Proceed with caution
It’s only the second week of the regular season, so it’s way too soon to go all ballistic with excitement for the unbeaten Mariner High football program.
Travis Smith is just beginning his second season of trying to rebuild the Tritons into a competitive program while coming off back-to-back 1-9 campaigns. They have not had a winning season since going 6-4 in 2007 and have not appeared in a postseason game since 2004.
When the Tritons (1-0) take the field at Bishop Verot Friday night, they will be looking for their third straight victory after winning their preseason contest against Evangelical Christian and last week’s regular season opener at Estero.
Smith admits it still feels good to have a couple of wins under their belts.
“We’re starting off the right way,” Smith said. “I think it’s because the kids are buying into the coaching we’re doing and not focusing on the individual stuff.
“A winning season is what we’re pushing for. The kids are holding each other accountable and they want to compete for a district title. We have to approach each opponent one game at a time.”
The Vikings (1-0) are coming off a 5-6 campaign in which they played one postseason game last season. They racked up 43 points against Estero in their preseason game and 35 more in last week’s win over Cardinal Mooney.
“We have to rest a lot on our defense this week,” said Smith. “Verot has a big offensive line, a runningback who runs well and a quarterback who can throw. We just have to do our job with the goal of not allowing them to put up a lot of points.”
The Tritons last faced the Vikings three years ago, but given the Tritons’ recent stretch of futility they face a big challenge Friday night.
“We’ve made mistakes, but it’s early in the season so you expect some of that,” said Smith. “We have to come out and play our game and, hopefully, capitalize on some turnovers by them.”
Elsewhere tonight it’s Cape Coral visiting South Fort Myers; Ida Baker at North Port; Island Coast at Naples; Fort Myers at North Fort Myers; and Oasis at Lakeland Geneva.
At North High, the Red Knights will celebrate the career of Noel Devine with a Hall of Fame induction ceremony during halftime at Moody Field.
North Principal Matt Mederios is looking forward to the well-deserved recognition for Devine.
“Noel Devine is one of the greatest high school football players I have ever seen,” he said in a prepared release. “Noel was a human highlight reel, and we are very proud to be inducting him into the North High Hall of Fame.”
Devine played for the Red Knights under head coach James Iandoli from 2004-07 and holds eight school records, the most in school history. He also holds the Lee County record for career rushing yards (6,842) and career touchdowns (92).
The individual performances of Devine took center stage during his career in which he shattered all of North’s records and some Lee County marks as well, for a runningback. Devine led the Knights to the Regional finals in 2006.
He went on to star at West Virginia University, where he amassed 4,315 yards rushing (third all-time at WVU) and scored 29 touchdowns, which ranks sixth all-time for the Mountaineers.
Devine has played professionally in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Eskimos.