5 Takeaways from Week 4 of Southwest Florida High School Football

Fort Myers, Dunbar, Charlotte remain undefeated while Naples and Port Charlotte lose for the first time

Naples suffered its first loss of the season, a 23-3 setback to Plantation American Heritage, on Sept. 13, 2024. / Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Week 4 was one of the busiest weeks of the high school football season in Southwest Florida. With many local teams playing out-of-area opponents, there were 20 games Friday involving teams from Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.

Testing themselves against different opponents gave us a chance to find out more about some Southwest Florida squads. Here's what we learned in Week 4:

Naples is not elite, but the Eagles are still good

Naples faced its biggest test of the season so far when it hosted Plantation American Heritage, the No. 11 team in the latest SBLive Florida Top 25 rankings. The visiting Patriots (2-2) took care of business in a 23-3 victory, handing Naples (3-1) it's first loss of the season.

Naples failed to score a touchdown for the first time since 2020 in a home loss to American Heritage on Sept. 13, 2024. / Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was the first time in nearly four years that Naples failed to score a touchdown -- since Week 1 of 2020. It was just the Golden Eagles' sixth regular-season loss in the past five years. But it wasn't all bad.

While the offense struggled, it still moved the ball at times against an American Heritage defense stacked with Division I talent. Naples drove into the redzone three times, but came away with just one field goal.

The Golden Eagles' defense proved it's legit. American Heritage hung 45 points on No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna (in a loss) last week, but managed just three touchdowns at Naples. And two of those TDs came after the Patriots started in Naples territory thanks to bad punts.

Naples defensive backs also intercepted Patriots QB Dia Bell, who is committed to Texas, three times.

Six unbeatens remain, including a few surprises

Nine undefeated teams entered Week 4 in Southwest Florida. That list was whittled down to six after losses by Naples, Port Charlotte and Oasis. Two of those (Naples and Port Charlotte) lost to teams ranked in the SBLive Top 25 statewide poll.

Fort Myers (4-0) remains undefeated following a 33-7 win over South Fort Myers in Week 4. / Ricardo Rolon/The News-Press USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA via Imagn Content Services, LLC

It would be easy to guess traditional powers Fort Myers (4-0) and Dunbar (3-0) would be unbeaten at this point, but the other four might surprise you. East Lee County (4-0), Riverdale (4-0), Southwest Florida Christian Academy (4-0) and Charlotte (3-0) are all upstart programs making names for themselves this season.

East Lee went 5-5 last season but was 0-9 in 2022. The Jaguars barely made it to 4-0 after squeaking by Cypress Lake, 37-36, on Friday. Riverdale was 2-7 last year but has turned it around behind a promising run game. SFCA was thought to be rebuilding after losing its head coach and 2,000-yard passer in the offseason, yet the King's have yet to lose.

As for the fourth undefeated team in the area.....

A special season is brewing in Charlotte County

Two Charlotte County teams have been impressive this season. And that includes Port Charlotte which suffered its first loss on Friday.

The Charlotte High football team is 3-0 and off to its best start in four years. / Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK

However, the Pirates' loss came to statewide juggernaut Venice (4-0), ranked No. 7 in Florida. Despite falling behind 13-0 in the first three minutes, Port Charlotte never went away and battled to a one-possession loss, 49-41.

The Pirates (3-1) trailed 49-25 to start the fourth but scored three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes to give Venice a scare. Port Charlotte has scored 208 points in just four games this season.

Across the county, Charlotte High is working to return to its glory days as one of the winningest programs in the state. The Tarpons beat North Miami Beach to get to 3-0 for the first time since 2020, which is also the last time they had a winning record in the regular season.

Teams starting to find their grooves

A roughly one-third of the way through the season, several Southwest Florida teams are starting to find themselves on offense.

Estero averaged just 16 points per game in the first three weeks. On Friday, the Wildcats broke out with a 53-20 win over Baker. It's the most points Estero (2-2) has scored in at least a decade.

Estero scored its most single-game points in at least a decade in a 53-20 win over Ida Baker on Sept. 13, 2024. / Ricardo Rolon / USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA / USA TODAY NETWORK

Usual playoff contender North Fort Myers had fans worried after scoring 14 total points in its first two games. However, the Red Knights seem back to normal after a 41-13 win over Lehigh. With their starting QB Cadeon Conn back from injury, the Knights (3-1) have dropped 75 points the past two weeks.

Barron Collier entered the week 0-3 and having lost QB Niko Boyce, a 2,000-yard passer last year, for the season. After a total of 58 points in those three losses, the Cougars broke out with a 42-28 win over Community School.

Cape Coral (2-1) scored seven points in its season-opener. The Seahawks beat Island Coast 41-14 on Friday and have now won two in a row by scoring a total of 77 points.

Offenses provide fireworks all over the area

It was a night of big plays all over Southwest Florida. There were 14 touchdown plays of 60 yards or longer in Week 4, including six scoring plays of 80 yards or more.

Here are some of the highlights:

Bishop Verot quarterback Carter Smith finished with 249 yards passing in a win over Calvary Christian, including a 95-yard strike to Marquan Young. / Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

- Marquan Young caught a 95-yard TD pass from Michigan recruit Carter Smith in Bishop Verot's 43-13 win over Calvary Christian.

- Ida Baker's Reed Verblaauw ran for a 73-yard score and caught an 80-yard touchdown in a 53-20 loss to Estero.

- An 85-yard scoring run by Carson Lloyd in the fourth quarter sealed St. John Neumann's 29-16 win over previously-undefeated Oasis

- And the craziest stat of the night: Southwest Florida Christian Academy scored 51 points in the first half against Gateway Charter despite just four offensive possessions. The King's had an 89-yard kickoff return touchdowns and returned interceptions 72 and 63 yards for scores.