5 Takeaways from Week 3 of Southwest Florida High School Football

Bishop Verot and Venice put on a show for the ages, while Naples and Port Charlotte continue to look dominant

Dwyer Camron (44) of Bishop Verot reacts after a sack of the quarterback during a game against Venice on Friday, Sept. 6. Venice won the offensive slugfest 71-56. / Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

It was a weird and wild Week 3 in Southwest Florida high school football, with weather delays leading to slow starts then fantastic finishes.

Here are the top takeaways from a drama-filled Week 3 of the regular season in Southwest Florida:

Bishop Verot and Venice are both title contenders

The Vikings and the Indians put on a show for the ages at Bishop Verot. This Top 25 clash included 18 touchdowns in a 48-minute game. That’s a touchdown every 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

Venice beat Bishop Verot 71-56 in Week 3 in a showdown of Top 25 teams that included 18 touchdowns. / Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Venice, ranked No. 7 in SBLive’s state poll, outlasted Bishop Verot 71-56. While the Indians looked like the juggernauts they are, Bishop Verot never backed down. The Vikings, No. 22 in the state poll, never led but always answered – the game featured seven ties.

It was 42-42 at the end of the third quarter and 56-56 with three minutes left. Bishop Verot failed to convert on fourth down with 2:30 left and Venice scored two more times to win.

Slow starts make for fast finishes

Several teams had wins that looked easy on the final scoreboard but were in doubt early.

Rain and lightning throughout the area led to delays Friday. Most games didn’t start until after 8 p.m., and teams looked sluggish to start. However, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers and Dunbar all found their flow after a quarter to earn blowout victories.

Madrid Tucker (left) caught four pass for four touchdowns in a 55-28 route of rival Cypress Lake on Sept. 6, 2024. / Chris Tilley / USA TODAY NETWORK

Fort Myers was down 7-0 to rival Cypress Lake at the end of the first quarter. Then the Green Wave put up 35 straight points in the second to coast to a 55-28 win. In his third game since transferring to Fort Myers, QB Dom Ardezzone threw for 389 yards and five touchdowns. Madrid Tucker caught four of those TDs.

North Fort Myers led just 2-0 in the second quarter against Mariner. Up to that point the Red Knights had scored just 16 points in nine quarters this season. However, North went on to rush for 250 yards in a 34-7 win.

Dunbar was up 7-6 against Island Coast in the second quarter before winning 36-6.

Port Charlotte continues to dominate

Port Charlotte is proving to be unstoppable on both sides of the ball this season. The Pirates went in to Lehigh and walked out with the program’s most dominant victory ever. Their 65-0 win marked a team record for biggest margin of victory.

Lehigh lost 65-0 to Port Charlotte on Sept. 6 to fall to 0-3 this season. / Kat Edwards/Special to The News-Press / USA TODAY NETWORK

Port Charlotte is now 3-0 having won those games by a combined score of 166-13. The Pirates won’t have such an easy time next week, but they should put up points – Port Charlotte hosts Venice, the No. 8 team in the state that just gave up 630 yards in a 71-56 win over Bishop Verot.

On Friday at Lehigh, the Pirates scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions and led 52-0 at halftime. Ike Perry rushed for three touchdowns, while quarterback Logan Flaherty threw for two scores.

The Sharks and Trojans put on a show

The game of the night came from two teams with playoff aspirations who are trying to find their footing early this season.

Gulf Coast earned its first win of the season with a roaring 50-46 come-from-behind victory over Lely. The Sharks trailed 20-0 in the first quarter and were down 32-13 at halftime. But, they ripped off 30 straight points in the third quarter to regain the lead.

Gulf Coast erased a 20-point deficit in a 50-46 win over Lely on Sept. 6, 2024. / Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lely then scored back-to-back touchdowns to regain the lead in the third quarter, making it 44 combined points in the period for the two teams. However, the only scoring of the fourth quarter was Gulf Coast QB Jace Seyler’s touchdown run with 6:19 left that gave the Sharks the lead for good.

Trojans’ sophomore running back Nino Joseph continues to impress. In three games this year Joseph has more than 600 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns for Lely.

A night for big blowouts in Southwest Florida

There weren’t a lot of close games in Southwest Florida this week. Eleven area teams won their games by three touchdowns or more.

Four teams won by at least 45 points. In addition to Port Charlotte’s 65-0 thumping of Lehigh, Naples beat Immokalee 47-0, Riverdale also won 47-0 over Gateway, and First Baptist Academy earned a 45-0 victory over Orlando Christian Prep.

Riverdale remained undefeated this season (3-0) with a 47-0 win over Gateway on Sept. 6, 2024. / Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK