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Alright friends, we have just a couple of weeks left to go this football season, and this week is as pivotal for some area teams as any other week has been this season. We definitely have some pretty strong matchups to look forward to; Naples returns to action this week and Lely now has two weeks to prepare for the Golden Eagles with a bye this week. Barron Collier coach Mark Ivey will take on the school he left two years ago in Cypress Lake. Gulf Coast and Palmetto Ridge - two schools separated by less than a 10-mile stretch of Immokalee road will be going at it, so needless to say, emotions will be running high in a lot of these matches - and the effect of that on the games this week is something that nobody can predict. Again, thanks for your participation, but maybe tone down the hostility a little bit - I'm looking at you, nonesense. Alright, here we go!

--Nick Krueger

Records after last week:

Nick: 37-15

Adam: 36-16

John: 22-10

This week's picks:

St. John Neumann at Tavernier-Coral Shores

Adam: Coral Shores

A little Thursday night football! This is a matchup of two offenses that struggle at times. Neumann gains more yards per game, while Coral Shores scores more. I think the Celtics would win this at home, but not after a three-hour road trip to the Keys.

John: Coral Shores

From what I hear, six Neumann players, three of which are starters, have been suspended for at least six games for fighting at Moore Haven last week. I would like to say, congratulations Neumann, you have earned my respect. I do have a question, though, who came up with the idea to get into a fight at MOORE HAVEN?! This isn't volleyball at Seacrest... this is football at Moore Haven. Your still losing this week no matter what, but I do have some type of interest in your team now.

Nick: Coral Shores

Neumann has had a tough a season as anybody, and the Fightin Celts have played alright in district games. The bummer is this is not a district game. If coach Howey can find a way to spin this week into some sort of playoff-push preparation, win or lose, that would be good for the team.

Lemon Bay at South Fort Myers

Adam: South Fort Myers

South is going to take out some pent-up aggression on Lemon Bay, but it won't matter. The Wolfpack should smoke the Rays, but they're still out of the hunt in District 3A-13. After a horrible showing last week, South will have one of it's best offensive games of the season.

John: South Fort Myers

South will win. I have no idea where Lemon Bay is, but I do know I like Lemon Pepper seasoning on my chicken. Plus, I've seen this Lemon Bay team play in the Sothwest Florida area and I don't think they've ever won.

Nick: South Fort Myers

It's tough to think about a possible eight-win season being a failure, which is what South is looking at. I think that we need to institute some sort of football NIT tournament for teams like South... that being said, I think Adam nailed it on the head: South is in all likelihood really frustrated with itself and will be looking to make itself feel better against a poor Lemon Bay team.

Immokalee at Estero

Adam: Immokalee

After five straight losses to start the season, the Indians should get their third straight win. But I think Estero will be competitive here. Immokalee will win, but the Wildcats could hold an opponent to less than 40 points for the first time all year. And, I say Estero scores two touchdowns.

John: Immokalee

Here's why Immokalee wins: They can score points.

Nick: Immokalee

I've seen quite a bit of Indian football this season, and I have seen them get better in different aspects of the game each time. Lately they've done a much better job of putting it all together, and for a game that Estero probably thought they had a chance in a couple of weeks ago, that prospect suddenly doesn't look so good.

Naples at Golden Gate:

Adam: Naples

It's too bad Naples has such terrible teams in its district – it really hurts the Eagles best players. Tailback Greg Pratt, who's still looking for a college scholarship, has pedestrian numbers this year because he sits the bench more than he plays, so Naples avoids running up the score. He didn't even play against Estero. The Eagles starters will only get a half of action here as Naples rolls and locks up a playoff spot.

John: Naples

Naples wins. Why wouldn't they? It's a game in Collier County. I'm OK if Golden Gate feels like taking the night off. I would. It's going to be cold and you're going to get beat up - does that really impress the ladies?

Nick: Naples

I can't speak for Golden Gate players, but if they truly believe they can win this game after the season they've been having, more power to them. The problem with Golden Gate last season, and to some extent, this season, is they have good parts, but not a complete team. This season they obviously have fewer of those parts...

Gulf Coast at Palmetto Ridge

Adam: Gulf Coast

If the Bears play like they're capable, this game could rival Saturday's Texas-Texas Tech matchup in total passing yards. Both quarterbacks could easily reach 300 yards. Gulf Coast is just too good, though, to fall to a 1-6 team. Palmetto Ridge drops its seventh straight.

John: Gulf Coast

Sorry Principal Terry, you'll see some good days. Friday night won't be one of them.

Nick: Gulf Coast

On PrepZone Playbook (cha-ching) Adam and I have talked about Gulf Coast A LOT, and Gulf Coast's Jeff Schmidt is clearly the best quarterback in the area. However, if Palmetto Ridge thinks that they can keep pace in a shootout with the Pinter-Smikle connection, they have another thing coming... Gulf Coast's defense is becoming better week-to-week, and without a healthy running back corps., Palmetto Ridge will be pretty one-dimensional.

Cypress Lake at Barron Collier

Adam: Barron Collier

If there's a record for most combined yards by two running backs in a game, we need to find it because that record is sure to be broken in this game. Barron Collier's Quin Thornton and Cypress Lake's Savon Seward are two of the best backs around. The defenses? Well, they ain't so great. I say Thornton breaks 300 yards and the Cougars win a high-scoring affair.

John: Barron Collier

Some people consider this the game of the week. Me? I'd much rather sit at home and catch the first Friday in the NBA season. I'm sure Barron Collier will win, not too much going on for Cypress this season.

Nick: Cypress Lake

I am picking Cypress Lake for two reasons:

1. Up until now all three of us have picked the same winners of every game, and I have to switch it up.

2. Both teams obviously have great running games, but Cypress has a better passing game. Not only is Christian Parsons one of the area's top passers, his receivers all have top-notch speed that Barron might not be able to keep up with in the secondary.

This week's (very unofficial) power rankings:

1. Naples

Still the top dogs.

2. Barron Collier

Played competitively with every opponent all season, and the Cougs' game against Naples was closer than the score suggests.

3. Gulf Coast

Losing to Barron a few weeks ago hurt, but they are the most well-rounded team in the area.

4. Lely

A weak schedule keeps them from taking a spot in the top three.

5. South Fort Myers

Talent-wise, they should be the best team in their own district, but they couldn't prove it this season.

6. Immokalee

If the Indians could have played at that level they are at now since week one, this could be a very different story.

7. Palmetto Ridge

One win on a tough schedule with the talent we all know they have keeps them atop the bottom four.

8. Golden Gate

For the way the Titans' season has gone, they could still beat Neumann six times if they played ten games against each other.

9. St. John Neumann

Neumann is only this low due to the fact they have to be compared to all the public schools here.

10. Estero

The more I think about it, the more I think Estero wants to keep a (very) low profile for another two years... then watch out!