SW Florida football 2024 previews: Canterbury, LaBelle, Gateway Charter, Oasis, Marco Island

The News-Press and Naples Daily News will get you ready for the coming high school football season. Here are team previews for the Collier and Lee County teams competing as FHSAA independents or in the Sunshine State Athletic Association (SSAA) in 2024.

SW Florida high school football: Your guide to the 2024 season in Lee, Collier and LaBelle

Canterbury

Coach: Vince Camarca (second season)

Last season: 4-6, made playoffs (won SSAA Class 2A Championship over Harvest Community)

Overview: The Cougars bounced back from a 1-6 start to close out the 2023 season strong, capped by a 44-0 win over Harvest Community in the SSAA 2A title game. Canterbury will look to carry that momentum into 2024, returning 11 starters from last year’s squad as well as 15 seniors. The team’s offense will also get a boost with the return of senior quarterback J.T. Huether, who sat out last season to focus on baseball. “I think we’re going to be able to throw the ball a lot more,” Camarca said. “We’re traditionally a very run-heavy team but I think we’re going to be a lot more balanced on offense this year.” Senior wide receiver AZ Levatte, 6-foot-2 junior wideout Judah Linn and senior tight end Kyle Scharlau will be among the key targets for Huether. On defense, the Cougars bring back their top two leading tacklers in senior linebackers Griffin Curran and Gavin Brady and have a talented newcomer on the defensive line in junior Anders Cristiaan. “He’s going to give offensive linemen a fit every week,” Camarca said of Cristiaan, who didn’t play football his first two years at Canterbury.

Season outlook: Canterbury boasts the largest roster since restarting its 11-man varsity program with 46 players which Camarca credits to the team’s senior corps. “They brought excitement to the hallways and they got some kids that traditionally didn’t play football that are now coming out to play with them.” This infusion of talent will keep the Cougars in the mix for another SSAA championship this season.

Schedule: Aug. 16 vs. Gateway Charter; Aug. 23 at LaBelle; Aug. 29 vs. SFCA; Sept. 5 vs. Miami Country Day; Sept. 13 at Marathon; Sept. 27 at Bishop McLaughlin; Oct. 3 at IMG Blue; Oct. 11 at Out-of-Door; Oct. 18 vs. Keswick Christian

High School Football Week 0: SW Florida game previews for Thursday and Friday

LaBelle

Coach: Maurice McClain (third season)

Last season: 6-4, no playoffs (played as FHSAA Independent in 2023)

Overview: With McClain at the helm, the Cowboys have increased their win total year-over-year. LaBelle is looking to continue that growth and will do so with first-year starter Zach Campbell taking over at quarterback in his sophomore season. Last year, the Cowboys ran the ball 272 times, with two seniors tallying 240 of those carries. This year it will be another sophomore alongside Campbell starting in the backfield is Marquay Bradshaw. Bradshaw mostly played defense and tight end as a freshman and earned an All-Area Honorable Mention nod, but is moving to running back following graduations from Isaac Santamaria (1,081 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns) and Darian Robinson (922 rushing yards and nine touchdowns). In addition to Campbell, Steaver Moore arrives as a quarterback transfer from Clewiston. At 6-foot-3, McClain says Moore has great pocket presence, is a dual-threat, and will likely see time at wide receiver as well. “It’s still a competition,” McClain said. “We got a chance to see Steaver this summer, and he looked good in 7-on-7s. Right now we’re going to roll with Zach, but it’s still a competition to see who’s going to get the keys to the bus. But Steaver’s a great kid, he came in saying he just wanted a chance to get on the field anywhere… We’re very blessed to have him on our side of the Hendry County line this year.”  The Cowboys have a deeper receiver core, and will likely not be as run-heavy this season with Elijah Woods, Arrie Davis Jr., and Moore all serving as targets with speed and height. All eyes are on the young offensive line, and how much time the Cowboys will have to attack the air. On defense, the Cowboys return just three starters from last year’s squad. Still, there are a good number of backups with varsity experience getting called up this year, namely Wyatt Milks, who will lead the linebacker core while also picking up some reps at running back.

Season outlook: The Cowboys may catch some opponents by surprise with the new-look offense in their year playing in the SSAA. "We can spread it around now, we're getting more formations," McClain said. "Especially with a lot of these kids, this is their second or third year in the offense." The biggest question mark is the defense, and if LaBelle can get the new starters in shape early in the year there's a good chance they can wreak havoc in the playoffs.

Schedule: Aug. 17 at Tradition Prep; Aug. 23 vs. Canterbury; Aug. 30 at Gateway Charter; Sept. 6 at St. John Neumann; Sept. 13 vs. Jordan Christian Prep; Sept. 19 at Glades Day; Sept. 27 vs. Avon Park; Oct. 4 at Palms Glades Prep; Oct. 11 vs. Discovery; Oct. 25 vs. Bell Creek

Gateway Charter

Coach: Ben Daley (seventh season)

Last year: 2-7, made playoffs (lost to Oxbridge Academy in SSAA Class 3A semifinal)

Overview: The Griffins suffered from a bit of a championship hangover in 2023, winning just two games and being shutout five times after winning the SSAA 4A State Championship in 2022. But the offense has Juan Ibarra back at quarterback and is poised to right the ship on offense in his second year as a starter. “Last year was his first year playing, you know,” Daley said. “But now he's really grasping the game and stepping up as a leader, being more vocal in the huddle, understanding the offense as a whole in order to rally his troops and conduct this whole offense.” Lehigh transfer Preston Garlin will be a prime target outside in his senior campaign.  Alongside Ibarra is last year’s leading rusher in Chance Reeves, who will balance out what Daley says will be a 50-50 offensive playstyle. On defense, the secondary grew exponentially both in the weight room and in the film room, and will be the cornerstone of the Griffin defense, led by Garlin. The linebackers have some depth as well, and Daley says there’s been a lot of competition in that group. With some key returners in the mix, Gateway Charter is focused on building their cohesion as a unit. “Last year was a good group, but they weren’t that connected,” Daley said. “And that resulted in a lot of mistakes. A couple of the guys that have stuck with me have seen that, so their whole goal was [building the communication], so they stay in their group chat and make sure everyone gets here every day over the summer so they can build that bond and transfer it onto the field.”

Season outlook: The Griffins have plenty of room for improvement from last year, but return most of last year's production on offense that can make it happen. With a revived locker room that's gotten stronger in the offseason, expect a positive departure from last year's record.

Schedule: Aug. 22 at Oasis; Aug. 30 at LaBelle; Sept. 6 vs. Mount Dora Christian; Sept. 13 at SFCA; Sept. 20 vs. St. John Neumann; Oct. 4 vs. Sarasota Christian; Oct. 11 at Marco Island; Oct. 18 at Marathon; Oct. 25 vs. Glades Day

Oasis

Coach: Brice Bearman (first season)

Last season: 6-4, made playoffs (lost to Saint Stephen's in SSAA Class 5A semifinal)

Overview: After leading the Sharks to their first winning season since 2018, Jason Grain left the Oasis in early June for the head coaching job at Braden River, and Oasis scrambled to fill the void left by his departure. They landed on Bearman, who has over 30 years of experience in youth sports, most recently as an assistant at Ida Baker. Parker Smith is back at the helm of the offense after posting 1,087 passing yards for 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in his junior campaign. Another key producer from last year’s squad returns in Frederick Harley Jr., who tallied 1,142 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 159 touches. Most of the receiving core is back as well along with a majority of last year’s coaching staff - so outside of the head coach, the Sharks maintain a high-level of carryover from last year’s squad. Last year’s leading tackler, Jonathan Perez, transferred out to Gateway Charter, and the next two leading tacklers both graduated. So while the offense is shored up, keep an eye on who steps into a key role on defense with so many departures.

Season outlook: The Sharks made noise in last year’s SSAA playoffs, falling short of an appearance in the title game after an overtime heartbreaker to St. Stephen’s Episcopal. With so much returning talent on offense, the Sharks will likely be within arm's reach of an SSAA title once again this year.

Schedule: Aug. 16 at Saint Stephen's; Aug. 22 vs. Gateway Charter; Sept. 6 vs. St. Petersburg Catholic; Sept. 13 at St. John Neumann; Sept. 20 vs. SFCA; Oct. 4 at Evangelical Christian; Oct. 11 vs. Santa Fe Catholic; Oct. 18 at Ida Baker

Marco Island

Coach: Lew Montgomery (fourth season)

Last season: 1-5, no playoffs (played as FHSAA Independent in 2023)

Overview: Montgomery has seen a second-straight year of roster growth this offseason, and enter the season with just under 40 players suiting up with around 20 players returning with varsity experience. It’s a pleasant change of pace for the Manta Rays, who just two years ago finished the season with less than 17 players. “Finally our numbers are something we can be proud of,” Montgomery said. “That’s something we’re hanging our hats on.” Gavin Wall is returning at quarterback and has a lot of built-in trust with the staff entering his senior year. Last year’s defensive leader Ryan Winterick is back in the secondary, and Keven Martinez will be foundational on both the offensive and defensive line in his sophomore year. With enough varsity experience returning and a widespread culture starting to take root, Montgomery says the focus has shifted this year and the schedule reflects it. “When you look at the other teams and who they’ve played, and more importantly their rosters we’re finally matching up,” Montgomery said. “... So we’re finally playing other teams that are in a similar boat as us, I feel really good about that. It’s not that the kids have a lack of ability, they’ve had a lack of experience. And so I think getting them around competition that is comparable is fair, and more importantly, where you can finally compete and love the game. I want to win, but more importantly, we need to compete. And the last few years, we weren’t always competitive.”

Season outlook: The Manta Rays broke a five-season winless streak last year, and bring back a solid amount of talent that helped the program notch their first win since 2018. For Montgomery and company, this season is about putting together the pieces while also making this year one to remember for his seniors that have stuck around for four years. “I think as far as the program is concerned, if we really are to find success it comes with retention,” Montgomery said. “If we can get the kids to buy in through the ups, which are easy, but definitely the downs that every team faces, we will be successful. And then it can carry on, and the ball really starts to roll year in, year out.”

Schedule: Aug. 30 vs. Jordan Christian Prep; Sept. 6 vs. Boca Christian; Sept. 14 at Central Florida Christian; Sept. 27 vs. St. Stephen's Episcopal; Oct. 5 at Miami Country Day; Oct. 11 vs. Gateway Charter

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: SW Florida football 2024 previews: Canterbury, LaBelle, Gateway Charter, Oasis, Marco Island