The News-Press and Naples Daily News will get you ready for the 2026 high school football season. Here are previews for the teams competing in District 4A-11.
This district includes Dunbar, Fort Myers, South Fort Myers and Mariner, renewing several district rivalries. Port Charlotte is the reigning champ in a district that featured Dunbar and South Fort Myers a year ago.
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Dunbar, Port Charlotte and South Fort Myers all made the playoffs last season and are poised to compete for the top spot in the district, while Fort Myers and Mariner can both pose a threat as well.
Dunbar
Coach: Sammy Brown (11th season)
Last year: 7-4, made playoffs (lost to Port Charlotte in the regional quarterfinals)
Overview: The Tigers fell short of their standards last season after going 0-3 in their district. The team still reached the playoffs, and young players on the roster got valuable playing time. “It wasn’t a bad year, but it wasn’t the year that we expected,” head coach Sammy Brown said. Brown said he believed the strength of the team will be their no-quit attitude and overall culture. Dunbar added former Lely offensive coordinator Tim Thornton to the staff to help run the offense. “He’s been a great addition to what we’ve built,” Brown said. Team speed will be a problem for the Tigers’ opponents this season. Senior receiver Andre Moss led the team with 815 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, while sophomore Tihiem Hutchins is a prospect on the rise. Fred Jackson comes over from Fort Myers after posting 37 receptions for 605 yards and seven touchdowns last year. Senior Brandon Seabrook (1,848 passing yards, 20 TDs, 6 INTs) will look to take the next step in his second season as a starter, and senior running back Eddie Gore will provide balance for the offense. On defense, the Tigers will benefit from returning players like Cloudy Dorjuste at linebacker and defensive linemen Sandler Pierre and Dylan Ingham, and some younger players like Isiah Eloi and Jacorey Tims could also make an impact.
Defenses are going to have a hard time dealing with the arsenal of threats in the Dunbar offense. Moss is an Albany commit, Jackson is heading to Jacksonville State and Hutchins is pulling in Power Four offers as a sophomore. Seabrook’s improved comfort level in the offense will be key. With a more experienced defense, this Dunbar team might be a significant problem and might not just be battling South Fort Myers for the top spot in the district, but the Tigers have the potential to be the best team in Southwest Florida given their personnel and established coaching staff.
Fort Myers
Coach: Joey Mendes (first season
Last year: 3-7, missed playoffs
Overview: For the first time in nearly 60 years, a Sirianni will not be at the helm of the Green Wave. Former Cypress Lake coach and Fort Myers alumni Joey Mendes was hired in January to replace the retiring Sam Sirianni Jr. Mendes led the Panthers to a 23-30 record, including back-to-back district titles the last two seasons. “Everyone’s been really supportive with the administration and Sammy still having conversations with me, so it’s been great,” Mendes said. “I can’t complain.” Several Cypress players followed Mendes to Fort Myers, including safety Kamarien McKay, who led the Panthers with 109 tackles in eight games last season. McKay will help stabilize the back end of the Fort Myers defense. Mendes’ son, Anthony Mendes, will play quarterback, and Nolan McKinnon is another key Cypress Lake transfer at the receiver position. Mendes expects the team to be deep at the skill positions with players like sophomore running back Undrially Ivy and sophomore receiver Chris Campion.
Last season was an uncharacteristic down year for the Greenies with a 3-7 record and the team also had key players graduating or transferring out. As a result, Mendes can’t be expected to turn the program around in one season. However, the Greenies should be plenty competitive given Mendes’ track record at Cypress Lake.
Mariner
Coach: Doug Faase (first season)
Last year: 3-7, missed playoffs
Overview: Interim coach Doug Faase took over this team unexpectedly after the school district removed six coaches, including head coach Tyran Jones, due to improper supervision during a team lock-in at the school earlier this month. Despite the tumult, the Tritons return plenty of talent, particularly on defense. That includes linebackers Dustin Allmon and Frank Igess as well as two-way defensive backs Jamarion Corbett and Tondrick Mack. The offense will also feature quarterback Christopher Parada getting his first opportunity to start and senior running back Wenstan Penermon, who averaged 6.3 yards per carry last season.
The Tritons won’t have it easy in their district. Mariner failed to win a district game last season and can hope to improve in that area. The team has some comfortable games early on its schedule, so there’s a chance this group can build momentum and provide a challenge against the tougher teams they’ll face.
South Fort Myers
Coach: Matt Holderfield (third season)
Last year: 7-4, made playoffs (lost to Naples in the regional quarterfinals)
Overview: The Wolfpack is a team full of veterans with some exciting additions. It all starts in the trenches with a strong offensive line that opened holes for running back Arthur Gallishaw, who went for 1,090 yards and six touchdowns on 126 carries as a junior. Last season also saw the breakout of freshman receiver Jer’Shard Benjamin, who caught 45 passes for 610 yards and six touchdowns. “It’s good to have those guys back and be able to work through those things and feature those guys but at the same time build around them too,” head coach Matt Holderfield said. Sophomore Tenaris Kearse, a 6-foot-3 receiver who transferred from Fort Myers, should also make an impact. Junior quarterback Jaydon Henderson, who transferred from Cypress Lake, brings a dynamic two-way threat at the position that should help keep defenses off balance. The South defense returns two of the area’s top defensive linemen in NC State commit Ja’Dell Carter and Louisville commit Cornelius Tims. The team is also deep at linebacker with senior Wyatt Skinner and junior Virshod Eleaby back after each posted more than 100 tackles last season. The team is trying to mix in new personnel in the secondary after graduating key players.
The Wolfpack went 4-1 on the road last year and will hope to be just as formidable with seven road games on their schedule this season. “Hopefully that’ll translate this year, and we’ll be road warriors again,” Holderfield said. The team will definitely want revenge for a 29-28 loss to Port Charlotte last season that ended up proving critical in the district title race. South will be one of the most talent-rich teams in the area this season and hope to back it up. That said, this is a tough district at the top – South’s games against Port Charlotte and Dunbar will be some of the most anticipated on the schedule this year.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Football previews for Dunbar, Fort Myers, Mariner and South Fort Myers
Reporting by Dustin B Levy and Dan DeLuca, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dustin B Levy and Dan DeLuca, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
