Mariner falls 41-20 to South
If for the first half of football you outgain your opponents in yardage and have more first downs, chances are you should be ahead, right? That’s what Mariner did to South Fort Myers Friday night at Tony McKenna field, but the Tritons trailed 20-0 at half, and never recovered as South pulled away for a 41-20 victory.
Mariner (1-8 overall, 1-4 district) outgained South 224 yards to 152 in the first half, and had 12 first downs to South’s two, but big plays hurt them.
Things started happening for the Wolfpack late in the first quarter. Mariner had the first sustained drive and was inside the Wolfpack red zone. Instead of a Tritons score, J.T. Etnoyer’s pass was intercepted by South’s Dallas Crawford, who returned it 89 yards for the game’s first points.
On the next series the Tritons were forced to punt. The snap to punter David Tyrrell sailed over his head. Tyrrell tried to cover it in the end zone, but Alfonso Edwards recovered it for a Wolfpack touchdown.
South had no first downs in the first quarter, yet led the game 12-0.
The third TD for South (9-1 overall, 4-1 district) came on another big play. Crawford found Sammy Watkins open behind the Tritons defense for a 69-yard scoring pass.
Four times the Tritons were in the red zone in the first half and came away with no points. The most heartbreaking was when they had the ball first-and-goal inside the 1-yard line, and fumbled it away into the end zone for a touchback for South.
“Four times into the red zone with nothing. You’ve got to come away with something,” said Mariner coach Chad O’Brien. “We’ve got to be hungry and have focus, especially in the red zone.”
On the second-half kickoff, the Tritons came to life with an unusual return. Mariner’s return man took the kickoff at the goal line and fumbled at the 20. The ball was picked up by Mariner’s George Ruesca who took it 86 yards for a touchdown.
South responded quickly, in just three plays, to score on Anthony Debonis’ 32-yard scamper.
South punched in another score when Crawford hit Jari McMiller on a quick out to the right side, and McMiller ran it in three yards for the touchdown.
Mariner kept fighting. Mario Perone scored two times in the fourth quarter, once on a 32-yard run and another on a 30-yard pass from Etnoyer.
After the second TD, only two minutes were left. Mariner attempted an onside kick, but South recovered. South added an exclamation point as Debonis zigged his way through the defense for 52 yards and a final TD.
Mariner concludes its season next Friday at Ida Baker.
South FM 12 8 14 7 – 41
Mariner 0 0 7 13 – 20
First Quarter
SFM – Dallas Crawford 89 interception return (kick failed)
SFM – Alfonso Edwards fumble recovery in end zone(kick failed)
Second Quarter
SFM – Sammy Watkins 69 pass from Crawford(Crawford run)
Third Quarter
M – George Ruesca 86 kickoff return (Matt Isherwood kick)
SFM – Anthony Debonis 32 run (Elias Mayer kick)
SFM – Jari McMiller 3 pass from Crawford (Mayer kick)
Fourth Quarter
M – Mario Perone 32 run (kick failed)
M – Perone 30 pass from JT Etnoyer (Isherwood kick)
SFM – Debonis 52 run (Mayer kick)