Raiders overpower Tritons 35-2
The Mariner Tritons failed to complete a pass during their high school football game against the Riverdale Raiders Thursday, and their persistence in the running game never paid off.
Not exactly the formula for success in the District 3A-11 opener at Tony McKenna Field.
“Ugly game,” Mariner coach Chad O’Brien said. “A lot of turnovers, a lot of penalties on both sides. It was an ugly game to watch and be a part of.”
The Raiders (3-1, 1-0 district) had a more upbeat tone after leaving the field with a 35-2 victory.
They built a 21-0 halftime lead and came away with a key goal-line stand in the third quarter to thwart the Tritons’ best scoring chance.
In taking a strong step forward to begin the district race, the Raiders had far more balance.
Senior quarterback Nathan Gahafer fired three touchdown passes and scored on a 27-yard run.
Senior fullback Garrett Greenwell received minimal playing time after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury, but joined the ground attack with 43 yards on four carries.
The defense created the first score when Denzel Hagan stepped in front of a pass and returned it 40 yards for a score.
“We came into this ballgame a little banged up,” Riverdale coach Tom Roszell said. “The biggest thing right now is staying healthy.”
The Tritons (0-4, 0-1) stuck to their traditional ball-control game plan, but managed only 45 yards on 22 carries in the first half, and ended with 67 total yards. Senior quarterback Gabby Rojas was 0-for-9 passing with four interceptions.
The Tritons’ most productive play certainly wasn’t by design. With the ball at the Riverdale 29 near the six-minute mark of the third quarter, Rojas threw a pass down the middle that was intercepted by Cordaveous Brown. Receiver David Tyrrell wrestled the ball away and the Tritons recovered the fumble at the Raiders’ 1.
It turned out to be a 28-yard gain, but on four tries the Tritons were stuffed at the goal line. Jermey Edwards and Roderick Lindsey made open-field tackles for the Raiders.
The Tritons still managed to get on the board when Tyrrell tackled Ricardo Jones in the end zone, making it 21-2.
After getting the ball on the free punt, though, the Tritons fumbled an exchange and the Raiders cashed in on a 14-yard strike from Gahafer to Kyle Waldrop.
The Tritons turned the ball over a total of five times.
“We just have to refine some of the things we’re doing and sharpen them up,” O’Brien said of the offensive struggles, “make better reads, practice with more intensity, same stuff that everybody does.”
Defensively, the Tritons forced four Riverdale turnovers. Senior defensive tackle J.J. Mendoza stripped the ball from Gahafer and recovered a fumble early in the third quarter, and in the fourth quarter, senior Kyle Wallum nailed Gahafer from the blind side causing a fumble.
The Tritons play at Island Coast next Friday.
Riverdale 14 7 7 7 – 35
Mariner 0 0 2 0 – 2
First Quarter
R – Denzel Hagan 40 INT return (Mark Deboy kick)
R – Hagan 13 pass from Nathan Gahafer (Deboy kick)
Second Quarter
R – Gahafer 27 run (Deboy kick)
Third Quarter
M – Safety, Ricardo Jones tackled in end zone by David Tyrrell
R – Kyle Waldrop 14 pass from Gahafer (Deboy kick)
Fourth Quarter
R – Cordaveous Brown 33 pass from Gahafer (Deboy kick)