Naples Golden Eagles football team aim to continue their undefeated season this Friday against Miami Northwestern Bulls
NAPLES, Fla. — Naples Golden Eagles football team will look to continue their unbeaten run this Friday afternoon when they receive Miami Northwestern Bulls at Staver Field. As the No. 2 seed in the region, the Golden Eagles are highly motivated, especially after rolling over the Charlotte Fighting Tarpons with a 37-0 victory last week.
“It doesn’t take much to motivate them. I’m blessed with a great group of kids,” Golden Eagles head coach Rick Martin said. “They’re one of the most focused groups I’ve ever coached.”
In his second season as a head coach, Martin will do his best to obtain his first state championship, third in school’s history, and increase his winning streak to 11 games without a loss, securing their spot in the regional final.
“Our team lives week to week,” he declared. “We’ve done a great job of staying in the moment and taking care of business every week.”
The team has already shown great improvement from last year when they finished the season with an overall 7-2 record.
Martin perfectly knows what it takes to become a state champion, as he was involved in the 2001 team as an offensive guard and in 2007 as a staff member. Both championships were obtained under head coach Bill Kramer, a historic figure in Naples High School football program who finished his 22-year long tenure with an impressive 216-51 record.
“I was fortunate enough to be around that 2007 team,” Martin added. “They were a special group of players with a great coaching staff. Trying to replace a legend and hall of famer like Coach Kramer has been a personal challenge. You take everything day by day and try not to let the tradition slip.”
If the Golden Eagles advance to the regional final, they will encounter either Plantation High School or Coconut Creek, both teams seeded below Naples High School (No. 8 and No. 4, respectively). However, this is something that doesn’t disturb Martin or the team.
“The current opponent is our toughest challenge. I don’t look ahead or even concern myself with teams that are still in the bracket,” Martin said.
Coach Martin understands that there are other rivals ranked above them in the championship key, like Jones Fighting Tigers or Jesuit Tigers. Once again, he showed confidence on what his players can do inside the football field.
“We probably aren’t one of the favorites but that’s okay with us. We just keep working and focusing on ourselves.”
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