High school football notebook: First day of spring practice, April 23, 2018

Notes on area high school football teams on the first day of spring practice Monday: 

BARRON COLLIER

Coach Mark Jackson was extremely pleased with how things went on the first day of practice, with 85 kids out for the team. When you factor the eighth-graders who will enter the program next year, the total number in the program should be well over 120 kids.

"It's good to get back at it a litlte bit," Jackson said. "We've done well in the weight room. The kids have worked really hard in the offseason and we look forward to seeing some really good position battles here in the spring and the summer."

One of those battles will be at the quarterback spot, where last year's backup Sean Means will be challenged by Jason Grimes and Jayden Rolle, the Cougars' stud athlete who is also taking reps at the quarterback spot this spring. Means is a pitcher on the Cougars' baseball team, so he won't join the fray until his season is over.

"Jayden brings another dimension with his athleticism, but he's also a smart, heady kid," Jackson said. "It's going to be interesting to see how that one plays out. All three are nice options to have."

-- Andrew Sodergren

COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Spring practice is a bit different from other programs for the Seahawks.

Community School typically doesn’t play a spring game (they won’t this year). The start of practice, then, becomes the start of one long push through May, into the summer and then the fall.

“We put a major emphasis on the weight room and the fundamental disciplines on the field during the spring,” Seahawks coach Paul Selvidio said. “We aren’t distracted by a single preseason spring game, so we are able to seamlessly blend our spring and summer schedules.”

Selvidio, also Community School’s chief financial officer, enters his fifth season as the team’s head coach. The coach said about 35 players worked out Monday for the Seahawks, who went 5-2 but missed the playoffs last season.

-- Adam Fisher

More:High school football: Barron Collier's return to Disney highlights 2018 schedules

ESTERO

Brad Vocjak’s first spring practice as head coach of the Wildcats went well.

Vocjak, who guided the team on an interim basis for more than half the season last year after former coach Jeff Hanlon was suspended by the school district, had that interim tag removed in the offseason. The former offensive coordinator says he’s embracing the challenge of leading every facet of the team now.

“Bringing everybody together – offense, defense, special teams, that’s going to be my focus,” he said. “We’re looking to continue building this program, and it’s going to be a fun challenge. There’s already a strong foundation in place. We’ve got tough, physical, hard-nosed kids. We want to be a team that is known for how hard we work, how hard we compete, and if we do that every week, winning the scoreboard will take care of itself.”

-- Andrew Sodergren

FIRST BAPTIST ACADEMY

The Lions are looking for the next man up. 

“There’s a lot of excitement,” coach Billy Sparacio said. “They’ve been putting in the work in the weight room since last season ended. Now it’s time to just have a good and healthy spring.”

“They don’t need to be anyone else but who they are,” Sparacio said. “We want to see that they’re putting their absolute best effort in everything they do. We’ve got some guys that are seniors that we’re excited about, got some kids that are going to be sophomore, and everything in between.” 

-- Kelli Krebs

GOLDEN GATE

The Titans started spring practice Monday fully embracing the big expectations they have for the fall.

Golden Gate has the biggest senior class it’s had in eight seasons under Mike DiGrigoli. A handful of those seniors are three-year starters who were thrust into impact roles as sophomores in 2016.

One of the three-year starters is running back Jouvensly Bazile. With his speed and athleticism – he recently won district championships in the 100- and 200-meter dashes – Bazile has six Division I scholarship offers, including Nebraska and North Carolina.

“Our overall theme beginning this offseason is reaching our full potential,” DiGrigoli said. “As far as success athletically, this is the top class we’ve had in some time. The expectations are higher.”

The coach said his team will return about 15 starters from last year’s 3-6 team.

-- Adam Fisher

GULF COAST

Gulf Coast will play at Sarasota on May 24, but since their game is a week later than everyone else’s, they’ll have to wait until Wednesday to start their spring practices.

The Sharks welcomed Scalise into his promotion to head coach after serving as the program’s wide receivers coach for the past three years.

 “To have the transition as smooth as it has been, has been something that I couldn’t even ask for anymore,” Scalise said. “With the kids, it’s been great, and with the parents and the community it’s been spectacular.”

-- Kelli Krebs

More:Prep Football: Gulf Coast promotes assistant Scalise to head coach

IMMOKALEE

Although the Indians are graduating numerous key players from last year’s state semifinalist team, rising junior quarterback R.J. Rosales is still excited about this year’s team and the upcoming season.

“We’ve got a real gritty group of guys,” Rosales said. “We want to show that what we have wasn’t just temporary and we’re ready to show what we’re really about.”

The Indians are currently without a spring game after original opponent Braden River was hit by FHSAA sanctions last week, causing them to lose the contest with the Indians. Rosales says the Indians are working as if they were still playing that game. Immokalee is working feverishly to secure an opponent, and coach Rodelin Anthony was confident the Indians would be able to do so, even if it means participating in a jamboree somewhere.

“Separation is in the preparation,” he said. “We always treat the spring game like it’s a regular-season game, and in order for us to get back to state, we have to treat it like a regular-season game.”

-- Andrew Sodergren

LELY

In their first year under head coach Fritz Jacques, Lely finished 2-7 in a season riddled by injuries and a game missed due to Hurricane Irma.

With his first season under his belt, Jacques is eager to get back to work in the spring and improve in his second year with the Trojans.

“I’m excited for the spring because the kids have been committed to our offseason program,” Jacques said. “They clock in every day in the weight room. I’m very proud of them for trusting the process.”

Heading into spring practices, Jacques and his team have one goal before welcoming North Fort Myers on May 18.

“The biggest thing for us this spring is to do a common thing in an uncommon way every day on the field, or in the classroom,” Jacques said.

-- Miguel Rodriguez

MARCO ISLAND ACADEMY

The Manta Rays did not start practice Monday. When they do, they’ll do so without a head coach.

Damon Coiro left the program in the offseason after going 5-13 in two seasons as the Rays’ head coach. He also was the school’s athletic director. Coiro and his family moved out of state for his wife’s new job.

The school has not hired a new coach yet. Jerry Miller, listed as a science teacher on the MIA website, is the acting athletic director. In the fall the Rays will have their fourth coach in the program’s seven seasons.

The Rays won’t practice this week because of baseball season. Many football players at MIA, a school of 222 students, also play baseball and would not be able to practice. Miller said the football team will start practice once baseball season ends. The district tournament is next week.

-- Adam Fisher

NAPLES

Last season, Jordan Persad-Tirone and Wooby Theork highlighted a strong senior class that led the Golden Eagles back to the Class 6A state semifinals for the first time since 2015.

Despite losing key contributors, Naples comes into spring practices with many familiar faces from last year’s run.

“We return eight on offense and seven on defense,” Naples coach Bill Kramer said. “We expect those guys to raise the level of play for everyone this spring and heading into the fall.”

One of those returning players from last year’s run is Clemson commit Chez Mellusi.

Mellusi established himself as a leader on offense last year for the Eagles, finishing with 1505 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Mellusi wants to carry his leadership role into the last leg of his high school career.

“The main thing is making sure that everyone is all in,” Mellusi said. “This team will be great.”

-- Miguel Rodriguez

PALMETTO RIDGE

Jacquez Carter and DeMarcus Townsend were the talk of the town when it came to Palmetto Ridge football last season.

Despite Townsend missing most of the season due to an ACL injury, Carter put together strong numbers in his lone season with the Bears.

With Carter and Townsend’s playing careers continuing at UMass and FIU, respectively, the Bears have some big shoes to fill.

Led by rising sophomore Kamonte Grimes, don’t be surprised if the new-look Bears are highlighted by underclassmen.

“Our freshman team went undefeated last year and a lot of those players or going to be pushing for varsity spots,” Palmetto Ridge coach Chris Toukonen said. “As of right now, we have 11 open spots on offense and 11 open spots on defense.”

The Bears will hit the road to take on Charlotte in their spring game on May 16.

“This is by far the most talented team since I’ve been at Palmetto Ridge,” Toukonen said. “It’s going to be an exciting year.”

-- Miguel Rodriguez

ST. JOHN NEUMANN 

With track heading into the regional meet and baseball still in full swing, the Celtics will use the spring season to get as many reps as possible with a skeleton crew.

They’ll get to do that in the Celtics’ jamboree spring game on May 16. What originally started as a spring game between Bishop Verot and St. John Neumann, turned into a three-way scrimmage with the addition of Island Coast.   

“It’ll help us just because I’m going to have so many kids coming out late, that being in shape and playing four quarters is going to be tough,” Jones said. “It should be interesting, Island Coast is 6A and Verot is 4A, so they get to go at it against some big boys.”

-- Kelli Krebs

SOUTH FORT MYERS

With the Wolfpack entering Year 2 of the Brian Conn era, things are going much more smoothly in practice than a year ago.

“Anytime there’s a change in the coaching staff, there’s going to be that period of getting acclimated to the expectations, acclimated to how the practices are going to be run,” Conn said. “I thought things went very smoothly today. The kids know what’s expected of them and they’re ready to work.”

The Wolfpack will have a youngster leading the offense in the fall, with rising sophomores Damian Bloomer and Raheem Gibson battling for the starting quarterback spot.

“They’re each dual-threat guys. They can make things happen with their feet and their arm,” Conn said. “Since they’re so young, we may be limited early on, but the talent is definitely there.”

-- Andrew Sodergren