Football: Naples rolls to region final

The Naples High football team used its old reliable running game

and big-play defense to beat Tarpon Springs-East Lake 47-3 Friday

night at Staver Field in the Class 5A Region 3 semifinals.

Consider it the calm before the storm.

The Golden Eagles (11-1) go on the road for the first time in

the 2003 playoffs next Friday to visit Venice (9-3), which

dispatched Clearwater 27-22 in the other regional semifinal.

Naples' team speed on both offense and defense were just too

much for East Lake to handle. Junior Jamelle Eugene rushed for 186

yards and two touchdowns to lead all rushers, while senior Jermaine

Washington added 126 yards and a score.

Quarterback Danny Dunford shut the door on the Tarpon

Springs-based Eagles with a 22-yard sprint for Naples' fourth

touchdown.

The Golden Eagles defense turned in another dominating

performance, limiting East Lake to 101 rushing yards. The unit had

little trouble penetrating East Lake's offensive line and snagging

its runners for losses.

Jon Eugene had his second interception return for a touchdown in

two games, taking this one 58 yards for the score. Joe Cosimano

added a 41-yard interception return for a score.

Naples coach Bill Kramer said it was another great game from an

exciting defense.

"They were lights out both halves," he said. "Just all year,

that's what it's been like. I feel bad that we gave up the field

goal because they deserved a shutout, but nevertheless a great

defensive effort."

Naples opened the scoring four minutes into the game when

Jamelle Eugene broke through the middle of the line and raced 43

yards for a touchdown. Backfield mate Washington added a 2-yard

touchdown in the second quarter.

The Golden Eagles used their always-potent running game to

control the first half. Naples ended the half with 191 yards on the

ground, while East Lake could do nothing with its running game. The

Tarpon Springs squad could muster only 10 first-half rushing yards.

Leo Deartiaga, whose tough running carried the Eagles over St.

Petersburg-Northeast last week, gained four yards on five

carries.

Deartiaga finished with 22 yards. Quarterback Lewis Carralla led

East Lake in rushing with 52 yards.

East Lake (5-7) committed few penalties, but one 5-yarder was a

serious blow to its momentum.

Naples was up 7-3 and preparing a second-quarter punt on fourth-

and-3, when East Lake was flagged for illegal substitution.

Naples took the first down and cashed in on Washington's score

seven plays later.

Kramer said that score helped Naples get back into its

groove.

"We needed to (score)," Kramer said. "We needed to create some

momentum. We weren't playing very well. Our guys got it going in

the second half."

East Lake got its only score about halfway through the second

quarter, when kicker Chris Ackerman booted a 35-yard field

goal.

East Lake-- NaplesFirst downs-- 7-- 22Rushes- yards-- 31-101--

50-421Passing yards-- 67-- 12Passing-intercep.-- 4-14-2--

2-8-1Fumbles- lost-- 2-2-- 4-2Punts-- 6-33.2-- 1-34.0Penalties--

2-10-- 3-30

East Lake: 0 -- 3 -- 0 -- 0 -- 3

Naples:7 -- 7 -- 14 -- 19 -- 47

Scoring

N-- Ja. Eugene 43 run (Bassani kick)

EL-- Ackerman 35 field goal

N-- Washington 2 run (Bassani kick)

N-- Ja. Eugene 9 run (Bassani kick)

N-- Dunford 22 run (Bassani kick)

N-- Jo. Eugene 58 interception return (kick failed)

N-- Cosimano 41 interception return (Bassani kick)

N-- Sanders 2 run (kick failed)

Individual Leaders

Rushing -- East Lake: Carralla 12-52, Gladsdon 10-33, Deartiaga

7-22; Naples: Ja. Eugene 15-186, Washington 13-126

Passing -- East Lake: Carralla 4-14-2-67; Naples: Dunford

2-6-0-12, Corbitt 0-2-1-0

Receiving -- East Lake: Deartiaga 1-30, Bloomfield 2-20, Alonso

1-17; Naples: Troutman 1-7, Washington 1-2