Tritons denied victory
The Mariner Tritons were looking for their first win of the season at Bishop Verot Friday night and came within inches of getting it, but lost to the Vikings 27-21.
Down by six with a little over five minutes left in the game, the Tritons forced the Vikings to punt, and got the ball at their own 43. Five plays later, the Tritons were facing second-and-three at the Viking 38 when quarterback J.T. Etnoyer fired a pass toward receiver George Ruesca, who was held by a defender, drawing pass interference call. It gave Mariner the ball at the 23-yard line.
After a sneak by Etnoyer on third-and-two, the Tritons had a fresh set of downs at the Verot 12. A run for a loss, a holding call, then a fumbled snap backed the Tritons to the 26.
An incomplete pass left Etnoyer one last play to get the ball into the end zone. He nearly did as a Viking defender broke up a near-perfect throw into the end zone to receiver Gabby Rojas.
The Tritons led 21-13 entering the fourth quarter, but that quickly evaporated as Vikings quarterback Jake Kistel found receiver Jeff Farrell in the back of the end zone. Farrell did an amazing job of tapping his toes inbounds for the score. Kistel then found tight end Forrest Campbell to tie the game at 21-21.
Verot then kicked a pooch kickoff, which gave Mariner fits all night, and it was recovered by the Vikings. Kistel immediately found Farrell again at the 10-yard line. Two plays later, Verot running back Donnie Farrah punched it in to give the Vikings the lead. Tritons lineman Michael Swearingen blocked the extra-point, giving the Tritons a chance to win with a touchdown and a PAT.
Swearingen and J.J. Mendoza wreaked havoc in the Viking backfield most of the night, combining for four sacks and numerous tackles for loss. One set up the Tritons’ first score of the second half, a 46-yard run by Eric Mitchell. Mitchell nearly scored again on his next run, weaving in and out of the defense 62 yards to the Viking 5. Etnoyer took it in on the next play, putting the Tritons up 21-13 at the end of the third.
A slow first quarter saw a 3-0 Verot lead overtaken by a seven-yard Rojas run to put Mariner up 7-3. An interception by Mariner’s Sean Mitchell put the Tritons in good position to add to their lead, but Verot’s Jordan Diggs intercepted a pass to set up a nifty run by Farrah, who broke tackles on his 54-yard run to give the Vikings the lead going into the half.
Mariner0 7 14 0 – 21
Bishop Verot3 10 0 14 – 27
First Quarter
BV – FG, Max Moore 41
Second Quarter
M – Gabby Rojas 7 run (Matt Isherwood kick)
BV – Donnie Farrah 54 run ( Max Moore kick)
BV – FG, Moore 33
Third Quarter
M – Eric Mitchell 46 run (Isherwood kick)
M – J.T. Etnoyer 4 run (Isherwood kick)
Fourth Quarter
BV – Jake Kistel to Jeff Farrell 9 pass from Jake Kistel (two point conversion)
BV – Farrah 5 run (kick blocked)