The North Port and Charlotte High football teams haven’t played each other in 10 years, but that drought comes to an end at 7:30 tonight at Smuggler’s Stadium in Punta Gorda.
Fresh off the first winning season in school history, the Bobcats have had this game circled on their schedule all offseason and are itching to turn it into a regular rivalry.
“I’m really excited for Charlotte,” Bobcats junior running back Peter Kalphat said on July 29, the first day of fall practice. “It will show us where we’re at skill-wise. I can’t wait for that game.”
The Bobcats and Tarpons used to play each other every year, but it would be a stretch to call it a rivalry as it stands now.
Though North Port did win once, 29-27, in 2005, Charlotte followed that up with nine straight years of mostly lopsided victories until the series came to a stop.
Each of the team’s head coaches, Charlotte’s Cory Mentzer and North Port’s Garon Belser, played in the series — crossing paths in 2008-09 — and both felt it had been too long since the teams last played.
“I love the tradition aspect of Charlotte High, and one thing that Binky (Waldrop) built the program on was playing everyone local,” said Mentzer, now in his third year as the Tarpons’ coach. “We played DeSoto, Lemon Bay, Port Charlotte, North Port. I don’t know where that disconnect occurred, but in the past few years, we weren’t able to play (those teams) and we had to travel further for games.
“So with the new districting, that was one of my pushes to schedule these local teams again and bring back some of these old rivalries.”
One could argue that simply adding Charlotte back onto the schedule is a win for North Port, but Belser knows his team has the onus of turning this into a matchup that’s worth playing each year.
“I want it to be a rivalry, but we have to win more consistently against them for it to be considered a rivalry,” he said. “I think our kids are going to go out there, and regardless of the result, give them absolute hell.”
The Bobcats are out to an up-and-down start so far, beating Moore Haven, 14-12, in their Kickoff Classic game before falling, 24-3, to Parrish Community in Week 1.
North Port’s defense has shined so far, even despite the loss — giving up just two touchdowns through its first two games.
The Bobcats are led defensively by junior safety Kadyn Palmer along with senior linebackers Isaac Smith and Isaac Platt.
Offensively, Kalphat leads the rushing attack while sophomore wideout Lee Camel (three receptions for 48 yards in Week 1) has brought a spark to the passing game.
But the Bobcats will have to score more than the three points they put up against Parrish if they want to beat the Tarpons. And that might be a challenge against this Charlotte defense.
The Tarpons have allowed just 12 points through their two wins — a 20-6 Kickoff Classic win over Lemon Bay and a 27-6 win over Gulf Coast in Week 1.
Last week alone, Charlotte recorded eight tackles for loss with three interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries. Junior defensive end Trenton Curliss (nine tackles, three for loss, two fumble recoveries) led the charge up front while defensive backs Connor Crouse, Luke Wadsworth and Seven Bullock came up with the interceptions.
Despite the decisive win, Charlotte struggled to run the ball — amassing just 66 yards on 34 carries (1.9 yards per rush) — leading one to believe this could turn into a defensive battle that’s anyone’s game.
“They’re on the up-and-up and they wanted to play better teams and challenge themselves more,” Mentzer said of North Port. “I love it. Let’s bring back the old rivalry, if it even is a rivalry.”
These are the other area games on tap for tonight:
BABCOCK (0-2)
Who: at Foundation Christian Academy (1-0)
When: 6 p.m.
Babcock took a step back in its second game as it lost, 38-0, to Master’s Academy of Vero Beach a week after giving Cornerstone Academy a close game in a 34-24 loss.
It might not get much easier for the Trailblazers this week.
Foundation Christian opened its season with a 39-6 win over Eastland Christian — a team that went 7-4 last season — before taking last week off.
But there is some room for optimism for Babcock.
Foundation Christian went just 2-10 last season and several of its contributors in Week 1 were middle schoolers, freshmen and sophomores, which evens the playing field a bit for the Trailblazers when it comes to varsity football experience.
DESOTO COUNTY (0-1)
Who: Avon Park (0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m.
The Cliff Lohrey era has opened with nearly identical results to the Jeff Lee era at DeSoto County High School.
The Bulldogs scored just 35 points last season as it went 0-10 last year, and they’ve opened this season with two shutout losses — a 30-0 loss to Lakewood Ranch in the Kickoff Classic and a 27-0 loss to Okeechobee in Week 1.
But this could be a get-right spot for the Bulldogs as Avon Park hasn’t fared much better lately.
The Red Devils finished last season with a 1-9 record and also haven’t scored to start this season. They lost, 65-0, to Lake Howell in their Kickoff Classic before falling, 39-0, to Mulberry in Week 1.
One of these teams will score their first points of the season tonight in Arcadia.
LEMON BAY (0-1)
Who: Cape Coral (0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m.
The Manta Ray and Seahawks have an awful lot in common heading into their Week 2 matchup.
Both teams are looking to establish their offensive identity under new head coaches, and both have faced their share of early-season struggles.
Lemon Bay replaced seven-year coach Don Southwell and the rest of its coaching staff this past offseason with Jason Mensing, and the early results — a 20-6 Kickoff Classic loss to Charlotte and 42-18 Week 1 loss to Lakewood Ranch — leave plenty of room for improvement.
But the Seahawks haven’t had nearly as much time to adjust to their new regime.
Cape Coral named its new head coach — former Florida and Boston College quarterback Tyler Murphy — just two weeks ago. Murphy replaced Isaac Harvin, who resigned from his position on Aug. 12 following a suspension this past spring by the Lee County School District.
Murphy joined the Seahawks staff as the offensive coordinator back in January, so he’s not completely brand-new, but there’s clearly still work to be done.
The Seahawks opened their season with a promising 34-7 Kickoff Classic win over second-year program Aubrey Rogers, but were held scoreless in a 7-0 Week 1 loss to North Fort Myers last Friday.
Whoever comes out on top will have a big leg up in turning around their season.
PORT CHARLOTTE (1-0)
Who: at North Fort Myers (1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m.
The Pirates have left little room for critique two weeks into this season. They followed up an impressive 37-12 Kickoff Classic win over Riverview with a 50-6 domination of Island Coast in Week 1 — a pair of running-clock victories.
North Fort Myers might have trouble keeping up this week.
The Red Knights managed just one touchdown in a 7-0, Week 1 win over Cape Coral as starting quarterback Caedon Conn exited with a knee injury.
Though North Fort Myers did post 222 rushing yards on 46 attempts, it might not find the same success against a Pirates defensive line featuring four-star defensive tackle Myron Charles (6-5, 275 pounds) and fellow lineman King Justice (6-2, 285 pounds).
VENICE (1-0)
Who: Miami Northwestern (1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m.
One of the best high school football games in Florida this week will take place at Powell-Davis Stadium on the island of Venice.
The Indians have scored 97 points through two wins so far, beating Gadsden County and Tampa Bay Tech — two quality programs — with their trademark up-tempo offense featuring plenty of playmakers.
That will be put to the test against Miami Northwestern, led by new head coach (and former NFL QB) Teddy Bridgewater.
It could be argued that Bridgewater’s Bulls are off to an even better start than Venice.
Miami Northwestern has coasted to its two wins, 42-7 over Miami Palmetto in the Kickoff Classic and 45-0 over Coconut Creek in Week 1.
The Bulls feature a dynamic passing attack led by five-star receiver Calvin Russell and three-star receiver Darius Johnson, who have combined for 12 receptions for 269 yards and five touchdowns through the team’s two wins.
But Venice isn’t shy on firepower, either.
Three-star running back Jamarice Wilder piled up 145 rushing yards and three touchdowns in last week’s shootout win while four-star receiver Winston Watkins Jr. added 10 receptions for 157 yards and three touchdowns as well.
No matter who wins, points should be in no short supply in this matchup.
Local News
Comments / 0