Game balls for SW Florida high school football top Week 1 performers

Riverdale won a wild one over Estero, South Fort Myers shut out Lehigh and North Fort Myers topped Island Coast.

Those were just some of the storylines from Week 1 of the 2026 high school football season in Southwest Florida.

To honor the players who stood out, The News-Press and Naples Daily News hand out their Game Balls for the top efforts each week. Here are the honorees for this week’s games.

The running back rushed for 188 yards and scored three total touchdowns in the Raiders’ 24-21 win over Estero.

The senior wide receiver caught two touchdown passes in the Wolfpack’s 38-0 win over Lehigh.

The junior quarterback passed for three touchdowns and rushed for three more in the Indians’ 54-12 win over Clewiston in the annual Harvest Bowl.

The freshman scored two touchdowns, including an 88-yard kickoff return, and also had a diving 36-yard reception in the Seahawks’ 62-26 loss to Port Charlotte

The junior quarterback passed for 182 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score in South’s 38-0 victory over Lehigh.

The junior quarterback passed for 196 yards and three touchdowns in the Red Knights’ 41-6 season-opening win over Island Coast.

The running back rushed for 150 yards on just 12 carries and had one touchdown in the Golden Eagles’ 42-21 loss to Sarasota Riverview.

The junior wide receiver caught six passes for 114 yards and one touchdown in North’s 41-6 win at Island Coast.

The junior quarterback completed 16 of 27 for 209 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ 21-20 win over ECS.

The senior quarterback threw for 399 yards in the Wildcats’ 24-21 loss to Riverdale

Thursday

South Fort Myers 38, Lehigh 0 | PHOTOS | VIDEO

Immokalee 54, Clewiston 12 | VIDEO

North Fort Myers 41, Lehigh 6 | PHOTOS | VIDEO

Friday

Charlotte 21, Fort Myers 0

Riverdale 24, Estero 21

Sarasota Riverview 42, Naples 21 | PHOTOS

Ida Baker 33, Bonita Springs 6

Oasis 18, SFCA 14

Port Charlotte 63, Cape Coral 26 | PHOTOS | VIDEO

Dunbar 70, Cypress Lake 0 | VIDEO

Gateway 48, East Lee County 8 | VIDEO

Wellen Park 24, Mariner 21

John Carroll 17, Bishop Verot 0

Gulf Coast 66, Lely 0

Doral Academy 41, Golden Gate 20

Barron Collier 48, Palmetto Ridge 7

Aubrey Rogers 32, Moore Haven 7

First Baptist 21, ECS 20

Cardinal Newman 37, Community School of Naples 7

St. John Neumann 24, Monsignor Pace 14

Canterbury 41, Sarasota Christian 21

Frostproof 28, LaBelle 21

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Game balls for SW Florida high school football top Week 1 performers