Golden Gate Back For More In ’24

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's no getting around the fact that the 2023 season was a major success for Naples Golden Gate's football program.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finishing 9-3 after a tough second round state playoff game to Fort Myers Dunbar sent the district champion Titans into the off season with a great feeling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While a coaching change was made, the objective has never changed for new head coach <strong>Nick Citro</strong>, who succeeded <strong>Nick Bigica,</strong> who coached the program for the last five seasons. Bigica finished with a 24-26 record following the best season in program history. But it was also Golden Gate's most controversial season, as a recruiting scandal put a damper on the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Citro moved to Southwest Florida in 2019 from New Jersey, joining the Naples Palmetto Ridge staff which had its best season in 2020. He then joined James Delgado's staff at Immokalee in 2022, helping build the program back after it was forced to go independent in 2021. The Indians won the Class 4S-District 16 title this past season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a program that comes back with plenty of talent and a belief that getting one step further could indeed be a reality.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the start of spring football, the memories of beating Naples, dropping a tough game to defending 1S state champion Naples First Baptist and a stretch run that saw them win six straight is very much in play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rising senior (2025) class will certainly be a starting point. Several key prospects return and will be ready to make another statement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some of those 2025 players to keep an eye on:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Louby Bastein, LB, 5-11, 205 – 3.0 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16346919/Louby-Bastien">https://www.hudl.com/profile/16346919/Louby-Bastien</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1319593' first='Osyrus' last='Boykin'], DB/WR, 5-10, 150 – 3.2 GPA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17433739/6553c47f5b3d0c06703bd686">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17433739/6553c47f5b3d0c06703bd686</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wesley “Trayvon” Jean, RB, 5-10, 190 – 2.87 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16352073/65542e855b3d4b09ac870806">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16352073/65542e855b3d4b09ac870806</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christianley Joseph, OL, 5-10, 275 – 2.63 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> https://www.hudl.com/profile/16346913/Christanley-Joseph/highlights</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1212095' first='Bradley' last='Martino'], WR/DB, 6-4, 175 – 2.5 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16224045/6564b6ce386e5703e831639b">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16224045/6564b6ce386e5703e831639b</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Curvitch Petion, DB, 5-9, 165 – 3.17 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17512184/6547d71038636f0f7c34c203">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17512184/6547d71038636f0f7c34c203</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Solomon Powell, Athlete, 5-7, 165 – 2.60 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16346929/6568ca9d578d5d038c113559">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16346929/6568ca9d578d5d038c113559</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wendel St. Louis Jr., DB, 5-10, 175 – 2.5 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16636424/65c03427d45e8806a83fad55">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16636424/65c03427d45e8806a83fad55</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AWAITING SPRING VIDEO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Felix Gustave, DE, 6-0, 170 – 2.67 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Richardson Joseph, OL, 5-6, 190 – 3.0 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lasner Nord, LB, 6-0, 170 – 3.18 GPA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UNDERCLASSMEN ARE READY TO DO THEIR THING</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As impressive as the rising senior class will be, the Titans are excited about the underclassmen, who are talented, and many have experience at the varsity level. Check these quality players out:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jonathan Eugene, DB/WR, 5-9, 170 – 3.77 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/19346384/Jonathan-Eugene/highlights"> https://www.hudl.com/profile/19346384/Jonathan-Eugene/highlights</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1143122' first='Micah' last='Fils-Aime'], DL, 6-0, 237 – 3.15 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17831445/6569f923578d3002a8e5191a">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17831445/6569f923578d3002a8e5191a</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283771' first='Sam' last='Powell'], QB, 6-3, 210 – 3.23 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17631463/654ae55ff5612108d800692e">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17631463/654ae55ff5612108d800692e</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AWAITING SPRING VIDEO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior Joseph, TE, 6-1, 205 – 2.95 GPA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Frederick Sainteus, DL, 6-4, 210</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zachary Charlestin, DB/WR, 5-9, 155 – 2.6 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19857993/6564abb064e94b0ab0e2c50a">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19857993/6564abb064e94b0ab0e2c50a</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='580104' first='Rony' last='Raposo'], WR, 6-2, 170 – 2.66 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/19497837/Rony-Raposo/highlights">https://www.hudl.com/profile/19497837/Rony-Raposo/highlights</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AWAITING SPRING VIDEO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>David Arnold, DL/TE, 6-1, 180 – 2.58 GPA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statewide Coverage Daily.</strong> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/florida/">https://prepredzone.com/florida/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at:</strong> Floridakids1@aol.com.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->