Football: Naples, Venice tangle for region

The Naples High football team will play for its third straight

Class 5A Region 3 title tonight in Venice. That's an honor in

itself.

The fact that, to win it, the Golden Eagles must beat one of

their biggest rivals? That's a bonus.

Naples and Venice tangle tonight with a spot in the state

semifinals on the line. It is the latest game in a series that has

become one of the best in Southwest Florida.

Venice beat Naples in a quadruple-overtime district tiebreaker

shootout in 1999. In 2000, the year Venice won the Class 5A state

title, the Indians won by two points to win a district title.

Naples bounced back to take the last two games after Venice moved

up to Class 6A.

The Eagles and Indians are back in the same district, and things

haven't cooled down a bit.

"This is definitely a heated rivalry," Naples coach Bill Kramer

says.

And the Eagles (11-1) have practiced like it. Kramer says he's

watched his team go through its most physical practices of the year

this week.

"That's what we have to do," he says. "We have to practice

hard.

If we don't, Venice'll steamroll us. They're big strong and

physical."

Naples did a little steamrolling of its own last week against

Tarpon Springs-East Lake, winning 47-3 and rushing for 421 yards in

the process.

Jamelle Eugene led the Eagles with 186 yards and two touchdowns.

He realizes the importance of this game, but says his preparation

has been no different for Venice than it has for any other

team.

"I feel the same about every game," he says. "They're big,

strong guys, but if we do the same things we usually do, we can

come away with a victory."

The defense also played a physical game, stuffing East Lake's

running game and returning two interceptions for touchdowns.

Corner Jon Eugene, who took a pick 58 yards for a score, says a

big defensive play often starts a chain reaction.

"If I make a big play, that pumps everyone else up and they make

a big play," he says. "Then everyone gets happy and, when we get

happy, we really start doing good."

Venice (9-3) relies on a tough ground game and big, punishing

defense to dominate. Marcus Platt leads the team on the ground with

1,017 yards and 13 touchdowns. Former Port Charlotte standout Matt

Fira has added 894 yards and four scores to the Indians total. Of

Venice's 12 opponents, five were held to seven points or fewer.

The Indians don't do much passing, but have been effective with

it in the postseason. Against Lely in the regional quarterfinals,

quarterback Scott Lane went 3-for-3 on the Indians' first scoring

drive and finished the game going 8-for-12 for 116 yards.

Kramer feels this game will come down literally to strength

versus strength. Both teams' programs begin in the weight room and

it will be a matter of standing toe-to-toe for four quarters.

"It's all about the physical matchups," he says. "There's

nothing tricky about this game.

We have to be sound technically and tactically, but at the end

of the day, this game's about physical matchups."