Tritons rally for 3rd victory
Mariner overcomes stagnant start to land third win of season
By BRIAN WIERIMA
Despite falling behind 12-0 early in the first quarter, the Mariner Trtons ensured something which hasn’t happened in quite awhile – a Homecoming victory.
The Tritons had to add a little bit more fight into their rare Homecoming win over the East Lee County Jaguars, but a strong defensive effort and 23 unanswered points was more than enough for a 30-20 victory Friday night.
“The defense really stepped up tonight, they really won this game for us,” said Tritons coach Travis Smith. “It’s been awhile since we’ve won a Homecoming game, so long I don’t remember the last one. I am happy for these kids and they can go into the Homecoming dance with their head held high.”
That didn’t look like it was going to occur when the Jags (1-6) marched the opening kickoff on a six-play, 70-yard drive. The first play of the game was big for East. Lothario Adderley scooted around right end and down the sideline for a mega pickup of 46 yards.
Mariner’s defense started to stiffen to force a third-and-18, but Jaguars quarterback Jeff Ratio made a touch pass over the secondary and into the arms of Adderley for a 25-yard touchdown.
The ensuing kickoff was an onside kick, which the Jags’ special teamers played well by knocking Mariner off the ball, and East recovering on the Mariner 48.
Although it was a surprising time of the game for an onside kick, it really wasn’t unexpected.
“It wasn’t really a surprise,” Smith said. “The coaches were screaming ‘Watch the onside!’ But they executed it well and we missed it.”
A pair of 20-plus yard runs by Cortavies Lee and Adderley set the Jags up at the Tritons 1, with Lee bulling his way in to put his team on top 12-0.
The first quarter was just getting warmed up. Mariner put together its first scoring drive on the ensuing kickoff. Junior Geovani Garcia was the workhorse on the march, the first play being a 22-yard sprint up the middle, followed by runs of nine and capping it with a 10-yard shifty move up the gut for a touchdown.
The defense made its presence felt with a fumble recovery on the Jags’ 33. Garcia struck for a 30-yard TD scamper five plays later to put Mariner up 13-12.
The momentum shifted to the home team after a failed fake punt gave the Tritons the ball on East’s 10. Senior Tim Peters ran up the middle for an 11-yard touchdown.
“The guys did a nice job holding their water and they made the tackle on the (fake punt),” Smith added.
From there, Mariner (3-5) held possession and tacked on a 21-yard field goal by senior Noah Wren to put the Tritons up by two possessions at halftime 23-12.
There was only one more trip into the end zone by each team and both came by the defenses.
The first was in the third quarter on a 65-yard interception return by Aurtrell Seay. He read junior quarterback Cairo Jeunegens perfectly and jumped the route.
The clincher came in the fourth quarter, where the Tritons’ defense dominated. They allowed the Jaguars to snap just four times in the final frame, two resulting in turnovers.
The clincher came on the Jags’ 2, after a punt pinned them on their own goal line.
A run up the middle was stuffed by senior Thomas Brooks, with the ball coming loose and senior linebacker Tylan Reynolds pouncing on it in the end zone.
“We just needed to trust each other and do our jobs,” Brooks said. “We just kept going, kept pushing. When we were down 12-0, I told my teammates that it’s not over. There was no reason why we can’t come back and win this. That’s what we did.”
Garcia had a strong game rushing 16 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Chance Reiter had 78 tough yards on nine carries, as the Tritons rushed for 254 yards on 42 carries overall.
Mariner is at Dunbar next Friday.
“First, we’ll need to hold onto the ball against Dunbar and move the ball,” Smith said. “The defense has always been a key for us the entire year. We’ve put it on their shoulders this season and they’ve stepped up and did the job.”