Prep football: North Fort Myers surges late to beat Naples

North Fort Myers and its retooled offense brought the Naples High School football team down to earth in Friday’s preseason game.

With talented returners and several Division I recruits, Naples expects big things this season. Those high hopes might be tempered heading into Week 1 following a 33-16 loss to North Fort Myers in the preseason.

The Red Knights wore down Naples with their running back tandem of Fa’Najae Gotay and Terry Lindsey. New quarterback Toby Noland, a transfer from Ida Baker, looked sharp in leading North Fort Myers through the Eagles’ defense.

Naples scored touchdowns on its first two drives, but the Knight controlled the game from there. The Eagles’ only points the rest of the way was a safety in which North’s punter threw a bad snap through the end zone to avoid giving up a defensive touchdown.

More:Prep Football 2017: Preseason games carry extra weight this year

More:The Big 15: Naples junior RB Chez Mellusi plays beyond his years

More:Prep Football: Naples DB Sammy Faustin commits to Michigan

Gotay was the Fort Myers News-Press Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 after 160 tackles as a linebacker. However, the Division I recruit is expected to shoulder the rushing load for the Knights offense this season.

Gotay finished with 120 rushing yards Friday while recovering a fumble on defense. However, the surprise was Lindsey, a junior who ran for 148 yards and touchdowns of 55 and 38 yards.

“We have the best running back group in these three counties,” North Fort Myers coach Earnest Graham said. “I know we do. I’m not exaggerating when I say that. Terry is a phenomenal running back and the sky’s the limit.”

After touchdown drives of 80 and 61 yards on its first two possessions, Naples’ offense didn’t score again. The Eagles finished with 228 yards, but just 103 of them in the final three quarters.

“We looked tired,” Naples coach Bill Kramer said.

When asked why, the 20-year Eagles coach said, “There’s a lot going on.”

It was a trying week at Naples leading up to the preseason game.

On Monday, assistant coach Brock Smith, also a teacher at the school, was arrested on suspicion of engaging in sexual relations with a minor. On Tuesday, a funeral was held for a former player, the second recently-graduated Golden Eagle to die in recent months.

Naples has back half of its starters from the team that went 9-2 and won its seventh straight district title last year. That includes quarterback Jordan Persad-Tirone, leading receiver Wooby Theork and a talented junior running back in Chez Mellusi.

Persad-Tirone led Naples’ early touchdown drives before rotating with fellow senior Kyle Kee at quarterback. Persad-Tirone was 5 of 9 passing for 34 yards and a touchdown, while Kee was 7 of 11 for 48 yards.

For North Fort Myers, Noland completed 7 of 12 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a 19-yard score.

NORTH FORT MYERS 33, NAPLES 16

NFM    6          7          20        0          –          33

N         14        2          0          0          –          16

SCORING

First quarter

N – Wooby Theork 4 pass from Jordan Persad-Tirone (Hugh Wilkinson kick), 4:54

NFM – Joe Wilkins 13 pass from Toby Noland (kick blocked), 3:30

N – Chez Mellusi 34 run (Wilkinson kick), 0:27

Second quarter

NFM – Terry Lindsey 55 run (Ethan Bennett kick), 5:08

N – Safety, fumble out back of end zone, 1:02

Third quarter

NFM – Jaheed Marcus 30 pass from Noland (kick failed), 6:32

NFM – Lindsey 38 run (Bennett kick), 4:07

NFM – Noland 19 run (Bennett kick), 3:06