Prep Report: Hot start by Tritons bags win
Mariner came out firing – and hitting – in the first quarter in the District 5A-15 Tournament opening game Tuesday night at Frank Morris Gymnasium.
The Tritons reeled off 31 points to open a 21-point lead and coasted to a 76-50 victory over East Lee County. The win sends the No. 8-seeded Tritons (13-13) into a quarterfinal round challenge with the No. 1-seeded Green Wave tonight at Fort Myers High.
Other quarterfinal games tonight finds Cape Coral visiting Barron Collier, Gulf Coast taking on Lehigh and Ida Baker hosting North Fort Myers. Quarterfinal winners square off in the semifinals Friday at Ida Baker with the championship game set for Saturday night.
Ricardo Barsesa pitched in a game-high 28 points to lead the Tritons. Kameron Beach contributed 20 points while Clint Johnson added nine points and nine rebounds.
Barsesa had 11 of his points and Beach had seven points in the first-quarter surge.
East Lee Co. 10 10 17 13 – 50
Mariner 31 17 13 15 – 76
EAST LEE 50 – Joseph 4, Yepes 19, Parris 13, Even 4, Smith 3, Pierre 1. Totals: 19 11-26 50. 3-point goals: Joseph 1.
MARINER 76 – Beach 20, Longsworth 2, Barsesa 28, Kuchman 3, Marrero 1, Vandermark 4, Rivera 6, Edwards 2, Guerrier 2, Johnson 9. Totals: 30 7-15 76. 3-point goals: Beach 2, Barsesa 5, Rivera 1, Kuchman 1.
Boys Soccer
Cape Coral 1, Oakland Park Northeast 0: Cape High freshman Caio Amaral headed a corner kick into the net just before halftime and the defense made it stand up for a Region 5A-4 victory at Oakland Park.
Senior Nick Gillogly launched the corner kick in front of the net that found Amaral for the game-winning goal.
“The soccer gods were smiling on us,” said Seahawks coach Aldo Nardiello. “We had a stiff wind in our face the second half, but the defense stepped up and defended an onslaught of corner kicks and free kicks and other scoring chances. We managed to hold on.”
Goalkeeper Santi Villamil made 13 quality saves as the Seahawks posted their third straight shutout and won their eighth straight game overall.
“We’re still breaking new ground,” said Nardiello. “We won our second state (regional) win, won on the road, and the Cape is now in the regional finals (elite eight) for the first time.”
The Seahawks (14-7-4) host Coconut Creek Monarch, a 2-1 winner over West Boca Raton, in the regional final Friday.
Softball
Bishop Verot 3, Cape Coral 1: Seven different batters delivered base hits, Hailey Barraco pitched a one-hitter and struck out eight to lead Bishop Verot to a regular-season opening victory over Cape Coral.
Amanda Hurley got the only base hit for the Seahawks (0-1).
Verot (1-0) visits North Fort Myers Wednesday night.
Cape Coral 001 000 0 – 1 1 0
Bishop Verot 201 000 x – 3 7 3
W – Hailey Barraco. L – Brenna Harkins.
2B – Betsy Doragh (BV).
North Fort Myers 16, South Fort Myers 0: Kayla Ramey and Allison Kennedy banged out three hits apiece with Jackie Owen and Micheala Schlotter driving in three runs apiece to carry North Fort Myers to a regular-season opening shutout victory over South Fort Myers.
The Red Knights (1-0) host Bishop Verot Wednesday night.
North Ft. Myers 159 01 – 16 13 0
South Ft. Myers 000 00 – 0 1 6
W – Jackie Owen. L – Detzel.
2B – Kayla Ramey (NFM), Paige Engh (NFM), Katrissa Rowell (NFM), Michaela Schlotter (NFM), Alyssa Dougherty (NFM). 3B – Schlotter (NFM).
Baseball
Mariner 12, Charlotte 7: Mariner stuck for seven runs in the second inning and pulled away for a preseason victory over Charlotte Tuesday at Baker High.
Michael Zunino cracked a two-run home run in the fifth inning to extend the Tritons’ lead to 11-2 at the time. He finished 2-for-4 with four RBI to lead the Tritons.
Bryan O’Connor cracked a two-run double in the second inning and Alex Santana added a triple in the fifth ahead of Zunino’s homer.
Mariner plays Cardinal Mooney Thursday at Baker to wrap up its preseason slate.
Mariner 070 220 1 – 12 10 4
Charlotte 200 041 0 – 7 5 4
W – Ryan Schneider. L – Asher.
2B – Bryan O’Connor (M). 3B – Alex Santana (M). HR – Zunino (M), Asher (C), Mumford (C).