watch for – PR: Bears coach Chris Toukonen’s team is coming off an 8-3 season that included a first-round playoff loss to Fort Myers. “Lehigh is a good team,” he said. “They have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. We’re looking to get better on offense.” Palmetto Ridge lost to Ida Baker 15-14 last week in the preseason game, on a last-minute, two-point conversion after leading 14-7. “Any time you lose a game like that to Ida Baker, we’re looking to get back at it and fix any loose ends,” Toukonen said. “We don’t want that to happen again. We have a solid defense. We have eight starters coming back from last year’s team. They’re the leaders.” Lehigh: The Lightning are coming off a 3-7 record last season as coach James Chaney returns for his second year. “We’re a work in progress,” Chaney said. “We’re trying to get better every day.” The Lightning have 6 returning starters on each side of the ball. One of them, junior tailback Chris Curry, rushed for 145 yards last week during an 18-7 preseason victory against North Port. “He’s had a good, hard work ethic,” Chaney said. “He makes good grades. He’s a leader. We lean on him on offense.” Senior QB D’Marquise Collins also had a solid preseason. “He managed the game well,” Chaney said. “He didn’t have any turnovers. He played a good game.”

Ida Baker at Dunbar

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for – Baker: Besides getting a 15-14 victory over Palmetto Ridge in its preaseason opener, Brian Conn saw his team go through some late-game situations that will serve it well down the road. “We had to convert two fourth downs before the 2-point conversion,” Conn said. “Those are great things to go through.” Conn said his team’s No. 1 focus will be special teams. Last season, Ida Baker gave up three special teams touchdowns to Dunbar, which had two returns for scores last week. “They have a different kind of speed,” Conn said. Dunbar: Coach Sammy Brown thought his special teams would be good but “I didn’t expect we’d bring two back,” which included TD returns by Seneca Milledge and Shocky Jacques-Louis. He also liked the play of his offensive line as well as his defense. “We really came together,” he said.

Bishop Verot at Sarasota Cardinal Mooney

Time: 7 p.m.

What to watch for – Verot: The Vikings pulled off a thrilling 35-31 victory over their former district rival in an instant classic to open up the 2015 season. Expectations for the Vikings are once again high following an 8-3 record and a district runner-up finish last season. Verot managed a little more than 150 yards in a 3-0 preseason loss to Estero adding to its offensive concerns since the transfer of William Scott, its leading rusher over the last two seasons. Mooney: After a 2-9 finish last season, there’s a renewed sense of confidence surrounding the Cougars thanks to new head coach Drew Lascari, the former offensive coordinator at New Jersey power Don Bosco Prep. Watch out for quarterback Tristan Hillerich and running back Bryce Williams, who could take this offense to the next level.

Gateway Charter at East Lee County 

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch for — Gateway: The Griffins fell to Marco Island 45-38 in their preseason tilt. Chris Ceasar, a transfer from Evangelical Christian School, rushed for 312 yards and three touchdowns in his debut. East Lee County: The Jaguars’ preseason game against Lemon Bay was cancelled due to weather. After a 2-7 record a year ago, 12 starters return. The Jaguars rolled in last year’s matchup 45-9.

Canterbury at Evangelical Christian 

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch for — Canterbury: The Cougars did not have a preseason tune-up on their schedule. First time head coach Derrick Crudup returns 15 starters. ECS: The Sentinels will have questions in their backfield with the loss of transfer Chris Ceasar, but they return the bulk of their lineman on both sides of the ball.

LaBelle at Clewiston

Time: 7:30 p.m

What to watch for — LaBelle: The Cowboys were taken down 41-7 at Okeechobee in their preseason matchup. LaBelle returns 15 starters from a year ago. Clewiston: The Tigers were beaten by Charlotte 48-0 in their preseason game. A year ago, the Tigers defeated LaBelle 42-6 in their annual rivalry game between the Hendry County teams.

Estero at Mariner

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — Estero: The Wildcats began their preseason with a 3-0 win over Bishop Verot. Offensively, Estero is still finding its timing. Sophomore Willie Neal, who will see time at wide receiver and at running back, remains the team’s best weapon. He had 71 all-purpose yards against the Vikings. Defensively, coach Jeff Hanlon said the Wildcats will swarm to the ball and make plays. Mariner: Heading into his third year with the Tritons, head coach Travis Smith has made strides in each of his first two seasons. Mariner won four games in 2015, despite giving up 32 points per game against an average of 20 points scored. The Tritons return starting senior quarterback Cairo Jeunegens and senior running back Geovanni Garcia along with junior tight end Chris Ramsey.

Fort Myers at Palmetto

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — Fort Myers: High expectations meet the Green Wave, who won nine games in 2015. They return eight starters on an offense that scored 30 points per game and will feature a switch at quarterback with senior Darrian Felix. Across the field, however, the Green Wave’s defense is among the best in Southwest Florida. It gave up just 15 points per game last year. Palmetto: The Class 7A-11 Tigers won six games last season behind Division I quarterback recruit Jack Allison, who graduated. Palmetto will have Jason Spicer under center. The Tigers crushed Sarasota Booker 39-8 in their preseason clash. The team scored 26 points per game a year ago and defensively the Tigers gave up 20 points.

High school football practices kick off in SWFL

North Fort Myers at Riverdale

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — North: The Red Knights have high expectations following two straight 5-win campaigns. Their efforts will start on a defense which gave up 26 points a game last season. Linebacker Fa’najae Gotay, a South Fort Myers transfer, will key the middle of the field. Running back Zaquandre White is an All-American candidate and a four-star Florida State University commit. Riverdale: Tom Roszell takes over a Raiders program that is looking to build from its 3-win season. What helps is a supremely talented offensive line which features three-star recruit Cole Schneider. Senior quarterback Daniel Ulmer is the returning starter who will have options at receiver like Dante Quintela and Paul Johnson. The Raiders gave up 24 points per game last year and scored just 16.

SFCA at Bradenton Christian

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — SFCA: Following a 5-win season last year, the King’s once again are signaling improvement under head coach Mike Marciano. They defeated Christian in this same game last year 27-20. Sophomore Brandon Lawrence will earn carries at running back, while senior Chase Reed could lead the charge at quarterback. Bradenton Christian: The Panthers won three games a season ago and scored 23 points per game while giving up over 37 points a contest.

Lee County Fab Five

1. Fort Myers: The Greenies return eight starters on offense and seven on defense for a team that won nine games last season.

2. Dunbar: With a stacked defense and a potent offense, the Tigers could be the cream of the crop in the region.

3. North Fort Myers: After two straight 5-win seasons, the Red Knights are ready to get over the hump and into the postseason.

4. South Fort Myers: The loss of former head coach Anthony Dixon aside, the Wolfpack remain among the best in Southwest Florida.

5. Lehigh: Won three of four to end last season and return big playmakers.

FOLLOW FRIDAY’S ACTION LIVE 

Scoreboard

Log on to news-press.com on your desktop or mobile device every Friday to see live updates from all the action across Southwest Florida and for game reports, photos and videos after the action has concluded. Turn to the pages of The News-Press every Sunday to see local rankings, top performers, standings and notes on our new high school football page Snap Count.

Cory Mull and Adam Regan

Inside Southwest Florida Football

The News-Press high school sports reporter Adam Regan and high school sports columnist Cory Mull will preview the area’s top games and key players in this video each week. Watch it Thursday afternoons up until kickoff Friday every Friday at news-press.com. 

Fort Myers’ Darrian Felix runs the ball during Friday night’s rain-delayed game against Fort Myers at Palmetto.

Fort Myers’ Darrian Felix outruns Palmetto’s defense to the end zone during Friday night’s rain-delayed game against Fort Myers at Palmetto.

Fort Myers’ Darrian Felix outruns Palmetto’s defense to the end zone during Friday night’s rain-delayed game against Fort Myers at Palmetto.

PALMETTO — Palmetto saw an opening in the Fort Myers defense at halftime.

The Tigers’ new-look offense sends runners in all directions leading up to and immediately after the snap. Quarterback Jason Spicer Jr. goes one way to hand the ball to a running back. Another back, lined up in the slot, zooms across the backfield from one side of the offensive line to the other to give Spicer another option. When the reads are right, Palmetto trickles down the field in small chunks.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Palmetto faced a fourth-and-3 at the Green Wave’s 41-yard line. A turnover on downs against run-heavy Fort Myers could’ve meant not seeing the ball again, but Tigers head coach Dave Marino still saw the Green Wave chasing the edges.

Week 1 high school football previews, rankings

With 6:20 left, he went to his adjustment. Spicer handed the ball to Elijah Davis, who burst through the middle of the defense for a first down. He then dragged Fort Myers’ Dylan Degroot, who clung desperately to the back of his jersey, the final 10 yards into the end zone. That 41-yard touchdown run was the difference in the Tigers’ 20-14 win against the Green Wave at Harllee Stadium.

“We have adjustments. We’re always ready to adjust and that was something that we saw, that they were overplaying a little bit and we knew off that zoom action we were going to be able to get something backside,” Marino said. “We knew it was going to hit for a first down, and they did it so well that it hit for a touchdown.”

Fort Myers’ Darrian Felix runs the ball during Friday night’s rain-delayed game against Fort Myers at Palmetto.

The Tigers ran for 206 yards and threw for 106 more, while their defense held Fort Myers to one touchdown in each half. The Green Wave, ranked No. 8 in Class 6A in the preseason AP poll, failed to complete a pass and turned the ball over twice. Only 201 rushing yards from star running back Darrian Felix, who was making his first regular-season start at quarterback, kept Fort Myers afloat.

“I knew it’d be one of those tough, blood-and-guts kind of games,” Green Wave head coach Sam Sirianni said. “Similar styles, similar personnel groups. Good test for both teams to see where you are at this time of the year. You want to win them, but we’ll gain more from this than playing somebody who wouldn’t challenge us.”

Big 15: Darrian Felix ready for star turn

Palmetto and Fort Myers traded stalling drives during the first quarter before Felix finally opened the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, but a blocked extra point kept the lead at 6-0. Less than three minutes later, Davis punched in a 2-yard touchdown run to give Palmetto a 7-6 lead. Davis finished with 11 carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

Felix tied the game at 14 with a 1-yard scoring run with 11:17 left in the fourth quarter and a two-point run over the right side.

Scoring summary

Fort Myers 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 — 14

Palmetto 0 | 14 | 0 | 6 — 20

Second Quarter

FM: Darrian Felix 28 run (kick blocked), 11:49

P: Elijah Davis 2 run (Freddy Manriquez kick), 9:05

P: Sidney Pompey 69 pass from Jason Spicer Jr. (Manriquez kick), 2:43

Fourth Quarter

FM: Felix 1 run (Felix run), 11:17

P: Davis 41 run (kick blocked), 6:20

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Fort Myers: Felix 26-201, Xavier Perez 19-63, Yasias Young 5-5, Dawson DeGroot 1-(-2). Palmetto: Johnny Jones 5-20, Davis 11-86, Spicer 9-67, Herman White IV 1-9, Corian Brown 4-6.

PASSING—Fort Myers: Felix 0-5-1-0. Palmetto: Spicer 8-11-0-113.

RECEIVING—Fort Myers: None. Palmetto: Jacob Sullivan 2-21, Pompey 2-74, Isaiah Washington 2-18, Paco Garcia 1-0, Total 8-113.

South Fort Myers

For the last week, it seemed as if South Fort Myers wouldn’t get to play a game without suspended coach Anthony Dixon. When the Wolfpack finally got their chance Saturday they played for him.

Following the cancellation of its preseason game and postponement of its Week 1 game by a day, South started what could be an entire season dedicated to Dixon by holding on for a 22-14 victory over Island Coast at Wolfpack Stadium.

Island Coast (0-1), which posted two scores in the final quarter, drove all the way to the Wolfpack 1 with a chance to tie the game with under a minute left. South stonewalled Gators quarterback Kory Curtis and company on two runs and then picked off a pass to push it to its 10th season opening win in the school’s 11-year existence. It’s only loss in an opener came in its inaugural season against Estero.

“We miss him every day,” South interim coach Matthew Holderfield said of Dixon. “We got so used to missing him I think that it was a little bit of selfishness for us to try and show him we’re ready to go.”

Dixon has been away from the team being suspended without pay and recommended for termination Aug. 17 as a result of his actions following an after-school sex incident involving players in May.

According to an 85-page report by the Lee County School District, Dixon conducted his own investigation into the incident in a South bathroom before telling his principal. He is also accused failing to adequately supervise student-athletes the day of the incident.

Dixon has received an outpouring of support from his players, assistant coach and the South community over the last 10 days.

Removal caught South High football coach Anthony Dixon off guard

Holderfield said the initial shock of being without Dixon hit the Wolfpack hard and was draining over the first few days. This week, he said, was better because the program could focus on Island Coast.

“This was the most normal thing we’ve had all week,” Holderfield said of game.

On an individual level, Holderfield is going through a major adjustment in morphing from assistant to head coach.

As administrators were trying to reschedule the game after it fell victim to 2 hours and 30 minutes of weather delays Friday, Holderfield joked with a spectator around 9:30 p.m. that he was ready to go home but kept forgetting he was the head coach and had to stay until the game was officially rescheduled.

South, winners of five straight district titles, may have had to wait eight extra days to begin its start its season after going 8-3 in 2015, but it almost ended in heartbreak.

Trailing 22-2, Island Coast mounted its comeback starting with a snap that sailed over the South punter’s head and gave the Gators first and goal at the Wolfpack 1. Running back Jerry Cambric scored on the next play.

Curtis had a rough start to the game with South pass rushers not giving him a ton of time to throw. The Gators offensive line, however, held in the fourth quarter and the senior finished 14-for-34 for 222 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.

Following a Wolfpack turnover on downs, Curtis uncorked a 49-yard touchdown pass to Marlon Gaymon with 8:49 to go.

Island Coast had two chances to tie it with the first opportunity being derailed by penalties and resulting in a turnover on downs in South territory.

The Gators got the ball back with 2:38 to play and Curtis found Evans in 1-on-1 coverage for 36 yards. He then dropped a 42-yard pass into Gaymon, who caught seven balls for 132 yards and a touchdown, at the South 1 with 54 seconds to play.

Three plays later Markell Anderson came up with a pick to seal the game.

“When you shoot yourself in the foot early, it hurts you late,” Island Coast coach John Schwochow said of a game where the Gators had three turnovers and had trouble running the ball all night, finishing in negative rushing yardage.

E’Quan Dorris, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards last season, ushered South on an 11-play, 84-yard drive on its first series. The senior left the game at halftime with tightness in his hamstring, but Holderfield said he would have played had it been a district game.

With the Gators backed up in its own end zone, a snap sailed over Curtis’ head on a pump for a safety to put the Wolfpack up 8-0 with less than 2 minutes left in the first.

The highlight of the night came in the second quarter when Will Morris, one of three South quarterbacks who played Saturday, found Jeshaun Jones on a swing pass. The senior receiver did the rest of the work, going 82 yards for a score to make it 16-0.

Riley Ware returned the opening kickoff of the second half 75 yards for a touchdown.

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SOUTH FORT MYERS 22, ISLAND COAST 14

IC 0 2 0 12—14

SFM 8 8 6 0—22

First quarter

SFM – E’Quan Dorris 2 run (Dorris run failed), 3:22

SFM – Safey, snap out of the back of the end zone, 1:56

Second quarter

SFM – Jeshaun Jones 82 pass from Will Morris (Dorris run), 6:11

IC – Safety, snap over punter’s head into the end zone, 0:51

Third quarter

SFM – Riley Ware 75 kickoff return (run failed), 11:47

Fourth Quarter

IC – Jerry Cambric 1 run (run failed), 11:47

IC – Marlon Gaymon 49 pass from Kory Curtis (run failed), 8:49

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing – IC,Calvin Smith 8-23, Cameron Howitt 1-2, Jerry Cambric 6-(minus-3), Marlon Gaymon 1-(minus 10), Kory Curtis 8-(minus 22); SFM, E’Quan Dorris 12-79, Eddie Teague 12-74, Riley Ware 9-36, Brandon Lewis 1-4, Maurice Flournoy 5-(minus 7), Latrell Stewart 3-(minus 43).

Passing – IC, Curtis 14-34-2 222; SFM, Will Morris 3-4-0 83, Flournoy 3-4-0 38, Tyler Lackey 2-4-0 1.

Receiving – IC, Gaymon 7-132, Marcus Evans 2-48, Drew Lusk 1-23, Isiah Crawford 4-19; SFM, Jeshaun Jones 5-111, Lewis 1-16,  Austin Smith 1-4, Ware 1-(minus 9)

The News-Press media group presents All-Area all stars

POLL: Click HERE or scroll down to vote for this week’s Athlete of the Week.

It’s time to vote for The News-Press high school athlete of the week. Voting will close at noon on Thursday.

Nominees are derived from scores and stats called and emailed in by Lee County’s coach’s during the week. Voting begins each Monday at 2 p.m.

Coaches can email scores to sports@news-press.com or call in scores at 239-335-0357. The deadline for each night’s results is 10 p.m.

Here are this week’s nominees based on their performances between Aug. 22-27.

Athlete of the Week nominations for Aug. 22-27 (poll 9508208)

Football offense

Isaiah Thomas, Cypress Lake, senior

The Panthers’ running back rushed for a team-high 163 yards and scored two touchdowns in a 40-7 win over North Port on Friday.

Football defense

Rocky Jacques-Louis, Dunbar, junior

The Tigers’ defensive end logged 16 tackles, included two for losses, seven sacks and one caused fumble in a 25-7 win over Ida Baker on Saturday. 

Boys swimming

Alex Subbert, Estero

The Wildcats swimmer logged a win in the 100-meter fly in a tri-meet against Seacrest Country Day and Canterbury, logging a winning time of 1:02.86.

Girls swimming

Alina Faunce, Estero, senior

The long distance swimmer, one of our All-Area finalists a year ago, posted a win in the 500-meter free in 5:18.54 in a tri-meet against Seacrest Country Day and Canterbury.

Boys golf

Shane Reynolds, Evangelical Christian School

The Sentinel produced a 35 over nine holes on the par 36 course at Whispering Oak at Verandah Golf Club in Fort Myers on Tuesday, helping ECS log wins over SFCA and Moore Haven.

Girls golf

Mia Nelson, Cape Coral

The Seahawk posted a score of 40 over nine holes on the par 31 course at Myerlee Country Club in Fort Myers. 

Volleyball

Teya Leonard, Bishop Verot

In a rivalry game against Fort Myers on Thursday in the Wave Cave, Leonard directed the Vikings on the ground with 33 assists, helping the team score a straight sets victory over the Green Wave. 

The News-Press All-Area Athlete of the Week

Cape Coral golfer Mia Nelson generated 62 percent of the vote to garner News-Press Athlete of the Week honors for performances from Aug. 22-27.

Nominees are derived from scores and stats called and emailed in by Lee County’s coach’s during the week. Voting begins each Monday at 2 p.m.

Coaches can email scores to sports@news-press.com or call in scores at 239-335-0357. The deadline for each night’s results is 10 p.m.

Earning 3,125 of 5,073 votes, Nelson carded a 40 over nine holes at Myerlee Country Club in Fort Myers.

Bishop Verot volleyball player Teya Leonard took second with 1,128 votes following a 33-assist performance in the Vikings sweep of rival Fort Myers on the road.

Other nominees were Cypress Lake running back Isaiah Thomas, Dunbar defensive end Rocky Jacques-Louis, Estero swimmers Alex Subbert and Alina Faunce and Evangelical Christian golfer Shane Reynolds.

Fans leave the stands after a lightning delay was called before the start of the Riverdale vs. North Fort Myers high school football game on Friday night. The game was already delayed an hour and a half due to lightning.

As lightning flashed throughout the area last Friday night, the only roar heard inside Southwest Florida football stadiums was the rumble of thunder.

Weather had a hand in delaying, postponing or cancelling 21 area high school football games the last two Fridays. Lee and Collier County athletic directors and principals can only hope Florida’s summer rain and lightning storms give them a reprieve this week as Hurricane Hermine races toward the Panhandle.

Forced to consider factors such as a decrease in gate receipts, the availability of officials and scheduling transportation, administrators are faced with the decision of waiting out a game late into the night, moving games to another day or cancelling games.

“There’s not really a whole lot you can do about weather,” said Lee County Executive Director of School Development Gerry Demming, who served as Riverdale’s principal the past 14 years. “I just really feel bad for the kids because they want to play.”

Of the preseason games played Aug. 19, six were cancelled or weren’t completed in Lee County. Last Friday, three regular-season openers were cancelled and five others saw significant delays and/or were rescheduled for the next day. Meanwhile, two games were cancelled and four games stretched into the wee hours of Saturday morning in Collier County. St. Petersburg Northside Christian opted to stay overnight in Naples to play its game at First Baptist Academy Saturday morning.

The Florida High School Athletic Association doesn’t require non-district games, typically played during the first few weeks of the season, to be rescheduled. With several teams playing less than a half during the first week, many administrators tried to find a way to play.

South Fort Myers, which had its preseason classic with Largo cancelled, was intent on playing against Island Coast Friday at home. The lightning, however, wouldn’t stay away.

Week 2 HS football previews, team rankings

The Lee County School District employs the Weatherbug integrated intracloud and cloud-to-ground lightning detection sensor for its 13 high schools. A horn sounds when there is a lightning strike within 10 miles and teams can’t return until 30 minutes pass without a strike.

When lightning was detected less than 10 miles from South around 9:30 p.m., resetting the clock, Principal Ed Matthews and Athletic Director Don Payne gave up their quest. It would have been at least 10 p.m. before players could take the field with 30 minutes of warmups to follow.

South moved the game to 7 p.m. Saturday. Payne estimates the program took a small financial hit. As the athletic program’s biggest money maker with five regular-season home games a season, cancelling the contest would have done more damage. In addition to a loss of gate, the South athletic booster club and band booster club run concession stands and would have had to throw away a lot of their supplies.

“To go two games and not play would have been really unfortunate,” said Matthews, who is beginning his first year at South.

Ida Baker moving its home game against Dunbar to Saturday morning had a more significant impact. Bulldogs athletic director and head coach Brian Conn said the program lost between $6,000 and $7,000 in ticket sales, concessions and parking receipts.

Riverdale football players watch old game footage during a lightning delay on Friday, August 26, 2016.

“The athletic program takes the hit, but you want to play the game,” Conn said.

Securing officials was key in Baker’s decision to postpone the game around 8:15 p.m. rather than waiting it out. The South Gulf Football Officials Association only guarantees two crews for high schools Saturday morning due to a number of members working Pop Warner games.

The Fort Myers Jr. Firecats Pop Warner program had rented South Fort Myers’ Wolfpack Stadium from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, meaning the high school had to wait until evening to play its makeup game.

“It’s important to us to have a good relationship with the local Pop Warner team,” Payne said. “Maybe we’ll try to think this out with them for the next home game so (South) can play in the morning should this happen again.”

Island Coast still had to get back to South  on Saturday night, and Lee County School District Director of Transportation Robert Codie said transportation may be the easiest part of the process.

Drivers, who are on a rotation based on seniority and availability, are paid once a field trip begins and have the option to work the trip if it is rescheduled for the following day.

“Drivers look forward to field trips because that’s more money,” Codie said.

North FM vs. Fort Myers is a must-see football rivalry

Scenarios like that have Fort Myers Athletic Director Cameron Yearsley worried for when North Fort Myers and Fort Myers face off at Edison Stadium Friday in one of the oldest rivalries in Lee County. Yearsley said ticket sales exceeding $10,000 is a realistic expectation.

With so much money on the line, the two schools are in a unique position where they share an Oct. 7 bye week.

Between it being Labor Day weekend and a shortage of officials due to three crews working games in Ireland, Yearsley said playing it safe and rescheduling for the bye week may be the best bet.

“In most cases, we try to do anything possible to get the game in,” he said. “But this situation, having the bye week in our back pocket, could change that where we’re a little more lenient to try and postpone the game a lot earlier than we would normally.”

Five games in Lee and Collier counties successfully waited out the weather last Friday and started just before 10 p.m. and beyond.

The FHSAA has no rule about how late a football game can start. Kickoff times are left up to each school district or school.

“We would encourage those setting the rules regarding kickoff times to keep the best interest of the student-athletes in mind,” FHSAA spokesperson Kyle Niblett said. “For games starting late, it’s important for decision makers to remember these are teenagers who have been at school since 7 a.m. that morning. You are asking them to play a physical contact sport at the highest level for a couple of hours after being awake for 15-plus hours. At the same time, we’re fully aware when you postpone, cancel or reschedule a contest, it can create a logistical nightmare from an operational and budgetary standpoint.”

After having its preseason classic game cancelled, East Lee County’s Week 1 game with Gateway Charter began at 9:50 p.m. and concluded just after midnight.

East Lee Athletic Director Valerie Clark’s plan was to cancel the game if kickoff didn’t happen before 10 p.m. With the school located in a neighborhood, no music other than the national anthem was played over the public address system.

Water pools on the football field at South Fort Myers High School last Friday. South’s game against Island Coast was one of many area football games cancelled due to rain and lightning.

At Naples High last Friday, the lightning alarm went off before 6 p.m. and the game didn’t kick off until approximately 10:15. Naples Athletic Director Ernie Modugno said last year’s ticket sales from Week 1, against the same opponent Delray Beach-American Heritage, were more than $16,000. This year Naples earned $9,400.

When Modugno schedules a non-district opponent, he usually offers a percentage of ticket sales after expenses to entice the team to come to Naples two years in a row, like American Heritage. The Stallions received 35 percent of the revenue. This year they earned $2,300 compared to between $4,700 and $4,800 last year, Modugno said.

Most of that money came from reserve ticket sales. Naples sold 900 reserve seats in advance of the game.

From bus rental to gas to a team meal, Modugno estimated American Heritage lost money on the game.

A later kickoff means a later finishing, thus requiring schools to pay more for hourly workers. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office bills schools $42.50 per officer per hour. Schools also pay some event staff. Naples pays ticket office and gate workers $10 an hour.

Between increased expenses and lower ticket sales, Naples made between $3,000 and $4,000 less this year than in Week 1 last year. How much the loss affects the athletic department, which is self-funded, depends on how well the Golden Eagles’ remaining five home games are attended.

As hours rolled by and cars filed out of the Gulf Coast parking lot Friday night, its game with Lely was very much in doubt. The teams took the field just before 10 p.m. and the game started just before 10:30, ending after 1 Saturday morning. Sharks Athletic Director Joes Arias said the game would have been postponed until Saturday morning at 9 a.m. if the teams weren’t on the field by 10 p.m.

Island Coast High School football players Dylan Woods, center, and Bobby Martin, right, check the weather during a rain delay last Friday at South Fort Myers High School. The game was one of many area football games cancelled due to rain and lightning.

The game started so late, the schools sent their bands home. Neither would have been able to play at halftime anyway. A Collier County noise ordinance rendered the stadium mute at 11 p.m. The PA announcer was able to do his job for the first quarter, and then went silent the rest of the game.

“The whole game had an eerie feel about it,” said Arias, who estimated Friday night’s gate was the worst he’s seen in 18 years at Gulf Coast. “One of the advantages we have is our band and our crowd. We get a great following and they make a lot of noise. To have it be that quiet, it almost felt like a scrimmage where nobody’s there to watch. The home team loses their home-field advantage.”

Naples Daily News reporter Andy Sodergren contributed to this report.

scoreboard

Log on to news-press.com on your desktop or mobile device every Friday to see live updates from all the action across Southwest Florida and for game reports, photos and videos after the action has concluded. Turn to the pages of The News-Press every Sunday to see local rankings, top performers, standings and notes on our new high school football page Snap Count.

Dunbar’s Rocky Jacques-Louis and Barkari Jackson bring down Lehigh’s Jalane Nelson on Friday night at Dunbar High School.

In its debut last week, the Dunbar football team enacted a swarming defense that gave little ground to Ida Baker.

Little changed on Friday at home against Lehigh.

The Tigers brought that same intensity to the field, setting up its opportunistic offense from defensive swings that created all the momentum it needed in a 28-0 shutout of the Lightning.

“When you get a turnover, everyone knows you go big ball,” Dunbar coach Sammy Brown said. “So once we shut them down, we put the ball in the running backs’ hands. That’s where we’re successful. We’re ground and pound and every now and again we put the ball in the air.”

The Tigers (2-0) combined for 128 rushing yards, added 140 yards in the air and scored on two safeties as it set a defensive tone early. Senior safety Shanon Reid and junior defensive end Rocky Jacques-Louis combined for four sacks and two safeties on the night.

Lehigh, meanwhile, was overwhelmed on its fall debut. From the opening kickoff, the Lightning found it difficult to penetrate a strong Tigers defensive box, and it didn’t get any better when starting quarterback D’Marquise Collins was helped off the field in the the fourth quarter after an injury. He didn’t return.

Dunbar quarterback Jarius Johnson is tackled by Lehigh’s Mardochee Simon on Friday night at Dunbar High School.

The Lightning (0-1) managed 113 total yards, 82 which came from the legs of junior Chris Curry. Collins was 6 of 12 for 22 yards before D’Mateo Collins replaced him in the fourth quarter. Lehigh also committed three fumbles.

Dunbar’s offense, meanwhile, was clicking by its third possession.

Senior Lajuan Preston led Dunbar with a team-high 63 yards, while junior Shocky Jacques-Louis added two catches for 85 yards, including a 73-yard score in the third quarter which sealed the game.

Jacques-Louis, along with Rocky, faced off against Lehigh for the first time since transferring from the school over the summer.

“I felt like the old me,” Jacques-Louis said. “I used to score all the time at Lehigh. Now we’re learning how to get the ball in different positions. Now the ball is falling in the right places, and I’m scoring touchdowns. I love it. 

Dunbar scored just three plays into its third drive after pinning Lehigh into its red zone and blocking the team’s ensuing punt which landed at the 30.

Junior Keanu Young, who rushed for 59 yards on nine carries, cut through the heart of the defense for 24 yards before finishing off the drive from the 2-yard line to open up the scoring as the first quarter closed.

Dunbar’s Shocky Jacques-Louis is tackled by Lehigh’s Demontae Hart on Friday night at Dunbar High School.

The Tigers added another touchdown just seconds following its kickoff, after the Tigers jumped on a loose ball at the 23-yard line.

Quarterback Jairus Johnson, who went 6 of 17 for 140 yards, found senior Kenny Benjamin up top for a 23-yard touchdown just seconds later.

Lehigh’s only significant offensive series in the second half was stymied at the 14 on a fourth-and-1 with 6:29 left in the third quarter. Dunbar sophomore Seneca Milledge deflected a Collins throw to end the drive.

“We feel great just knowing we can accomplish a lot if we come together as one community,” Reid said. “We’re trying to bring back the Dunbar community and these guys have my back and I have theirs.”

DUNBAR 28, LEHIGH 0
L 0 0 0 0 — 00
D 7 9 7 5 — 28

First quarter

D — Keanu Reeves 2 run (Xavier McDonald kick), 0:00

Second quarter

D — Kenny Benjamin 23 pass from Jairus Johnson (McDonald kick), 11:52
D — Safety (Rocky Jacques-Louis), 7:20

Third quarter

D — Shocky Jacques-Louis 73 pass from Johnson (McDonald kick), 3:30

Fourth quarter

D — Safety (Shanon Reid), 7:55
L — McDonald 25 field goal, 2:15

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing — L, Chris Curry 13-82, Jalane Nelson 9-minus-6, Bud Chaney 2-3, D’Marquise Collins 7-15, D’Mateo Collins 2-minus-5. D, Lajuan Preston 13-63, Keanu Young 9-59, Tariq Thomas 3-13, Kenny Benjamin 1-minus-1, Jairus Johnson 3-minus-7.

Passing — L, D’Marquise Collins 6-12-0-22, D’Mateo Collins 0-1-0-0. D, Jairus Johnson 6-17-0-140.

Receiving — L, Devon Rojas 2-13, Russell Brown 2-8, Broderick Strong 1-6, Nelson 1-minus-5. D, Shocky Jacques-Louis 2-85, Benjamin 2-32, Preston 2-23.

South Fort Myers High

Jeshuan Jones gave South Fort Myers High the spark it needed in an 18-6 victory at Cape Coral on Friday night.

Jones broke a 6-6 tie with a 57-yard punt return late in the third quarter and the Wolfpack (2-0) tacked on an insurance touchdown early in the fourth on a 12-yard pass from Maurice Flournoy to Brandon Lewis.

“It was a big momentum changer,” said Jones, a junior. “We came out dead. We were dead in the first half. That gave us a little boost.”

Jones took a couple of steps back, which let him survey the field better and bounce to the outside.

“We funneled it inside and he went outside,” Cape Coral coach Larry Gary said. “We talked about dominating special teams and not taking it easy. We had the guy, we just had to make the tackle.”

South Fort Myers coach Matthew Holderfield also said the punt return gave his team a jolt.

“It’s early in the season and we’re making mental mistakes,” Holderfield said. “But we keep getting better. I think this season, it’s about survival for us.”

The Seahawks (0-2) got the jump on South Fort Myers when quarterback Chase Sealander hit Ethan Fruitt in stride on a 43-yard scoring play.

Then the Wolfpack D got a lot stingier. It didn’t allow a first down in the third quarter. In the meantime, it tied the game on 1-yard TD run by Riley Ware.

“Early on, we had a little too much emotion,” Holderfield said. “We have a couple of kids from Cape and they got emotional. They let it get into their minds and didn’t do their assignments. But they corrected it.”

The Seahawks matched South defensively for three quarters. On numerous times they tackled Wolfpack runners for losses in the backfield.

“Our defense is learning how to play,” Gary said. “We kind of tweaked it from last year. We’re a penetrating defense that forces the back to go east and west. We get after our people. Our kids want to beat each other to the mall. It’s share and meet.”

SFM  6 | 0 | 6 | 6 — 18

CC  6 | 0 | 0 | 0 — 6

CC: Ethan Fruitt 43 pass from Chase Sealander (kick failed)

SFM: Riley Ware 1 run (run failed)

SFM: Jeshuan Jones 57 return (kick failed)

SFM: Brandon Lewis 12 pass from Maurice Flournoy (run failed)

Individual statistics

Rushing – SFM: E’Quan Dorris 18-62, Riley Ware 6-57, Flournoy 3-12, Eddie Teague 2-3, Ladarius Boston 1-minus 2, Jeshuan Jones 2-minus 9 CC: Isaac Washington 11-37, Camron Blissett 4-32, Chase Sealander 4-10, Chris Kovacs 1-minus 7, Trent Rogers 1-minus 9.

Passing – SFM: Flournoy 4-9-1-51, Will Morris 5-9-0-62. CC: Sealander 11-14-1-133, Kovacs 1-1-0-2.

Receiving – SFM: Jones 6-86, Brandon Lewis 3-27. CC:Dwayne Emilus 7-37, Washington 3-47, Fruitt 1-43, Kris Reaves 1-8.

Athlete of the Week

It’s time to vote for The News-Press high school athlete of the week. Voting will close at noon on Thursday.

Nominees are derived from scores and stats called and emailed in by Lee County’s coach’s during the week. Voting begins each Monday at 2 p.m. Following the Labor Day holiday, this week’s Athlete of the Week will begin at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Coaches can email scores to sports@news-press.com or call in scores at 239-335-0357. The deadline for each night’s results is 10 p.m.

On Thursday, The News-Press will unveil the Athlete of the Week on Snapchat and online. You can follow us on Snapchat at NPSports.

POLL: Click HERE for this week’s poll, or scroll down to vote.

WINNER: News-Press Athlete of the Week Aug 22-27

Here are this week’s nominees based on their performances between Aug. 29-Sept. 3.

Football offense

Jeshaun Jones, South Fort Myers, junior

The Wildcats wide receiver broke a 6-6 deadlock against Cape Coral with a 57-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter of an 18-6 win on Friday.  Jones caught six passes for 86 yards on the game.

Football defense

Matt McQuinn, Fort Myers, senior

The Green Wave linebacker was remarkably efficient in the team’s 37-16 win over North Fort Myers, recording 14 tackles, one sack and a blocked punt.

Boys swimming

Joseph Leon, Cape Coral, sophomore

Leon captured wins on Thursday against North Fort Myers in the 500-meter free in 5:30.90 and the 200 free in 1:52.47, giving the Seahawks a win over the Red Knights.

Girls swimming

Isabella Reina, Riverdale, sophomore

Against Fort Myers on Tuesday, Reina won the 50-meter free in 27.62 and then added another victory in the same event on Thursday against South Fort Myers and SFCA in 27.97. She also won the 100 free Thursday in 1:02.10. The Raiders week earned three wins and won both meets.

Boys cross country

Arye Beck, Estero, senior

The Wildcats runner was fourth at the DDD Invitational with a time of 18:03, which proved to be his best finish at the meet over his four-year varsity career.

Girls cross country

Kayla Easterly, North Fort Myers, senior

The Red Knights harrier opened her cross country season with a bang, finishing second at the DDD Invitational held at Estero Community Park with a time of 20:55, which was over a two minute improvement from last season – she was 16th in 2015 and 28th in 2014.

Boys golf

Luke Farmer, Estero, junior

Farmer shot a 1-over 36 on Thursday at the Fort Myers Country Club in earning the day’s best score and also helped the Wildcats score wins over Naples and Fort Myers.

Girls golf

Kim Egozi, Estero, sophomore

Shot a two-over par 38 at Estero Country Club at the Vines leading the Wildcats to a match win over Fort Myers on Thursday.

Volleyball

Rachel Miller, Evangelical Christians, senior

She recorded 11 kills and eight digs in a victory over SFCA on Thursday and added nine kills and 12 digs in a victory over Canterbury on Tuesday.

Athlete of the Week nominees for Aug. 29-Sept. 3 (poll 9514496)
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Jordan Walker of Elizabeth (New Jersey) Patrick School dribbles past Miami Norland’s Kennith Rolle in the 2015 City of Palms Classic

Shelley Mays / The TennesseanBrentwood Academy’s Darius Garland (10) shoots betweeen Enworth’s Caleb Upkins (4) and Tanner Antonetti on Saturday. Brentwood Academy’s Darius Garland (10) shoots betweeen Enworth’s Caleb Upkins (4) and Tanner Antonetti during the DII-AA boys state title championship game Lipscomb University on Saturday, March 5, 2016.

Members of the Cape Coral-Mariner basketball team speak during a news conference at Shoeless Joe’s Cafe in Fort Myers for the introduction of this years field in the 2016 City of Palms Basketball Classic on Wednesday.

The top high school basketball tournament in the country has confirmed it will have the nation’s top senior and sophomore players, 100 days before tipoff.

The 44th Annual Culligan City of Palms Classic unveiled its field of 16 teams, plus the Signature Series and Sunshine Series matchups at a news conference Wednesday at Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café in Fort Myers.

This year’s Classic, slated for Dec. 16-21, will be the first to be played at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, the new, 3,500-seat venue in the finishing stages of construction at Florida SouthWestern State College.

“We were a little bit apprehensive at first because of our days and conflicting with school,” said Donnie Wilkie, vice president of Classic Basketball, Inc., and the tournament director. With Christmas falling on a Sunday, the Classic needed to begin earlier than usual. “Not only have we put together a pretty representative field, but a fascinating one.”

FSW’s ‘ship of hoops’ 100 days from completion

Lehigh Senior and Mariner High will represent Lee County in the tournament, which began as a regional one in 1973 at Edison Community College but morphed, under the leadership of Classic Basketball president Bill Pollock and Wilkie, into a national-caliber event in the mid-1980s.

This marks the first time two Lee County teams have played in the tournament’s 16-team field since Dunbar and Fort Myers did in 2009.

“On the first night, we always make sure it’s about the local teams,” Wilkie said. “This year, we made an early decision to have two Lee County teams in the first year of the new arena. We are thinking about two local spots for next year, too.”

Mariner senior Dominique Carpenter, a 6-foot-1 point guard, and senior guards Brandon and Sean Kostyk attended the news conference. They said they were thrilled to be a part of the tournament.

“I just want to gain experience against good players,” Carpenter said. “The ultimate goal is to win the last game of the season.”

The Tritons have not been in the Classic since a five-year run in 1994-98, which included the tenure of Florida’s all-time leading scorer, Teddy Dupay.

“We’re excited,” said Mariner coach James Harris, whose team has compiled a 108-38 record over the last five seasons. “I definitely think we’re deserving of being in there.”

First-year Lehigh coach Greg Coleman has seen the Classic up close as a student and assistant coach at Bishop Verot but not as a head coach until this season.

“These guys get a chance to show what they have in front of all of these (college) coaches,” said Coleman, who brought with him junior Bershard Edwards and senior Jarvis Martin. “I’m excited for these guys to get to play in the new arena.”

Lehigh Senior head coach Greg Coleman, right, and senior forward Jarvis Martin speak during a news conference at Shoe Less Joe’s Cafe in Fort Myers for the introduction of this years field in the 2016 City of Palms Basketball Classic on Wednesday.

Classic executive director John Naylor said moving the tournament from Bishop Verot, where it had been held for the previous 22 years, to the new arena, helped him expand the budget from about $225,000 last year to about $300,000 this year. Although facility expenses climbed from $12,000 to $20,000, advertising opportunities also grew. Instead of hanging advertising banners, as Classic organizers did at Bishop Verot, there will be 109 LED ribbons for display advertising at the new arena.

Edison had hosted the Classic for its first 11 years and then again in 1990 and 1993, so this marks a return to the tournament’s roots.

“I’m excited that Hugh Thimlar helped create this tournament,” FSW basketball coach Marty Richter said, referring to the founder of the Edison basketball program. Having the Classic at FSW will only help the exposure for the reborn program. “All of the coaches from across the state and across the country can come into this facility and see what we have to offer.”

This Classic has plenty to offer in terms of marquee players. DeAndre Ayton of Phoenix (Arizona) Hillcrest Prep headlines this year’s talent. The 7-foot-1 center announced earlier this week his college destination as the University of Arizona. He is considered the top senior player in the nation and will play in the Signature Series, a four-team bracket.

NBA Draft, City of Palms Classic collide

Wendell Carter (6-10 forward, Atlanta Pace Academy), Mohamed Bamba (6-11 forward, Westtown, Pennsylvania), Kevin Knox (6-8 forward, Tampa Catholic) and Collin Sexton (6-3 guard, Mableton, Georgia, Pebblebrook) are also considered top 10 players in the senior class.

R.J. Barrett, a 6-7 sophomore considered the best player in his class, will try to help Montverde Academy win its third Classic championship and its first since winning back-to-back titles in 2012-13.

Former Lehigh player Emmitt Williams, a top 25-ranked junior forward, is slated to appear in the Classic’s Signature Series with Bradenton IMG Academy.

Chino Hills (California), which won the Classic last year on its way to winning the national title, did not receive a return invitation after its top player, Lonzo Ball, moved on to college at UCLA. This marks the first time since 1990 that a California team hasn’t played in the 16-team tournament field.

Wilkie has loaded this year’s field with Florida and Georgia teams, with four teams from each state. He also noted the Classic has 10 of the top 25-rated seniors according to ESPN, four of the top 22 juniors and the top two sophomores.

“That might be the most we’ve ever had,” Wilkie said of top-ranked senior players.

“I’ve never had four teams from any one state other than Florida. This is an extraordinary year for teams in Georgia. We could have had six or seven teams from Georgia.”

Connect with this reporter: David Dorsey (Facebook), @DavidADorsey (Twitter).

The 16-team tournament field

Nashville (Tennessee) Brentwood Academy: 29-3 Div. II Class AA state champions

Jersey City (New Jersey) Hudson Catholic: 21-4 Non-Public A North quarterfinalist

Jonesboro (Georgia): 28-5 Class 4A state runner-up.

Huntsville (Alabama) Mae Jemison: 29-5 (as J.O. Johnson High) Class 5A state champions

Washington, D.C. Maret: 18-12 DCSAA quarterfinalist

Memphis (Tennessee) East: 32-2 Class 3A state champions

Montverde Academy: 26-2 Dick’s Nationals runner-up

Philadelphia Neumann-Goretti: 27-4 Class 3A state champions

Norcross (Georgia): 26-4 Class 6A Sweet 16

Atlanta Pace Academy: 20-10 Class AA state champions

Elizabeth (New Jersey) Patrick: 23-6 COP runner-up, Non-Public B South semifinalist

Mableton (Georgia) Pebblebrook: 23-10 Class 6A state runner-up

Weston Sagemont: 22-8 Class 3A-Region 3 semifinalist

San Antonio (Texas) St. Anthony: 32-6 TAPPS Class 5A state runner-up

Mariner:25-4 Class 5A-Region 3 runner-up

Lehigh: 19-8 Class 6A-Region 3 quarterfinalist

Signature Series Dec. 18-20 (separate bracket)

Phoenix (Arizona) Hillcrest Prep

Bradenton IMG Academy

Putnam (Connecticut) Science Academy

Westtown (Pennsylvania)

Sunshine Series (single games)

Dec. 16: East St. Louis (Illinois) (12-14) vs. Tampa Catholic (26-5)

Dec. 17:  South Miami (22-9) vs. Winter Park (21-10)

Dec. 19: Miami Christian (20-5) vs. St. Petersburg High (25-7)

Dec. 21: Fort Lauderdale Dillard (28-5) vs. Sarasota Riverview (29-3)

The 44th Annual Culligan City of Palms Classic schedule

Friday, December 16 (5 games)

2:30 p.m. (Game 1): Washington Maret (D.C.) vs. Jersey City Hudson Catholic (N.J.)

4:15 p.m. (Game 2): Elizabeth Patrick School (N.J.) vs. Weston Sagemont (Fla.)

6:00 p.m. (Game 3-Sunshine Series): East St. Louis (Ill.) vs. Tampa Catholic (Fla.)

7:45 p.m. (Game 4): Cape Coral Mariner (Fla.) vs. San Antonio St. Anthony (Texas)

9:30 p.m. (Game 5): Lehigh Acres Lehigh (Fla.) vs. Jonesboro (Ga.)

Saturday, December 17 (6 games)           NOTE: If Sagemont beats Patrick, Games 6 & 13 switch places

12:15 p.m. (Game 6): Consolation: Gm 1 loser (Maret-Hudson) vs. Gm 2 loser (Sagemont-Patrick)

2:00 p.m. (Game 7): Gm 4 winner (Mariner-St. Anthony) vs. Norcross (Ga.)

3:45 p.m. (Game 8-Sunshine Series): Winter Park (Fla.) vs. South Miami (Fla.)

5:30 p.m. (Game 9): Gm 5 winner (Lehigh-Jonesboro) vs. Huntsville Mae Jemison (Ala.)

7:15 p.m. (Game 10): Mableton Pebblebrook (Ga.) vs. Nashville Brentwood Academy (Tenn.)

9:00 p.m. (Game 11): Memphis East (Tenn.) vs. Atlanta Pace Academy (Ga.)

Sunday, December 18 (3 games)

2:00 p.m. (Game 12-Signature Series): Bradenton IMG Academy (Fla.) vs. Putnam Science (Conn.)

3:40 p.m. (Game 13): Quarterfinal: Gm 1 winner (Maret-Hudson) vs. Gm 2 winner (Patrick-Sagemont)

5:20 p.m. (Game 14-Signature Series): Westtown (Pa.) vs. Phoenix Hillcrest (Ariz.)

7:00 p.m.: Bahama Breeze 45-second Challenge … 7:20 p.m.: City of Palms THREE-POINT SHOOTOUT

8:10 p.m.: Edison National Bank SLAM DUNK CHAMPIONSHIP

Monday, December 19 (7 games)

11:00 a.m. (Game 15): Consolation: Gm 7 loser (St. Anthony-Mariner-Norcross) vs. Gm 11 loser (Pace-East)

12:40 p.m. (Game 16): Consolation: Gm 9 loser (Jonesboro-Lehigh-Jemison) vs. Gm 4 loser (Mariner-St. Anthony)

2:20 p.m. (Game 17): Consolation: Gm 5 loser (Lehigh-Jonesboro) vs. Gm 10 loser (Brentwood-Pebblebrook)

4:00 p.m. (Game 18-Sunshine Series): St. Petersburg High (Fla.) vs. Miami Christian (Fla.)

5:45 p.m. (Game 19): Quarterfinal: Gm 7 winner (Norcross-Mariner-St. Ant) vs. Philadelphia Neumann-Goretti (Pa.)

7:30 p.m. (Game 20): Quarterfinal: Montverde Academy (Fla.) vs. Gm 9 winner (Lehigh-Pace-Jemison)

9:15 p.m. (Game 21): Quarterfinal: Gm 11 winner (Jonesboro-East) vs. Gm 10 winner (Pebblebrook-Brentwood)

Tuesday, December 20 (8 games)

9:00 a.m. (Game 22): Consolation semifinal: Gm 6 winner vs. Gm 17 winner

10:40 a.m. (Game 23): Consolation semifinal: Gm 16 winner vs. Gm 15 winner

12:20 p.m. (Game 24): SIGNATURE SERIES THIRD-PLACE Gm 14 loser vs. Gm 12 loser

2:00 p.m. (Game 25): Fifth-place semifinal: Gm 19 loser vs. Gm 20 loser

3:45 p.m. (Game 26): Fifth-place semifinal: Gm 21 loser vs. Gm 13 loser

5:30 p.m. (Game 27): SIGNATURE SERIES FINAL Gm 12 winner vs. Gm 14 winner

7:15 p.m. (Game 28): Semifinal: Gm 20 winner vs. Gm 19 winner

9:00 p.m. (Game 29): Semifinal: Gm 21 winner vs. Gm 13 winner

Wednesday, December 21 (7 games)

10:20 a.m. (Game 30): Challenge-round game: 0-2 teams to be determined

12 noon (Game 31): Challenge-round game: 0-2 teams to be determined

1:40 p.m. (Game 32): Consolation championship: Gm 22 winner vs. Gm 23 winner

3:20 p.m. (Game 33): Fifth-place championship: Gm 25 winner vs. Gm 26 winner

5:00 p.m. (Game 34-Sunshine Series): Sarasota Riverview (Fla.) vs. Fort Lauderdale Dillard (Fla.)

6:45 p.m. (Game 35): THIRD-PLACE FINAL Gm 29 loser vs. Gm 28 loser

8:30 p.m. (Game 36): CITY OF PALMS CHAMPIONSHIP Gm 28 winner vs. Gm 29 winner

Note: Tournament director Donnie Wilkie provided mini-bios of each of the Classic teams. They are copied below:

Brentwood Academy’s Darius Garland (10) shoots betweeen Enworth’s Caleb Upkins (4) and Tanner Antonetti in action last year in Nashville.

16-team tournament bracket

Brentwood Academy (29-3)

Nashville, Tennessee

TENNESSEE DIV. II CLASS AA STATE CHAMPIONS

HEAD COACH: Hubie Smith

TOP PLAYERS:

6-0 JR Darius Garland … #12 (ESPN) … #13 (Rivals) … #12 (Scout) … #26 (HoopSeen)

EAGLES AT A GLANCE:

The Eagles have won back-to-back state titles and return the bulk of its roster, led by highly-touted 6-0 JR Darius Garland, 6-0 SR Jeremiah Oatsvall, 6-4 SR Tyler McNair, 6-1 JR Cam Johnson and 6-5 JR Gavin Schoewald. … Brentwood ripped Ensworth 82-49 in the TSSAA Division II-AA state final at Nashville, getting 20 points from Oatsvall and holding their opponents to 2-of-18 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. … The Eagles, who also won the 2015 King of the Bluegrass Classic, were the champions of the 2005 City of Palms, an event that showcased future NBA talents Brandan Wright (Brentwood), Kevin Love, Wayne Ellington, Gerald Henderson and Lance Stephenson.

Hudson Catholic (21-4)

Jersey City, New Jersey

NEW JERSEY NON-PUBLIC A NORTH QUARTERFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Nick Mariniello

TOP PLAYERS:

6-8 JR Louis King … #30 (ESPN) … #26 (Rivals) … #29 (HoopSeen)

6-1 JR Jahvon Quinerly … #38 (ESPN) … #37 (Rivals) … #36 (HoopSeen)

6-3 JR Luther Muhammad … #60 (Rivals) … #77 (HoopSeen)

6-4 SR Patrick Strzala (HOLY CROSS)

HAWKS AT A GLANCE:

Mariniello has elevated Hudson Catholic to elite status in New Jersey’s ultra-competitive Non-Public ranks. And a young Hawks roster, highlighted by high-major recruits and AAU teammates 6-8 JR Louis King, 6-1 JR Jahvon Quinerly and 6-3 JR Luther Muhammad, is eager to build upon a breakout season in the first of two City of Palms Classic appearances. After early losses to megapowers Blair Academy, Neumann-Goretti and Patrick School, the Hawks reeled off 20 straight wins before an 87-81 loss to Montvale St. Joseph in the playoffs.

Jonesboro (28-5)

Jonesboro, Georgia

GEORGIA CLASS AAAA STATE RUNNER-UP

HEAD COACH: Dan Maehlman

TOP PLAYERS:

6-5 SR M.J. Walker … #21 (ESPN) … #23 (Rivals) … #24 (Scout) … #19 (HoopSeen)

CARDINALS AT A GLANCE:

The Cardinals claimed back-to-back state titles in high-flying 6-5 SR guard M.J. Walker’s first two seasons – including a 32-1 finish in 2014-15 – but were upset 58-52 by Liberty County in last year’s Class AAAA final. Walker averaged 22 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists as a junior, scoring 20+ in 24 of Jonesboro’s 33 games. … The Cardinals seldom are part of the transfer merry-go-round in the metro Atlanta area, but Maehlman’s teams have built a reputation on doing “the little things.”

Lehigh (19-8)

Lehigh Acres, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 6A-REGION 3 QUARTERFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Greg Coleman

TOP PLAYERS:

6-0 JR Bershard Edwards

LIGHTNING AT A GLANCE:

A tumultuous year for the Lightning turned tragic on July 24 when 5-10 SR Stef’An Strawder, already a 1,000-point scorer, was shot and killed. Lehigh had been a dominating 35-3 against a challenging “team camp” schedule in June under first-year coach Coleman, and will remain a difficult matchup because of its guard-heavy lineup, led by 6-4 SR Jarvis Martin, 6-0 JR Bershard Edwards and 6-2 SOPH Delshawn Green. … Coleman moved over from Cape Coral Island Coast, replacing Dawn McNew, who became the first female head coach in City of Palms history last December.

Mae Jemison (29-5)

Huntsville, Alabama

ALABAMA CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS (as J.O. Johnson HS)

HEAD COACH: Jack Doss

TOP PLAYERS:

6-6 SR John Petty … #25 (ESPN) … #28 (Rivals) … #44 (Scout) … #27 (HoopSeen)

JAGUARS AT A GLANCE:

One of the nation’s top players and one of its best coaches – 6-6 SR John Petty and nine-time state champion Doss – migrate to a brand new school, named after former space shuttle astronaut Mae Jemison. All eight of the Jaguars’ underclassmen, including 5-9 SR Brandon Crosby, 6-2 SOPH Brandon Nicholas and 6-7 SR Devonte Lanier, have followed from J.O. Johnson, which closed its doors after winning back-to-back Class 5A state titles, and 6-1 SR J.J. Jackson returns from a knee injury. Petty averaged 19.9 points, 7.3 boards and 4.1 assists as a junior, but erupted for 32 points in the state final. … Doss has won state titles at Birmingham Hayes (1981, ’82), Butler (2004, ’05, ’07, ’08, ’11) and Johnson (’14, ’15), and coached the East squad in this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game.

Maret (18-12)

Washington, D.C.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DCSAA QUARTERFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Chuck Driesell

TOP PLAYERS:

6-10 SR Luka Garza … #107 (Rivals)

FROGS AT A GLANCE:

Maret continues to build around its best player, 6-10 SR center Luka Garza, who has been flooded with offers after averaging 25 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks as a junior and emerging during the spring/summer as one of the nation’s best true post players. The Frogs also return nine of 12 players, including 6-7 SOPH E.J. Jarvis and 6-0 JR Coby Davis. … Driesell served as The Citadel’s basketball boss for five seasons (2010-15), is the son of legendary University of Maryland coach Lefty Driesell.Mariner (25-4)

Cape Coral, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 5A-REGION 3 RUNNER-UP

HEAD COACH: James Harris

TOP PLAYERS:

6-8 SR Amari Haynes

6-6 JR Jahmel Myers

TRITONS AT A GLANCE:

The Tritons’ elusive goal – a trip to Lakeland for the Florida Finals under Harris, beginning his 14th season – appears in sight, as a trio of big men, 6-8 SR Amari Haynes, 6-6 JR Jahmel Myers and 6-9 JR Nehemiah Darrett, return intact from a young roster that won its first 20 games last season. Mariner will get additional scoring from 6-0 SR Sean Kostyk. … Harris’ teams are 108-38 over the past five seasons, advancing to three regional finals.

Memphis East (32-2)

Memphis, Tennessee

TENNESSEE CLASS AAA STATE CHAMPIONS

HEAD COACH: Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway

TOP PLAYERS:

6-4 JR Terrence (T.J.) Moss … #59 (ESPN) … #53 (Rivals)

6-8 SOPH Chandler Lawson … #18 (ESPN) … #27 (Rivals) … #20 (Scout)

6-0 JR Alex Lomax … #127 (Rivals) … #73 (HoopSeen)

MUSTANGS AT A GLANCE:

You’ll recognize the Mustangs’ most prominent coaching presence, Hardaway, a former Orlando Magic star and 1990 Tennessee Class AA Mr. Basketball winner. East’s roster is loaded from top to bottom with quality young talent, including 5-11 JR point guard Alex Lomax, 6-4 JR guard Terrance Moss and 6-8 SOPH center Chandler Lawson. … In the 64-60 state-title victory over Cordova in Murphreesboro, the Mustangs built an 18-point lead with 6:14 left. Their only two losses in 2015-16 were by two points or less.

Montverde Academy (26-2)

Montverde, Florida

DICK’S SPORTING GOODS NATIONAL SEMIFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Kevin Boyle

TOP PLAYERS:

6-7 JR Rechon Black … #32 (ESPN) … #39 (Rivals) … #57 (Scout) … #14 (HoopSeen)

6-7 SOPH R.J. Barrett … #1 (ESPN) … #2 (Rivals) … #1 (Scout)

6-3 SOPH Andrew Nembhard … #15 (ESPN) … #17 (Rivals) … #25 (Scout)

6-9 JR Sandro Mamukelashvili … #94 (HoopSeen)

6-9 SR  Sean Mobley … #24 in Florida (SourceHoops)

6-2 SR Marcus Carr … #111 (HoopSeen)

EAGLES AT A GLANCE:

Boyle makes a record 16th trip to the City of Palms (54 games since 1992), having won three of the past six with St. Patrick’s (2010) and Montverde (2012-13). … It’s been quite a housecleaning for the Eagles, whose three-year reign as national champs ended with a 55-47 loss to La Lumiere (Ind.) at the Dick’s Nationals semifinals. Gone are three of the nation’s top juniors, but 6-7 SOPH R.J. Barrett – ESPN’s No. 1-ranked player in his class – is joined by a talented group of fresh faces. Three to watch: 6-9 JR Sandro Mamukelashvili, 6-7 JR Rechon “Leaky” Black and 6-3 SOPH Andrew Nembhard.

Neumann-Goretti (27-4)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA CLASS AAA STATE CHAMPIONS

HEAD COACH: Carl Arrigale

TOP PLAYERS:

6-1 SR Quade Green … #22 (ESPN) … #25 (Rivals) … #25 (Scout) … #18 (HoopSeen)

6-8 SR Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree (VILLANOVA) … #105 (Rivals) … #70 (Scout) … #103 (HoopSeen)

SAINTS AT A GLANCE:

The Saints have won six of the past seven PIAA state titles (three straight) in their class, including a dominating 99-66 rout of Mars in the Class AAA final at Hershey. The team features two prominent recruits, 6-8 SR center Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree – who has committed to Villanova – and 6-1 SR point guard Quade Green, whose stock soared during the spring/summer travel season. … The Saints’ 99 points (Green had 26) was a record for points in a state final, eclipsing the 39-year-old mark previously held by Elk Lake. … N-G also beat Quad-A state champion Roman Catholic 85-68 in January.

Norcross (26-4)

Norcross, Georgia

GEORGIA CLASS AAAAAA SWEET 16

HEAD COACH: Jesse McMillan

TOP PLAYERS:

6-8 SR Rayshaun Hammonds … #38 (ESPN) … #67 (Rivals) … #49 (Scout) … #40 (HoopSeen)

6-9 SR Lance Thomas … #111 (Rivals) … #89 (HoopSeen)

6-2 SOPH Kyle Sturdivant

BLUE DEVILS AT A GLANCE:

The Blue Devils, one of Georgia’s most consistent programs, is loaded up front with 6-8 SR forward Rayshaun Hammonds, who averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds as a junior, and 6-9 SR Lance Thomas. Norcross won 20 of 21 games before the playoffs, but was eliminated by eventual state champion Westlake, and faces an equally-stacked Class 7A lineup this year, so the emergence of 6-2 SOPH point guard Kyle Sturdivant is important. … McMillan, hired in 2008, is 195-50 with two state titles in eight seasons, including an improbable run through the playoffs in 2011 after a 5-8 start.

Pace Academy (20-10)

Atlanta, Georgia

GEORGIA CLASS AA STATE CHAMPIONS

HEAD COACH: Demetrius Smith

TOP PLAYERS:

6-9 SR Wendell Carter … #3 (ESPN) … #3 (Rivals) … #4 (Scout) … #1 (HoopSeen)

6-7 JR Isaiah Kelly … #125 (Rivals) … #95 (HoopSeen)

KNIGHTS AT A GLANCE:

No player last spring had a more dominating performance in a state-championship game than 6-10 SR center Wendell Carter – one of the nation’s top four players – whose 30 points and 20 rebounds propelled Pace past Manchester 65-43 in the Class AA final at Macon. The Knights, without Carter for three games at the Chick-Fil-A Classic in Columbia, S.C., wobbled to a 2-8 start, but regained their confidence as Carter averaged 25 points, 9 boards and 3 assists. Second-team All-State selection Isaiah Kelly, a 6-7 JR forward, provides a reliable compliment to Carter.

Patrick School (18-6)

Elizabeth, New Jersey

CITY OF PALMS RUNNER-UP … NEW JERSEY NON-PUBLIC B SOUTH SEMIFINALIST

HEAD COACHES: Chris Chavannes / Mike Rice

TOP PLAYERS:

6-11 SR Nick Richards … #12 (ESPN) … #21 (Rivals) … #17 (Scout) … #14 (HoopSeen)

5-10 SR Jordan Walker … #118 (Rivals) … #93 (HoopSeen)

6-8 JR Valdir Manuel … #122 (Rivals)

CELTICS AT A GLANCE:

St. Pat’s, a City of Palms staple through the years, is making its 12th appearance and appears to be back on the national map after the school closed its doors in 2012 and reorganized at a different location. Big man Nick Richards, a highly regarded 6-11, 250-pound SR center, missed the Celtics’ run to last year’s COP championship game (a 66-60 overtime loss to Chino Hills). But he’s only part of a loaded roster that includes 6-2 SR Jamir Harris, whose 34 points led a 76-63 win over rival St. Anthony in the Hamilton Park Summer League final, and 5-9 SR Jordan Walker, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer beat St. Louis Chaminade in last year’s COP semifinals.

Pebblebrook (23-10)

Mableton, Georgia

GEORGIA CLASS AAAAAA STATE RUNNER-UP

HEAD COACH: George Washington

TOP PLAYERS:

6-3 SR Collin Sexton … #10 (ESPN) … #12 (Rivals) … #9 (Scout) … #8 (HoopSeen)

6-5 SR Elias Harden (XAVIER) … #100 (Rivals) … #102 (HoopSeen)

6-2 JR Drue Drinnon … #83 (Rivals) … #80 (Scout)

FALCONS AT A GLANCE:

Few have ever exploded onto the national high school recruiting scene like high-scoring 6-3 SR guard Collin Sexton. He averaged 29 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in Pebblebrook’s second straight run to the Class AAAAAA final, but dazzled throughout the spring/summer, leading the Nike EYBL in scoring at 31.7 ppg, then earning MVP honors at the U17 World Championships in Spain. The Falcons also boast a trio of high-profile transfers in 6-9 SOPH Jared Jones (who played in the past two COPs with Potter’s House Christian), 6-5 SR Xavier commit Elias Harden and 6-2 JR Drue Drinnon.

Sagemont (22-8)

Weston, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 3A-REGION 3 SEMIFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Adam Ross

TOP PLAYERS:

6-7 SR Tyler Polley … #83 (Rivals) … #20 in Florida (SourceHoops) … #116 (HoopSeen)

6-5 SR Luis Hurtado

LIONS AT A GLANCE:

The dangerous duo of 6-7 SR Tyler Polley and 6-5 SR Luis Hurtado returns to lead the Lions, who played in four state championship games during a five-year span (2011-15) under Ross, winning two of them. Polley had 22 points and 9 rebounds in a win over Miami High at last year’s HoopHall Miami Invitational, but the Lions couldn’t manage to hold fourth-quarter leads in three key losses to Fort Lauderdale Westminster in the season’s final five weeks.

St. Anthony (32-6)

San Antonio, Texas

TEXAS TAPPS CLASS 5A STATE RUNNER-UP

HEAD COACH: Jeff Merritt

TOP PLAYERS:

6-11 SOPH Charles Bassey … #2 (ESPN) … #1 (Rivals) … #2 (Scout)

YELLOWJACKETS AT A GLANCE:

Newly hired Merritt, a former assistant at La Lumiere (Ind.) and Jacksonville Arlington Country Day, suddenly finds himself in possession of one of the nation’s truly special young talents – 6-11 SOPH Charles Bassey. The Nigerian center averaged 20.2 points, 17.1 rebounds and 5.9 blocks as a freshman, leading St. Anthony to the TAPPS Class 5A final. All five starters return, including 5-7 SR Isiah Saenz, 6-3 SR Ricardo Valadez and 6-3 SR Darren Meeks, but several newcomers – two of them 6-11 and 6-9 – are expected to make a major impact.

Signature Series (Dec. 18-20)

Sunday, Dec. 18 / Semifinals

2:00 p.m. – IMG Academy vs. Putnam Science

Members of the Cape Coral-Mariner basketball team speak during a news conference at Shoeless Joe’s Cafe in Fort Myers for the introduction of this years field in the 2016 City of Palms Basketball Classic on Wednesday.

5:20 p.m. – Westtown vs. Hillcrest

Hillcrest Prep junior DeAndre Ayton, a 7-foot-1 basketball player, is rated the No.1 player in the country.

Hillcrest Prep

Phoenix, Arizona

HEAD COACH: Kyle Weaver

TOP PLAYERS:

7-1 SR DeAndre Ayton (ARIZONA) … #1 (ESPN) … #1 (Rivals) … #1 (Scout) … #2 (HoopSeen)

6-6 SR Shamiel Stevenson

6-6 SOPH Josh Green

HAWKS AT A GLANCE:

Hillcrest’s program launch last season drew a lot of attention, but few got to see the team – and its prized possession, consensus national No. 1-ranked 7-1 SR DeAndre Ayton, who committed to Arizona on Tuesday – during a first-year schedule that sparingly brought the Hawks east of the Mississippi. Yet the 240-pound, Bahamian-born Ayton put on a show wherever he went, exploding for 52 points, 33 rebounds, 11 blocks and 6 assists in a 71-67 win against Sunrise Christian (Kan.) on Jan. 23. He averaged 19.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for California Supreme during the 16-game Nike EYBL season, and has already starred in one City of Palms Classic (for Balboa City in 2014).

IMG Academy (27-10)

Bradenton, Florida

HEAD COACH: Vince Walden

TOP PLAYERS:

6-8 JR Silvio DeSousa … #6 (ESPN) … #5 (Rivals) … #5 (Scout) … #12 (HoopSeen) … #3 in FL (SourceHoops)

6-7 JR Emmitt Williams … #22 (ESPN) … #59 (Rivals) … #21 (HoopSeen) … #5 in Florida (SourceHoops)

6-4 JR Keyontae Johnson … #120 (Rivals)

6-8 SR Isaiah Stokes …  … #96 (HoopSeen)

ASCENDERS AT A GLANCE:

This year’s City of Palms Classic Classic marks a Homecoming of sorts for former Lehigh star 6-7 JR Emmitt Williams, who finally will be on display on his hometown’s biggest stage, but the Ascenders are stocked with talent as always. Two other high-profile players to keep an eye on: 6-8 JR forward Silvio DeSousa, who transferred from Montverde, and backboard-shattering 6-8 SR Isaiah Stokes, who gave up a promising football future to pursue his hoop dreams.

Putnam Science Academy

Putnam, Connecticut

HEAD COACH: Tom Espinosa

TOP PLAYERS:

6-6 SR Hamidou Diallo … #11 (ESPN) … #7 (Rivals) … #10 (Scout) … #5 (HoopSeen)

6-3 JR Eric Ayala … #71 (Rivals) … #75 (Scout) … #85 (HoopSeen)

6-11 JR Darnell Brodie

6-10 PG Malik Ondigo

6-8 PG Isaac Kante

MUSTANGS AT A GLANCE:

Most of the buzz around the Mustangs is about the freakishly athletic 6-6 SR guard Hamidou Diallo, a New York City product who averaged 18.6 points during the Nike EYBL regular season and upped that to 21.5 at the Peach Jam. Espinosa’s squad from the powerful New England prep league (NEPSAC) will be loaded with D1 talents, including a trio of promising guards in 6-1 SR Jaheam Cornwall, 6-1 SOPH Chris Wright and 6-1 SOPH Tanahj Pettway.

Westtown School (25-8)

West Chester, Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA PISAA STATE CHAMPIONS

HEAD COACH: Seth Berger

TOP PLAYERS:

6-11 SR Mohamed Bamba … #4 (ESPN) … #4 (Rivals) … #2 (Scout) … #4 (HoopSeen)

6-6 SR Brandon Randolph … #40 (ESPN) … #54 (Rivals) … #38 (Scout) … #39 (HoopSeen)

6-7 JR Cameron Reddish … #4 (ESPN) … #6 (Rivals) … #4 (Scout) … #7 (HoopSeen)

MOOSE AT A GLANCE:

The Moose return for a City of Palms encore in 2015, powered by a scintillating trio – 6-11 SR center Mohamed Bamba, 6-7 JR forward Cameron Reddish and 6-6 SR guard Brandon Randolph, all national top-tier talents. Bamba averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks as a junior, and helped Westtown claim its first state title in any sport since the school opened in 1799. … At the 2015 COP, Westtown fell 57-56 in overtime to eventual Signature Series champion Hamilton Heights (Tenn

Sunshine Series

Friday, Dec. 18 / 6:00 p.m.

East St. Louis (12-14)

East St. Louis, Illinois

HEAD COACH: Phillip Gilbert

FLYERS’ TOP PLAYER:

6-10 SR Jeremiah TIlmon (ILLINOIS) … #37 (ESPN) … #24 (Rivals) … #19 (Scout) … #26 (HoopSeen)

vs.

Tampa Catholic (26-5)

Tampa, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 4A STATE SEMIFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Don Dziagwa

CRUSADERS’ TOP PLAYER:

6-8 SR Kevin Knox … #7 (ESPN) … #6 (Rivals) … #7 (Scout) … #7 (HoopSeen) … #1 in FLA (SourceHoops)

GAME AT A GLANCE:

Knox & Co. return to the Sunshine Series for a battle against another of the nation’s best seniors in Tilmon, who spent his junior season at La Lumiere (Ind.) and is returning from shoulder surgery that kept him on the sidelines all spring and summer. Knox averaged 30 points and 12 rebounds last season for TC, and even threw for 1,200 yards and 15 TDs in his last football action, as a sophomore.

Saturday, Dec. 17 / 3:45 p.m.

South Miami (22-9)

Miami, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 8A STATE SEMIFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Robert Doctor

COBRAS’ TOP PLAYERS:

6-3 SR Zack Dawson … #70 (ESPN) … #116 (Rivals) … #16 in Florida (SourceHoops)

6-8 SR Latravian Glover … #34 in Florida (SourceHoops)

vs.

Winter Park (21-10)

Winter Park, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 8A STATE SEMIFINALIST

HEAD COACH: Donald Blackmon

WILDCATS’ TOP PLAYER:

6-7 SR Wyatt Wilkes (FLORIDA STATE) … #113 (Rivals) … #124 (HoopSeen) … #8 in FLA (SourceHoops)

GAME AT A GLANCE:

This will be an interesting clash between a pair of Class 8A Final Four participants, both of whom are shooting even higher this year. Besides Dawson and Wilkes – a fascinating matchup all by itself – keep an eye out for South Miami’s 6-8 SR Latravian Glover, who missed all of the 2015-16 season with a torn ACL.

Monday, Dec. 19 / 4:00 p.m.

St. Petersburg High (25-7)

St. Petersburg, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 7A STATE RUNNER-UP

HEAD COACH: Chris Blackwell

GREEN DEVILS’ TOP PLAYER:

6-5 SR Darius Banks … #22 in Florida (SourceHoops)

vs.

Miami Christian (20-5)

Miami, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 2A-REGION 4 RUNNER-UP

HEAD COACH: Juan Cardona

VICTORS’ TOP PLAYERS:

6-0 SR Eduardo Camacho (CENTRAL CONNECTICUT ST.) … #26 in Florida (SourceHoops)

6-10 SR Felipe Haase

GAME AT A GLANCE:

Two of the state’s best teams go head-to-head. Miami Christian will entertain with its relentless effort and depth, led by Camacho and a stable-full of guards to go with Haase. Blackwell has quietly built the Green Devils into a perennial contender and Pinellas County’s top program.

Wednesday, Dec. 21 / 5:00 p.m.

Dillard (28-5)

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONS

HEAD COACH: Darryl Burrows

PANTHERS’ TOP PLAYERS:

6-7 SR RaiQuan Gray (FLORIDA STATE) … #127 (Rivals) … #108 (HoopSeen) … #19 in FLA (SourceHoops)

6-5 SR Jordan Wright … #17 in Florida (SourceHoops)

vs.

Riverview (29-3)

Sarasota, Florida

FLORIDA CLASS 8A STATE RUNNER-UP

HEAD COACH: B.J. Ivey

RAMS’ TOP PLAYERS:

6-3 SR Brion Whitley (UNC-WILMINGTON) … #21 in Florida (SourceHoops)

6-4 SR A.J. Caldwell … #25 in Florida (SourceHoops)

GAME AT A GLANCE:

The Rams want what Dillard has – a state championship. While the Panthers captured the Class 6A state title, Riverview was denied by Coral Springs in the 8A final. Both teams return mostly intact in 2016-17, which means a high-level Sunshine Series game on Championship Wednesday.

Dunbar takes on Lehigh in a high school football matchup on Friday night at Dunbar High School.

Game of the Week

Lehigh (0-1) at South Fort Myers (2-0)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch — Lehigh: The Lightning are convinced they’re a much better team than they showed in a 28-0 loss to Dunbar last week. The offense is looking for a huge bounce-back week after managing just 113 yards against one of the top defenses in Southwest Florida. Look for standout RB Chris Curry to get a few more carries than the 13 he received last week. If Lehigh can get strong run blocking up front and move the chains, it can limit South’s possessions and create a close game in the fourth quarter. South: It’s possible the Wolfpack haven’t played their best football yet this season. The closest to it may have been their first-half domination of Island Coast in Week 1. Since then, South nearly let Island Coast come back to tie it late in the second half and had to slug it out with Cape Coral in an 18-6 win last week. Junior WR Jeshaun Jones has come up big in each of those games with game-changing plays. It’s not a matter of if the defense, offense or special teams will strike with one of those types of plays. It’s a matter of when.

The News-Press’ pick: South Fort Myers 26, Lehigh 13

Game Previews

Estero (1-1) at North Fort Myers (0-1)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch — Estero: Coming off a dominant effort in a 21-0 win over Lemon Bay, the Wildcats defense faces one of its biggest challenges in four-star RB Zaquandre White and North Fort Myers. Last week the unit forced four turnovers and held the Manta Rays to 112 yards of total offense. The attacking defense will look to swarm White, preferring he run east and west rather than north and south. Sophomore Willie Neal will be the focal point of the Estero offense after compiling 116 total yards and three touchdowns last week. North: The Red Knights simply ran into an outstanding defense last week during a 37-16 loss to Fort Myers. White managed just 60 yards on 14 carries, but won’t be held down for long. During North’s first series last week, QB Ben Pogue found some success with his receivers in space on short passes. If he can get into a similar rhythm this week it could set up the deep ball for receivers Joe Wilkins and Herb Riggins and spell trouble for Estero.

The News-Press’ pick: North Fort Myers 35, Estero 7

Dunbar (2-0) at Riverdale (0-1)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch — Dunbar: The Tigers are coming off a 28-0 victory against Lehigh in which their defense swarmed to the ball, scoring twice on safeties and combining for four sacks. “This team is still trying to find out what they’re going to be about,” Dunbar coach Sammy Brown said. “We are still trying to figure it all out.” Junior QB Jarvis Johnson continues to learn and improve each week. “He’s still not a finished product, but he’s getting better. He’s hanging out in the pocket. I’m impressed with him right now. We’ll see how he does.” Riverdale: The Raiders are coming off a 14-6 loss to Palmetto Ridge. RB Malcolm Spencer fell 1 yard short of the 100-yard mark. Daniel Ulmer passed for 109 yards. If the offense can catch up to the team’s defense, the Raiders could limit the damage against a talented Tigers team. Coach Tom Roszell said he expected a physical battle up front. He could be right.

The News-Press pick: Dunbar 35, Riverdale 14

Dunbar thwarts Lehigh behind swarming defense

Mariner (1-1) at LaBelle (1-1)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch — Mariner: The Tritons were kicking themselves after surrendering a late fourth-quarter lead last week in a loss to Bishop Verot where a miscommunication that resulted in an ill-advised, failed fake punt cost them. The bright spot was the play of senior WR Chance Reiter, who combined for 84 total yards. Mariner won this meeting 28-3 last season. LaBelle: With all the talent at RB in Southwest Florida, Cowboys junior Tray Williams tends to fall under the radar. He led his team to its first win of the season last week against Evangelical Christian with 95 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go with a 70-yard punt return for a score. Expect a low-scoring game that comes down to the final minutes.

The News-Press’ pick: LaBelle 10, Mariner 7

Ida Baker (1-1) at Bradenton Braden River (1-0)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch — Baker: The Bulldogs scored their first win of the season with a 28-6 beating of North Port last Friday. Ida Baker will meet the Pirates, who beat the Bulldogs 42-14 in this matchup last season. Quarterback Toby Noland has produced 405 yards of offense on 24 of 53 passing, while Luke Endsley, the team’s senior receiver, has been on the other end with 12 catches for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Braden River: The undefeated Pirates, ranked No. 3 in Class 7A and coming off a 13-1 season in which they reached the state semifinals, shut out Bradenton Bayshore 36-0 to begin the season. They limited the Bruins to minus-17 rushing yards and produced a takeaway two plays into the game. Running back Raymond Thomas, who was back after an ACL tear last October, rushed for 166 yards on just eight carries. The Pirates defense yielded 5 yards of offense in the first half and just 36 for the game.

The News-Press’ pick: Braden River 48, Ida Baker 21

Cypress Lake (2-0) at Fort Myers (1-1)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch — Cypress Lake: The Richie Rode era with the Panthers has gotten off to a great start with wins over North Port and East Lee County. But a much, much tougher task will find Cypress Lake, which hasn’t won more than two games in six years, against the Green Wave. The Panthers have scored 60 points in two games, compared to just 13 points given up. Isaiah Thomas has rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns, but more importantly, the team’s defense came up huge in a win over East Lee last week. Fort Myers: The Green Wave’s defense has given just four touchdowns in two games, against two traditional powerhouse offensive teams in Palmetto and North Fort Myers. They defeated the Red Knights 37-16 last Friday for their first win of the season. Senior running back Darrian Felix has rushed for 284 yards and three touchdowns, despite a nagging groin injury. Quarterback Ben Stobaugh has thrown for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 7 of 12 completions. The Green Wave defense has recorded five sacks in two games.

The News-Press pick: Fort Myers 35, Cypress Lake 7

Fort Myers shuts down North, White

St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut (0-0) at SFCA (2-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

What to watch — Farragut: This is the Blue Jackets’ debut game of the season after rainouts against Ocala Trinity Catholic and Tampa Catholic. Farragut won 10 games in 2015 and return a number of veterans, including receivers Marquis Lambert and Zion Roland and running back O’shon Allen. The Blue Jackets, who are just outside the Class 2A AP state rankings, averaged 40 points per game in 2015 and gave up just 16 per game. SFCA: The King’s are off to a solid start, outscoring opponents by 16 points per game, including a 12-0 shutout against Gateway Charter last week. They lost this game 61-21 last season. Junior Max Rippl rushed for a team-high 96 yards last week while quarterback Kobe Gee is 12 of 36 for 322 yards and three touchdowns. SFCA is averaging nearly seven sacks per game and has produced five takeaways.

The News-Press’ pick: Admiral Farragut 47, SFCA 20

Lakeland Christian (2-0) at Bishop Verot (1-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

What to watch — Lakeland Christian: The Vikings are averaging 43 points per game in their two wins, which included one over state semifinalist First Baptist Academy last week. Verot: The Vikings are coming off a 22-13 comeback win over Mariner. Deven Thompkins is quickly becoming one of the top defensive backs in Southwest Florida, but he’ll also be needed on the offensive side of the ball. He combined for 70 yards and could up his production significantly with a few more snaps.

The News-Press’ pick: Lakeland Christian 42, Bishop Verot 17

Sarasota (2-0) at Island Coast (0-2)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch — Sarasota: The Sailors combined to score 83 points and surrendered just 13 in their wins over Cape Coral and Sarasota Booker. They won this meeting 34-21 last season. Island Coast: There wasn’t much the Gators could do in a 52-19 loss to Naples when Marcelino Charles and Patrick Pierre combined for 472 yards and seven touchdowns on just 29 touches. Senior WR Marlon Gaymon has 18 catches for 283 yards and three touchdowns this season.

The News-Press’ pick: Island Coast 24, Sarasota 21

Gateway Charter (0-2) at Evangelical Christian (0-1)

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch — Gateway: The Griffins are coming off a 12-0 defeat at the hands of Southwest Florida Christian last week. The defense forced four fumbles and had an interception, but the offense has been shut out in back-to-back weeks. Chris Ceasar nearly went for 100 yards last week, but will look to break out against his former team. ECS: The Sentinels finally made it on the field after having their preseason game and opener cancelled due to weather, and were taken down by LaBelle 38-14. The running game led by Jimmy Mera will need to have a better showing after only having 67 yards on the ground against the Cowboys.

The News-Press’ pick: ECS 23, Gateway Charter 21

Sebring (1-0) at East Lee County (1-1)

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch — Sebring: The Blue Streaks from Highlands County come into this game only having played one full game on the season, but last week they made it look easy in beating Miami Westminster Christian 48-13. Sebring quarterback Brian Lane threw three touchdown passes, including two to Delton Hawthorne Jr. and the Blue Streaks also had four touchdowns nullified by penalties. East Lee: The Jaguars blew out Gateway Charter in Week 1 51-0, but took a road loss to Cypress Lake 20-6 last week. Fumbles were a big problem as the Jaguars lost six on the night, including one resulting in the go-ahead score for Cypress Lake. Lothario Adderly and Cortavius Lee have been productive in the backfield and will need a strong game while taking care of the football.

The News-Press’ pick: Sebring 33, East Lee County 17

St. John Neumann (1-0) at Canterbury (0-1)

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch — Neumann: The Celtics fought weather issues, having their preseason and Week 1 games both canceled due to weather. Last week they had to play St. Petersburg Catholic on Saturday morning, but a thrilling 40-36 victory was filled with seven lead changes and a lot of action. Three running backs, led by Vladimyr Bouzi, had over 50 yards rushing. Canterbury: The Cougars also have experienced game cancelations and last week had their first game against Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin and lost 17-0. A strong defensive performance was negated by ball security issues on offense with three turnovers for the game. Jalen Ellis nearly went for 100 yards on the ground, running for 93 yards on 24 carries.

The News-Press’ pick: St. John Neumann 27, Canterbury 16

Lee County Fab Five

Game action between Fort Myers High School and North Fort Myers on Friday at Fort Myers High School. Fort Myers beat North 37-16.

1. Dunbar (2-0): It’s clear the Tigers are on a mission this season. That doesn’t bode well for Riverdale this week

2. Fort Myers (1-1): The Green Wave roster is stacked with talent. Anyone can go off in a give week. Who will it be against Cypress Lake?

3. South Fort Myers (2-0): The Wolfpack haven’t played their best football yet this season. Lehigh might be the first to experience it.

4. North Fort Myers (0-1); The Red Knights have a chance to take out their frustration of last week’s loss to rival Fort Myers against Estero.

5. Cypress Lake (2-0): The Panthers are off to a great start, but beating Fort Myers will be a near-impossible task.

The News-Press All-Area Athlete of the Week

Evangelical Christian volleyball player Rachel Miller garnered 2,140 of 5,352 votes to earn The News-Press Player of the Week honors for Aug. 29- Sept. 3.

Nominees are derived from scores and stats called and emailed in by Lee County’s coach’s during the week. Voting begins each Monday at 2 p.m. Following the Labor Day holiday, this week’s Athlete of the Week will begin at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Coaches can email scores to sports@news-press.com or call in scores at 239-335-0357. The deadline for each night’s results is 10 p.m.

Miller, a senior, recorded 11 kills and eight digs in a victory over Southwest Florida Christian Academy and added nine kills and 12 digs in a victory over Canterbury.

McQuinn, who received 1,924 votes, finished second after making 14 tackles, including a sack, and blocking a punt in a 37-16 win over rival North Fort Myers.

The other nominees were Estero golfers Luke Farmer and Kim Egozi, Estero cross country runner Arye Beck, North cross country runner Kayla Easterly, Cape Coral swimmer Joseph Leon, Riverdale swimmer Isabella Reina and South Fort Myers receiver Jeshaun Jones.

Lehigh running back Jalane Nelson carries the ball during the Lightning’s 28-0 loss to Dunbar last week. Lehigh travels to South Fort Myers on Friday for The News-Press’ Game of the Week.

Ever since Lehigh’s season-opening 28-0 loss to Dunbar last week, the Lightning have sat through what seems like a non-stop film festival featuring the lowlights of a game they’d rather forget.

Chris Curry and Jacquez Brown could only shake their heads at every fumble, every missed assignment and every mental error.

“We’re way better than that,” Brown, the senior middle linebacker, said.

To wait nearly 10 months to show last season’s 3-6 flop was an aberration and then put that product on the field in a huge rivalry game was difficult. But, believe it or not, the last week of waiting to redeem themselves against another highly-touted team in South Fort Myers on Friday at Wolfpack Stadium was more difficult.

Curry, the junior running back, may have taken the loss against a group of players he grew up with the hardest because he admitted he made the classic mistake of taking the Tigers lightly.

Meanwhile, Brown presented a strong front saying the loss “stung just a little bit.” His face told a different story as he discussed 48 minutes worth of mistakes.

There’s no shame in falling to the Tigers, who are now ranked No. 9 in the Class 5A Associated Press poll. It was the fashion in which they lost — taking four sacks, surrendering two safeties and managing just 113 yards of offense — that hurt the most.

Dunbar thwarts Lehigh behind swarming defense

Lehigh coach James Chaney took the blame for all of it.

“My job is to make sure they are mentally prepared, and they weren’t,” he said. “Hindsight is always 20/20. You think to yourself, ‘What did we overlook?’ Sometimes it’s hard to make adjustments in the heat of the battle. That’s what non-district games are for, though. You get a chance to see what you can do better.

“It could be a blessing in disguise.”

The Lightning put together an 18-7 win over North Port in the preseason before weather canceled its opener with Palmetto Ridge.

Chaney and company are trying to put the 5-game losing streak that derailed 2015 behind them.

A win over a 2-0 South team that has been shaky at times this season could do a lot.

“This week means everything,” Curry said.

And the 6-foot, 200-pound versatile back is willing to do anything in his power for a win. That includes carrying 30 times if need be.

Against Dunbar, he received just 13 carries and gained 82 yards as the offensive line failed to make headway against the Tigers’ front seven. Chaney maintains the offense will take what the South defense gives them.

If that means Curry gets 30 carries, so be it. If he has to serve as a decoy, that’s fine too.

“That’s the great thing about Chris,” Chaney said of the back with offers from North Carolina and Western Kentucky. “He fits into any system. If I ask him to play guard, he will.”

Defensively, Lehigh will have to focus on limiting the big plays from South’s stable of running backs, which includes seniors E’Quan Dorris and Riley Ware.

Special play is key in South’s 18-6 win over Cape Coral

“We need to make them go east and west,” said Brown, who is picking up steam on the recruiting trail with offers from UNC-Charlotte and Toledo.

South junior receiver Jeshaun Jones emerged as another big-play threat over the last two weeks. His 82-yard touchdown off a swing pass against Island Coast and a punt return for a score against Cape Coral were game changers.

“You can’t allow that type of stuff even in Pop Warner,” Chaney said. “You can’t give extra chances to teams like Dunbar and South.”

With the biggest improvement coming from the first game to the second, Brown is convinced better days are ahead for the Lightning.

“Every day is a new day,” he said. “Every moment is a new moment. Every Friday is a new Friday.”

FOLLOW FRIDAY’S ACTION LIVE 

scoreboard

Log on to news-press.com on your desktop or mobile device every Friday to see live updates from all the action across Southwest Florida and for game reports, photos and videos after the action has concluded. Turn to the pages of The News-Press every Sunday to see local rankings, top performers, standings and notes on our new high school football page Snap Count.

Inside Southwest Florida Football

The News-Press high school sports reporter Adam Regan and high school sports columnist Cory Mull will preview the area’s top games and key players in this video each week. Watch it Thursday afternoons up until kickoff Friday every Friday at news-press.com. 

Mariner High logo

Mariner High rebounded from a tough loss of a week ago to pull out a 20-19 win over host LaBelle on Friday night.

Tailback Chance Reiter (17 carries, 141 yards) scored on a 3-yard run with 3:31 to go and Andrew Kibler capped a big night with the extra point for the victory. He also had field goals of 21 and 36 yards.

That was the only time Mariner led.

“They did a heckuva job tonight,” Mariner coach Travis Smith said. “They’re special kids. We’re happy to get this victory. We really needed it.”

The Cowboys took a 6-0 lead in the opening seconds of the game on a 30-yard interception by Adan Zamarron and a 13-3 lead on a 92-yard kickoff return by La’Travis Williams.

Meanwhile, LaBelle’s defense played bend but don’t break for three-plus quarters.

“Defensively, we played well in spots,” LaBelle coach Chris Siner said. “We gave up a little bit of yards on plays.

“It came down to they made kicks and we didn’t. When you’re a division lower, you have to get all your points.”

Mariner tied the game with 7:19 left on a 2-yard pass from quarterback Cairo Jeunegens to Geovanni Garcia. LaBelle then came back and scored on a well-designed 8-yard pass play from Tyler Burton to Michael Rothenhoefer. That was the Cowboys’ only TD from the offense as the Tritons had another stout defensive effort.

“The defense is going to carry us all season,” said Smith, whose team lost a late lead in a 22-13 defeat against Bishop Verot last week.  “We finally put something together on offense. It was good to see the guys show resiliency.”

MARINER 20, LaBELLE 19

M 0 | 6 | 0 | 14 — 20

L 6 | 7 | 0 | 6 — 19

L: Adan Zamarron 30 interception return (kick failed)

M: FG Andrew Kibler 21

L: La’Travis Williams 92 kick return (Jonathan Morales kick)

M: FG Kibler 36

M: Geovanni Garcia 2 pass from Cairo Jeunengens (Kibler kick)

L: Michael Rothenhoefer 8 pass from Tyler Burton (kick failed)

M: Chance Reiter 3 run (Kibler kick)

Individual stats

Rushing – Mariner, Cairo Jeunegens 9-31, Chance Reiter 17-141, Christian Butz 3-1, Eric Preston 7-71, Geovanni Garcia 7-37, Joey Lane 1-minus 3. LaBelle, Zamarron 7-29, Williams 19-63, Maynard Blackmon 4-12, Tyler Burton 3-minus 10.

Passing – Mariner, Jeunegens 3-8-0-25. LaBelle, Tyler Burton 3-7-0-42, Bryce Hall 0-2-1.

Receiving – Mariner, Reiter 2-23, Garcia 1-2. LaBelle, Angel Vargas 1-21, Blackmon 1-13, Rothenhoefer 1-8.

The News-Press All-Area Athlete of the Week

It’s time to vote for The News-Press high school athlete of the week. Voting will close at noon on Thursday.

Nominees are derived from scores and stats called and emailed in by Lee County’s coaches during the week. Voting begins each Monday at 2 p.m.

Coaches can email scores to sports@news-press.com or call in scores at 239-335-0357. The deadline for each night’s results is 10 p.m.

On Thursday, The News-Press will unveil the Athlete of the Week on Snapchat and online. You can follow us on Snapchat at NPSports.

Here are this week’s nominees based on their performances between Sept. 5-10.

POLL: Click HERE for this week’s poll, or scroll down to vote.

Football Offense

Chance Reiter, Mariner, senior

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound tailback came up clutch in the Tritons 20-19 win over LaBelle, scoring on a 3-yard run with 3:31 left. He finished with 141 yards on 17 carries.

Football Defense

Bakari Jackson, Dunbar, junior

The 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker stripped Riverdale quarterback Daniel Ulmer and returned it 55 yards for a toucdown in a shutout victory over the Raiders.

Volleyball

Alayna Ryan, Fort Myers, senior

The outside hitter recorded a school record with 30 kills in a four-set victory over Riverdale on Tuesday.

Girls golf

Brittany Shin, Canterbury, sophomore:

The 15-year-old Cougars golfer tallied a two-day even par 144 at the Florida Junior Tour’s girls’ 16-18 division on Saturday and Sunday at Sugar Mill Country Club in New Smyrna Beach.

Boys golf

Bobby Hurst, Riverdale, junior

The veteran golfer shot a 1-under 35 at River Hall Country Club on Tuesday in a win over North Fort Myers.

Boys Cross Country

Yoan Prado, LaBelle, senior

The Cowboys senior tallied his second win in three weeks on Saturday, winning the Hoptar Invitational at Veterans Park in Lehigh with a time of 16:59, a 31-second improvement from the season prior.

Girls Cross Country

Krissy Gear, Fort Myers, senior

In her first meet of 2016, the Class 3A runner-up flourished in the back-half of the Hoptar Invitational, finishing in 19:38, a 5-second improvement from 2015.

Girls swimming

Paige Madden, Estero, senior

One of the Wildcats’ co-captains, Madden won the 50-meter freestyle in 25.84 seconds and the 100 backstroke on Thursday in a meet against Bishop Verot.

Boys swimming

Matt Strickland, Bishop Verot, junior

The Vikings swimmer won the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2:02.61 and the 500 free with a time of 5:09.08 in a win over Estero.

Girls bowling

Kyndall Snyder, Island Coast, senior

The returning All-Area finalist bowled games of 189 against Ida Baker on Tuesday and 256 versus Fort Myers on Thursday, leading the Gators to wins in both matches.

Boys bowling

Noah Hamilton, Cape Coral

The Seahawks athlete tossed a game of 236 against South Fort Myers on Thursday, helping lead Cape Coral to a win over the Wolfpack.

Athlete of the Week nominees for Sept. 4 – 10 (poll 9520892)
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Fort Myers High School’s Ben Stobaugh picks up a first down against Cypress Lake during first quarter play Friday at Fort Myers High School.

Game of the Week

Fort Myers (2-1) at South Fort Myers (3-0)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — Fort Myers: The Green Wave is coming off a 34-0 shutout of rival Cypress Lake where it held the Panthers to just 47 yards rushing. Offensively, Fort Myers, which threw one pass last week, is rushing for 250 yards a game. Those yards may be hard to come by this week if South stacks the box and opts to play 1-on-1 coverage on the outside with one safety over the top. South: The Wolfpack had to hold on for dear life against a lesser opponent for the third straight week when it edged Lehigh 20-16. Senior Maurice Flournoy is taking the steps necessary to cementing his status as the starting quarterback. He found Jeshaun Jones for two touchdowns last week. Senior RB E’Quan Dorris has been nursing a hamstring injury and it’s unclear as to whether he’ll play.

The News-Press’ pick: Fort Myers 27, South Fort Myers 13

South escapes late Lehigh charge

Game previews

Island Coast (0-3) at North Fort Myers (1-1)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch – Island Coast: This is a District 6A-10 game. The Gators, on a three-game skid to begin the season, are being outscored by an average of 22 points per game. Dating back to 2015, Island Coast has lost its last eight games. The Gators will be without senior wide receiver Marlon Gaymon, who has a foot injury. Senior quarterback Kory Curtis has thrown for 633 yards and four touchdowns against two interceptions, but he’s completing just 44 percent of his passes. Junior Cameron Howitt has been a bright spot on defense, nabbing away three interceptions. The Gators won this game last year in a shootout, 44-41. North Fort Myers: Senior RB Zaquandre White, who hurt his left ankle in the first half of the team’s 14-6 win over Estero and was held out for the remainder of the game, is questionable for the matchup, coach Earnest Graham said. North Fort Myers could take a committee approach to rushing the ball after four players saw carries and rushed for at least 20 yards. The Red Knights, however, have scored just four touchdowns in two games and have failed to produce much in the air. WR Joe Wilkins, QB Ben Pogue and Cameron Taylor are out for the game, Graham said.

The News-Press’ pick: North Fort Myers 28, Island Coast 7

North Fort Myers edges Estero, loses Zaquandre White to injury

Estero (1-2) at Palmetto Ridge (2-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

What to watch – Estero: While the team’s defense has yielded less than three touchdowns in each of its first three games, in losses to Mariner and North Fort Myers the Wildcats have scored just six points. Estero simply isn’t clicking on offense outside of playmaker Willie Neal, who combined for 58 all-purpose yards in a loss against North Fort Myers. Quarterback Phillip Setterquist passed for 70 yards and ran for another 55 yards in the loss to the Red Knights. Friday begins a tough stretch against two straight Class 6A foes. Palmetto Ridge: The Bears are still undefeated, although they’re not winning pretty or easy.  While they’ve done enough to outscore opponents in their first two weeks, the Bears have also only won by a combined 15 points. Palmetto Ridge gave up 223 passing yards against North Port and also had to claw back from a 27-14 deficit in the second quarter. Sophomore running back Cristian Torres led the team with 89 rushing yards on 24 carries.

The News-Press’ pick: Palmetto Ridge 17, Estero 14

Dunbar (3-0) at Lely (2-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

What to watch – Dunbar: This is a District 5A-12 game. The Tigers are on a roll with victories over Ida Baker, Lehigh and Riverdale. They’ve allowed just seven points in three games, sacked quarterbacks 16 times and batted away 23 passes, solidifying one of the best defenses in Southwest Florida. Junior defensive end Rocky Jacques-Louis has compiled 11 sacks, while senior safety Shanon Reid is second on the team with 31 tackles, a sack and two passes defended. Offensively, the Tigers have rolled up an average of 223 rushing yards per game and backs Keanu Young and Lajuan Preston have combined for six touchdowns. Lely: With its win over Golden Gate last Friday, the Trojans, led by first-year Lely coach Maurice Besler, have as many victories as all of 2015. Junior quarterback Jacquez Carter has thrown for 555 yards and seven touchdowns as the Trojans have put up 80 points in two wins over Gulf Coast and the Titans. Junior Jean Joseph, a receiver and cornerback, has been an influence on both sides of the ball, taking in two interceptions for touchdowns against the Sharks and adding two receiving touchdowns in each of the last two games.

The News-Press’ pick: Dunbar 30, Lely 14

East Lee (1-2) at Riverdale (0-2)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — East Lee: After scoring 51 in its opening weekend against Gateway, East Lee has scored just six in losses to Cypress Lake and Sebring. “They’re coming off a tough loss but they have a lot of good athletes,” Riverdale coach Tom Roszell said. “They have a lot of speed. When you don’t score, everyone worries you.” Riverdale: The Raiders also have had trouble scoring in losses to Palmetto Ridge (14-6) and Dunbar (35-0). Riverdale senior tailback Malcolm Spencer did have 146 yards rushing vs. the Tigers. “We’re not able to finish our drives,” Roszell said. “We’re not getting paid. We’re working on that. Turnovers also have killed us.” This will be Riverdale’s homecoming. “That’s always a distraction but I think we’ll be OK,” Roszell said.

The News-Press’ pick: Riverdale 30, East Lee County 7

Cape Coral (0-2) at Port Charlotte (1-0)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — Cape: This is a District 6A-10 game. The teams are coming off bye weeks. There were some bright spots from the Seahawks defense in Week 2 when it held South Fort Myers to 18 points. Coach Larry Gary’s team will look to control the clock with senior RB Isaac Washington. Port Charlotte: The Pirates’ running game appeared to be in midseason form during a rout of Barron Collier when it rushed for 433 yards on 75 carries.

The News-Press’ pick: Port Charlotte 38, Cape Coral 20

Ida Baker (1-2) at Charlotte (2-0)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — Baker: This is a District 6A-10 game. With this game, the Bulldogs are ending stretch where they will have played three state-ranked teams in four weeks. Last week they allowed 42 points in the first 22 minutes of game action against Bradenton Braden River. Baker WR Luke Endsley has caught 20 balls for 338 yards and three touchdowns this season. Charlotte: Arkansas commit Maleek Williams carried 12 times for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the Tarpon’s 63-33 win over North Miami last week.

The News-Press’ pick: Charlotte 50, Ida Baker 14

Mariner (2-1) at Cypress Lake (2-1)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for – Mariner: This is a District 5A-12 matchup. The Tritons lost to Bishop Verot 22-13 but have victories against LaBelle and Estero. “One kickoff, they took it to the house,” Mariner coach Travis Smith said of the Vikings. “Another kickoff, they took it all the way to the 15.” Mariner starts three sophomores and a freshman on the offensive line, which has its pros and cons. “It’s good for the future, but they’ve got to grow up quickly.” Senior RBs Eric Preston and Geo Garcia share the carries, with both pulling double duty on defense, Preston at CB and Garcia at LB. “They’re better than what they were last year,” Smith said of the Panthers. “We’re preparing for a tough game.” Cypress Lake: The Panthers are coming off a 34-0 loss to Fort Myers after defeating North Port 40-7 and East Lee County 20-6. “We’ve already matched our win total from last year,” first-year Cypress Lake Coach Richie Rode said. “Last week was a little bit of a reality check. We had some adversity.” The Panthers have been alternating QBs in junior Joe Lemoine and sophomore Keyon Brawner. They also double on defense as LBs. WR Tim Addison is out with a broken right wrist, which means the team will rely even more upon senior RB Isaiah Thomas. “He’s really the leader for the whole team,” Rode said.

The News-Press’ pick: Mariner 21, Cypress Lake 14

Despite shaky performance, Green Wave take care of Cypress Lake

Lehigh (0-2) at Baron Collier (2-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

What to watch for — Lehigh: The Lightning earned a moral victory of sorts when it pushed South Fort Myers before falling 20-16 on the road. RB Chris Curry received 25 carries and amassed 124 yards. Expect to see more of the same. Barron: The Cougars, who are giving up 43.5 points per game, scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to win a wild one over Immokalee 36-35 in Week 2.

The News-Press’ pick: Barron Collier 28, Lehigh 21

St. John Neumann (1-1) at SFCA (2-1)

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch for — Neumann: This is a District 2A-7 game. The Celtics are coming off of a 34-20 defeat to Canterbury last Friday. After only trailing at halftime by two, St. John Neumann gave up three consecutive scores in the second half. The young Celtics team led by coach Damon Jones already has surpassed their win total from a year ago, winning a thrilling 40-36 back-and forth tilt with St. Petersburg Catholic in its first game of the season. SFCA: The Kings were thoroughly outplayed by Admiral Farragut a week ago, losing 47-0. After only trailing by seven after the first quarter, SFCA’s defense surrendered 26 points in the second quarter. The running game was quiet, as the Kings only ran for 56 yards. Koby Gee and Chase Reed connected five times for 97 yards through the air, and should be a good matchup for a Celtics secondary which allowed three touchdown passes to Canterbury.

The News-Press’ pick: SFCA 33, St. John Neumann 10

LaBelle (1-2) at Mulberry (0-3)

Time: 7:30 p.m

What to watch for — LaBelle: This is a District 4A-6 game. The Cowboys had a tough loss to Mariner last week, going down 20-19 on a late Tritons touchdown. LaBelle led the entire game, but two extra points on touchdowns failed, creating the difference in the game. Tray Williams had a return touchdown for the second week in a row, a 92-yard kickoff return which gave LaBelle a 10-point lead in the first half. Offensively, the Cowboys had it tough against a solid Mariner defense, failing to hit 150 yards. Mulberry: LaBelle should have it easier against Mulberry, which has lost three games by a combined score of 134-27. Elijah Cooper will need to be contained on the ground as he has averaged 118 yards a game and went for 172 yards against Lake Region with an 81-yard touchdown.

The News-Press’ pick: LaBelle 26, Mulberry 15

Lake Placid (1-1) at Bishop Verot (1-2)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

What to watch for — Lake Placid: This is a District 4A-6 game. The Dragons snapped a six-game losing streak dating back to last season with a 34-3 non-district win over St. Petersburg Catholic last week. RB Tay Williams finished with 154 yards rushing while Markie McCray added 104. Verot: The Vikings surrendered more than 500 yards of offense last week, but managed to keep it close in a 37-21 loss to Class 3A powerhouse Lakeland Christian. Look for Verot to slow down the Dragons running game and the secondary, featuring junior CB Deven Thompkins, to play strong against the pass. Junior QB Korey Besse threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions last week. If the offensive line gives him enough time he should be able to pick apart the defense.

The News-Press’ pick: Bishop Verot 42, Lake Placid 17

Canterbury (1-1) at St. Petersburg Canterbury (2-0)

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch for — Canterbury: The Cougars are coming off of a 34-20 victory over St. John Neumann last Friday. Quarterback Danny Cunningham had a terrific performance with three touchdown passes and ran in one more score on the ground. Jalen Ellis was the recipient of two of Cunningham’s TD passes and has been a steady contributor on the ground for the Cougars. St. Petersburg Canterbury: The Crusaders boast two lethal running options in quarterback Iy’Rese Scott and Tyler Vanburger. Scott ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns and also had two touchdown passes and 152 through the air while Vanburger had 241 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in a wild 59-52 win over Oviedo Master’s Academy last week.

The News-Press’ pick: St. Petersburg Canterbury 44, Canterbury 37

First Baptist (0-2) at Evangelical Christian (0-2)

Time: 7 p.m

What to watch For — FBA: After a state seminfinal appearance in Class 2A last season, the Lions have had to deal with big personnel changes and have come up short in two competitive games this season. Lakeland Christian took them down 27-14, but running back Jayce Howell had a strong performance with 157 yards and both First Baptist touchdowns. He will be a big challenge for Evangelical Christian who struggled with a familiar running back a week ago in Chris Ceasar. The former Sentinel scored five time for Gateway Charter as ECS lost 46-19 last Friday. ECS: Quarterback Logan Pearlman threw three interceptions last week and will need to take care of the football to give the Sentinels more balance offensively. Running back Jimmy Mera had a strong night with 122 yards and three touchdowns but was limited in the second half after being banged up. He is expected to play and will need to continue his strong play to start the season for the Sentinels.

The News-Press’ pick: First Baptist 34, Evangelical Christian 18

Lee County Fab 5

South Fort Myers, which held off Lehigh 20-16 last week, is ranked No. 3 in the Lee County Fab 5.

1. Dunbar (3-0): The Tigers and their dominant defense face a tough test in 2-1 Lely in their District 5A-12 opener.

2. Fort Myers (2-1): A lot will be learned about the Green Wave in the next week with games against South Fort Myers and Charlotte.

3. South Fort Myers (3-0): The Wolfpack finally may want to put their best foot forward this week in a rivalry game with Fort Myers.

4. North Fort Myers (1-1): The Red Knights will look to start District 6A-10 play off on the right foot against Island Coast.

5. Mariner (2-1): The Tritons have a winnable game on the road against Cypress Lake.

Athlete of the Week

Mariner senior tailback Chance Reiter garnered nearly half the vote to earn The News-Press Athlete of the Week honors for Sept. 5-10.

Nominees are derived from scores and stats called and emailed in by Lee County’s coaches during the week. Voting begins each Monday at 2 p.m.

Coaches can email scores to sports@news-press.com or call in scores at 239-335-0357. The deadline for each night’s results is 10 p.m.

Reiter, who earned 48 percent of the vote, came up clutch in the Tritons 20-19 win over LaBelle last week, scoring on a 3-yard run with 3:31 left. He finished with 141 yards on 17 carries.

Fort Myers senior volleyball player Alayna Ryan finished second with 22 percent of the vote after the outside hitter recorded a school record with 30 kills in a four-set victory over Riverdale.

Other nominees were Dunbar linebacker Bakari Jackson, Canterbury golfer Brittany Shin, Riverdale golfer Bobby Hurst, LaBelle cross country runner Yoan Prado, Fort Myers cross country runner Krissy Gear, Estero swimmer Paige Madden, Bishop Verot swimmer Matt Strickland, Island Coast bowler Kyndall Snyder and Cape Coral bowler Noah Hamilton.

Riverdale players watch their teammates after kickoff against East Lee on Friday, September 16, 2016, at Riverdale High School.

East Lee’s Casco Monix tackles Deishan Layne of Riverdale on Friday, September 16, 2016, at Riverdale High School.

Riverdale’s Jaylin Cochran celebrates scoring their first touchdown against East Lee on Friday, September 16, 2016, at Riverdale High School.

East Lee’s Lothario Adderly runs the ball on Friday, September 16, 2016, at Riverdale High School.

East Lee’s Lothario Adderly is hit by Riverdale’s Jaylin Cochran on Friday, September 16, 2016, at Riverdale High School.

Riverdale’s Jaylin Cochran scores the first touchdown against East Lee on Friday, September 16, 2016, at Riverdale High School.

Riverdale High football coach Tom Roszell knew that first win of the season would be tough.

It also turned into being nerve-wracking.

The Raiders survived a rash of mistakes to hold off East Lee County 22-12 on Friday night.

Quarterback Daniel Ulmer’s 27-yard touchdown run with 1:24 left finally wrapped up the game for Riverdale.

After building a 15-0 lead, the Raiders (1-2) had seven fumbles, losing three, while committing 102 yards in penalties.

“We’ve got a lot of sophomore in skilled spots,” Roszell said. “They have to grow up. We don’t do a bad job up front but the ones behind them are fumbling the ball along with having misalignments. We run pass routes that need to sharpen up.

“They also need to get an understanding of what winning feels like.”

Riverdale started like it would dominate the game. The Raiders took their opening drive 62 yards in 14 pass in 6:43, capped by a 3-yard pass from Ulmer to Jaylin Cochran. Zachary Sanders (six carries, 80 yards) added the 2-point conversion for an 8-0 lead.

The Raiders converted two, fourth-down plays on the drive.

“We’re trying to be a physical football team,” Roszell said. “We challenged the kids in practice on that.”

The Raiders made it 15-0 in the second quarter when Malcolm Spencer scored from the 1.

While Riverdale kept making mistakes, East Lee (1-2) made the homecoming crowd nervous with two touchdowns 39 seconds apart in the fourth quarter.

After Lothario Adderly (16 carries, 149 yards) had a 2-yard touchdown run, Cortavius Lee (seven carries, 67 yards) followed with a 38-yard run with 4:18 left.

Brayden Rooks (fumble recovery, interception) and Hunter Locke (two fumble recoveries) led the Raiders’ defensive attack.

“We had to fight hard to protect that win,” Locke said.

EL 0 0 0 12 – 12

R 8 7 0 7 – 22

R: Daniel Ulmer 3 pass to Jaylin Cochran (Zachary Sanders run)

R: Malcolm Spencer 1 run (Jean Pierre D’Alessandro kick)

EL: Lothario Adderly 2 run (run failed)

EL: Cortavius Lee 38 run (run failed)

R: Ulmer 27 run (D’Alessandro kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

East Lee rushing: Lothario Adderly, 16-149 yards, Cortavius Lee, 7-67,

Dallas Campbell 4-33, Darien Staco 1-2, Steve Luders 1-0.

Riverdale rushing: Sanders 6-80, Andres Bartley 9-76, Spencer 10-38, Daniel Ulmer 11-38, Tyronne Campbell 1-26, Keichard Green 1-4, Roy Jarian Williams 1-0.

East Lee passing: Campbell 4-12-1-minus 10. Lee 0-1-0-0.

Riverdale passing: Ulmer 6-9-0-57.

East Lee receiving: Lee 2-minus 1, Staco 1-minus 5, Luders 1-minus 4.

Riverdale receiving: Jaylin Cochran 3-40, Deishan Lane 2-4, Roy Alexander 1-13.

Fort Myers High School’s Bensley Bornelus makes an acrobatic catchover Wolfpack defender Riley Ware IV Friday evening.

Having been on the South Fort Myers coaching staff five years, interim head coach Matthew Holderfield can’t remember the last time the Wolfpack made a kick beyond 25 yards. In fact, he most recalls the team’s struggles on extra points over the years.

So what was he thinking sending Daniel Diaz, a first-year kicker with no success on his kicking resume, out there with 2 minutes to play down by one point to rival Fort Myers?

“Sometimes you just have to believe,” Holderfield said.

His faith paid off as Diaz booted a 36-yard field goal and South (4-0) continued its late-game heroics for a fourth straight week on Friday. This time the Wolfpack reeled in a big fish by Lee County standards, knocking off the Green Wave 18-16 at home.

Diaz, more known for his prowess on the soccer field, hadn’t attempted a field goal from that far out in a game.

“I was really scared. I was really nervous,” Diaz said.

The Fort Myers High School Green Wave traveled to South Fort Myers High School Friday, September 16, for a prime-time match-up against the Wolfpack. The final score was Fort Myers 16, South Fort Myers 18.

South was able to put him in position for the game-winner on the strength of its defense and a pass interference penalty that went in its favor.

The Wolfpack held steady against Fort Myers’ run game at midfield and were the beneficiaries of a miscommunication on a punt attempt that gave them great field position at the Green Wave 45.

Fort Myers safety Dawson Degroot was called for pass interference on a third-and-6. And South running back E’Quan Dorris, who carried 15 times for 52 yards after missing most of last week with tightness in his hamstring, carried his team inside the Fort Myers 10 before a fumble and two incompletions stalled the drive with 2:10 left.

Holderfield sent Diaz out because he saw Diaz consistently making kicks from similar distances in practice.

“I’m proud of myself,” Diaz said. “It wasn’t easy, but I did it.”

Fort Myers played the entire second half without one of the state’s top runners. Senior Darrian Felix left the game after being taken down just before halftime with an arm injury.

Yet the Green Wave drove just beyond midfield with under 2 minutes to play. However, Yasias Young was stuffed on a third-and-1 and then Xavier Perez couldn’t gain a yard on fourth down to seal Fort Myers’ fate.

Dorris and Riley Ware carried for touchdowns on two of South’s first three drives to go up 15-7 in the second quarter.

Fort Myers’ Josias Jean nailed a 46-yard field goal to cut the deficit to five point s with 5:13 left in the first half.

Young put the Green Wave ahead with a touchdown with 8:41 left, capping a 18-play, 71-yard drive that ate up nearly 7 minutes.

SOUTH FORT MYERS 18, FORT MYERS 16

FM 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 — 16

SFM 8 | 7 | 0 | 3 — 18

First quarter

SFM – E’Quan Dorris 2 run (Jeshaun Jones run), 5:01

FM – Darrian Felix 11 run (Chris Heidt kick), 0:24

Second quarter

SFM – Riley Ware 2 run (Daniel Diaz kick), 7:16

FM – Josias Jean 46 field goal, 5:13

Fourth quarter

FM – Yasias Young 5 run (Pass failed), 8:41

SFM – Daniel Diaz 36 field goal, 2:10

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing – FM, Xavier Perez 15-41, Darrian Felix 9-38, Milan Tucker 7-28, Yasias Young 4-7, Ben Stobaugh 7-7; SFM, E’Quan Dorris 15-52, Riley Ware 7-25, Maurice Flournoy 8-22, Jeshaun Jones 1-3, Brandon Lews 1-3

Passing – FM, Stobaugh 10-18-0-0 78, Dawson Degroot 1-1-0-0 43, Felix 0-1-0-0 0; SFM, Flournoy 8-15-0-0 94.

Receiving – FM, Bensley Bornelus 5-67, Degroot 3-21, Jason Estler 1-14, Tucker 1-10, Pierre Chery 1-9; SFM, Jones 2-33, Lewis 2-32, Austin Smith 3-15, Dorris 1-14

Fort Myers High School’s Benjamin Stobough gets pulled down by a Wolfpack defender during a first half positive yardage run Friday avening.