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NAPLES — Notes on area high school teams:

BARRON COLLIER

Quin Thornton has certainly made up for missing the season opener for violating team rules.

The running back has rushed for 12 touchdowns in five games, four of them wins.

The Cougars will likely need a similar effort on Friday when they face Naples, which has beaten them nine straight times. Barron Collier won the previous 13 meetings before the Golden Eagles broke through in coach Bill Kramer’s second year in 1999.

— Daily News staff

ESTERO

After Friday’s game at Cape Coral, it might be a long time before Estero faces another Class 5A team.

Estero — a rebuilding 3A program that has only four varsity wins since 2004 — has been granted more flexibility for next year’s schedule.

“We just need a window to choose some schools that we know we’ll be more competitive against. I don’t want to go up against 5A schools. I don’t think it’s fair to our team,” Estero principal George Clover said earlier this month.

The Wildcats, whose non-district opponents this season and in 2007 have included four Class 5A teams within the Lee County Athletic Conference, endured a three-week stretch in September in which they were outscored 140-0 against squads from Class 5A-District 12.

“We shouldn’t have to play 5A teams right now. We’re nowhere ready to play any teams like that,” coach Rich Dombroski said recently. “We’ll try to find 3A teams that are our caliber or 2A teams that we can compete with. I want to play more 28-21 games. Even if we lose them, it will help with the confidence.”

Clover said Estero will continue to play rivals South Fort Myers (3A) and Cypress Lake (4A).

— Kevin Johnson

GOLDEN GATE

After weeks of struggling to start the season, the Titans played to their closest finish of the season, losing 18-7 to North Fort Myers last week.

The difference proved to be two Titans turnovers, one from a Kenneth Mouton interception and another on Shawn Knowles run coming on a drive that was seemingly destined for a score.

The end result is still an improvement for a team that has yet to hold a team from scoring at least 35 points. With winless Immokalee and Estero still on the schedule, such a dramatic improvement could not have come at a better time.

Despite Mouton’s pick, he still finished the game 10-of-19, and despite Knowles disheartening fumble, he finished with 97 yards rushing.

The Titans intercepted two passes of their own, one by defensive back Murphy Lene, the other by defensive end Jonathan Lightell.

— Nick Krueger

GULF COAST

The Sharks were still smarting from Friday’s 38-20 loss to rival Barron Collier in the Catfish Bowl.

“Obviously, we’re not real happy,” coach Frank Tudryn said. “We didn’t play very well at all. We’re really disappointed in that.”

Tudryn told the team Monday that they were “back to basics.” He stressed that the Sharks needed to get back to two things they’re known for: playing disciplined and tough.

“We didn’t do either” on Friday, he said.

— Daily News staff

IMMOKALEE

The Indians will try to get coach Izzy Gallegos’ first win when they face Palmetto Ridge on Friday.

Gallegos’ first priority is dealing with the Bears’ potent offense, led by quarterback Mike Pinter and 6-foot-6 receiver Sean Smikle, and a rotation of running backs.

“We’re going to play a Palmetto Ridge team that’s got a huge offensive line,” Gallegos said. “They’re doing a good job of running the football. Our focus is going to be on defense.”

The Indians are still molding an offensive line of first-year starters, and are working in sophomores at linebacker and on the defensive line.

“We’re just making too many mental errors right now,” Gallegos said.

— Daily News staff

LELY

Coming off an emotional win over Immokalee, Lely coach Steve Pricer isn’t worried about a letdown when the Trojans host Miami-Bay Point on Friday night.

A year ago, senior quarterback Mike O’Regan rallied the Trojans, throwing a touchdown pass with less than two minutes to play for a 25-23 victory over the Falcons.

Bay Point plays an independent schedule and has faced some top-notch teams this fall, losing all seven games. Except for one opponent, the Falcons have faced teams with one or no losses.

“We’ve seen some film on them,” Pricer said. “They have been in most games for the first half, but conditioning appears to be a problem for them. They also seem to lack discipline.”

At the same time Pricer knows the teams is big and very physical.

“We have to be ready for them and capitalize on any mistakes they make to get a win,” Pricer said.

— Roger LaLonde

NAPLES

After the fallout from Friday’s 91-0 thumping of Estero, which included a statewide article put out by The Associated Press on Monday, the Golden Eagles can focus on another game, and a rival —Barron Collier.

“I had no deal how big of a rivalry this was for the community when I got here,” coach Bill Kramer said. “Now I know, so we expect to have a packed house. Barron’s a really good team. Quin Thornton, every time he touches it, it makes you hold your breath.”

Kramer said offensive lineman Nick Alajajian would start this week. The University of Florida recruit, who got in for 12 plays last week, is returning from an ankle injury.

— Daily News staff

PALMETTO RIDGE

The Bears returned to practice following Saturday’s final-seconds, 21-14 loss to Lehigh.

After the Bears rallied to tie the game at 14-all, the Lightning scored on a 65-yard hook-and-ladder play with nine seconds remaining.

Sean Smikle continues to be a bright spot. He caught two touchdown passes, giving him nine for the season.

— Daily News staff

ST. JOHN NEUMANN

Having just put a 25-6 squeeze on previously unbeaten district opponent Moore Haven, the Celtics go back out of the district Friday with a trip to Bishop Verot in Fort Myers.

There’s not a long history of gridiron competition between the two Southwest Florida Catholic schools. Since 2002, they have met only once, and that was last year in Golden Gate when Neumann reeled of a 49-28 victory.

The Class 2A Vikings are going strong this season at 4-1. The lone loss was to Mulberry on Sept. 26, and it wasn’t pretty. Verot lost 55-0.

Incidentally, this past Friday’s Class 1A-District 6 action was not just about the Neumann-Moore Haven game. Fort Myers Evangelical Christian tangled with perennial favorite Belle Glade-Glades Day. The ECS crew put up a good battle, but bowed to the Gators 43-36.

That leaves Glades Day and Neumann as the two unbeatens within the four-team district. Neumann coach Steve Howey expects hard-nosed play when the Gators visit Oct. 24 and the Sentinels arrive in Golden Gate on Nov. 7.

— Tom Rife

SOUTH FORT MYERS

Jeremy Amin knows his way around an offensive line.

He started as a tackle on South’s undefeated freshman team in 2005. When he moved to junior varsity, Amin switched back and forth between two guard positions.

As a senior this season, Amin is handling most of the snaps for quarterback Dallas Crawford. Amin said the chemistry is good with the sophomore standout.

“Dallas is great. He tells me what I do right and what I do wrong,” Amin said.

At 5-foot-8, 178 pounds, Amin possesses a small frame for a center, but it’s his big heart that has won him admiration.

“He’s worked his butt off. He’s done a nice job,” coach Grant Redhead said. “I moved him to center last year after the season. I’m glad I did.”

— Kevin Johnson