ORLANDO — Naples High saw its high school football season end in disappointment Dec. 6, falling 18-7 to Jones High in the FHSAA Class 4A state semifinals.

The Fightin’ Tigers (14-0) advanced to play Plantation American Heritage Dec. 13 in the Class 4A title game at Florida International University’s Pitbull Stadium. Naples (113) had advanced to this round for the 12th time in the school’s 75 years and was vying to be just the fourth Golden Eagles team to reach the state finals. Naples won state championships in both 2001 and 2007 — one of only three Collier County programs to win state football crowns, and the only one to earn multiple state titles.

Naples put together a stellar season behind the dominant efforts of senior running back Shawn Simeon. The University of Toledo signee finished with 2,071 yards on 252 carries with 21 touchdowns, his second straight 2,000-yard campaign. Simeon totaled 2,040 yards on 188 carries with 27 touchdowns last season. He is the only running back in Southwest Florida history to record two straight 2,000-yard seasons.

Simeon was Naples’ primary weapon against Jones, totaling 31 carries for a game-high 132 yards. Simeon — playing despite a broken bone in his foot sustained three weeks earlier — also scored the Golden Eagles’ lone touchdown, a 1-yard burst to cap a 16-play, 69-yard drive that spanned more than 9:30 in the first quarter.

Unfortunately for Naples, Jones’ defense otherwise bottled up the Golden Eagles’ vaunted split-back veer offense; the Fightin’ Tigers limited their guests to 179 total yards.

Naples’ defense, which entered the final game with two playoff shutouts, had allowed only 9.6 yards per game. It was able to quell Jones’ high-powered offense for much of the game, helping the Golden Ea-gles to a 7-6 halftime lead. But senior running back Jaquail Smith (14 carries, 121 yards) and the Fightin’ Tigers put together two third-quarter touchdown drives for the final margin.

Naples finished second in Class 4A District 12 but avenged that setback by upsetting district champ Port Charlotte 17-10 on the road in the region final. The Golden Eagles also extended their winning streak to 27 games over Barron Collier and won the annual Coconut Bowl matchup against Lely for the 15th straight year.

Senior linebacker Khari Bendolph led the Golden Eagles in 2024 with 111 total tackles, while senior defensive lineman Albertini Tenor recorded a season-best 22 tackles for loss and nine sacks for a unit that totaled 105 tackles for loss and 46 sacks.

“I am so proud of our kids — who are sad right now — for being in the Final Four of one of the toughest playoff brackets in the entire country,” Naples coach Rick Martin said after the game.

“As they reflect on it, it will be something really special for these guys … They reset the standard here. They made these juniors and sophomores and young-buck freshmen know what Naples High School football is all about.

“I am indebted to them for that. I’m indebted to those seniors, this entire team, for that. To be the last team in Collier County playing football, to be the last team in Southwest Florida playing football, what else can I say about those guys? They have established a legacy here for as long as I coach.”