MICHAEL PISTELLA Mariner junior Eric Mitchell tries to elude the grasp of a tackler in the Tritons’ spring football game against Gulf Coast. More photos from Thursday’s game are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

The non-operational scoreboard at Mariner’s Tony McKenna Field figures to be fixed by the start of the high school football season. The host Tritons hope to fix a lot more than that before then.

The visiting Gulf Coast Sharks dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball during Thursday’s spring game and continued to pile up points, resulting in a 43-0 rout of the Tritons.

“In the weight room we have to put it on this summer,” Mariner coach Chad O’Brien said. “It was a size problem and a physical problem. They were more physical, but that’s fixable.”

O’Brien stressed to his team in the postgame meeting that they should anticipate the hardest offseason program they’ve ever faced.

Coincidentally, the Tritons are in a similar position as rival Cape Coral as they try to bounce back from rough spring games. Cape lost its spring game to Charlotte 44-0 last Thursday. Mariner and Cape face each other in the season opener Sept. 4.

MICHAEL PISTELLA Mariner receiver David Tyrrell is forced out of bounds in Thursday’s 43-0 loss to Gulf Coast. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

“The good thing is these are good kids,” O’Brien said, “they’ll stick together.”

The Sharks, who finished 7-4 last season and reached the playoffs, used a balanced offensive attack in building a 29-0 halftime lead.

They have a three-person race for starting quarterback. The most effective was Darby McCormick, who completed 8-of-10 passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a five-yard score.

Running back Sebastian Zuluaga rushed for 89 yards on 11 carries and hauled in four passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns.

The Sharks took the opening kickoff and marched to the Mariner 21, but a field goal attempt by Conor Goulding was blocked by Mariner’s Jerren Julien.

MICHAEL PISTELLA Mariner High assistant coach Fernando Vazquez talks to members of the defensive unit during their 43-0 spring football loss to Gulf Coast Thursday night at Tony McKenna Field. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

The Tritons, though, were unable to move the ball and it gave the Sharks numerous chances with the short field.

The Tritons gained just 19 yards and one first down in the opening quarter and were outgained 260-28 in the first half. The Sharks started in Mariner territory on five of their seven possessions in the first half.

Zuluaga scored on 20 and 16-yard receptions and the Sharks scored first-half points courtesy of two field goals by Goulding, a 30-yard pass from McCormick to Ryan Dunn and a safety – the Tritons snapped the ball out of the end zone on a punt attempt.

The Tritons, who are coming off a 4-6 campaign, played without one of their top offensive threats, senior-to-be quarterback Gabby Rojas, who is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery.

Their biggest problem Thursday appeared to be up front as the Sharks consistently penetrated into the backfield.

The Tritons had a brief spurt early in the third quarter when Mario Perone darted off the right side for a 35-yard gain. Right guard Miguel Cardenas delivered a key block to clear the way.

The Tritons reached the Gulf Coast 16 on that drive, but the momentum was halted when they were stopped on fourth down.

Perone finished with 48 yards on six carries. Troy Gordon rushed seven times for 43 yards and Eric Mitchell, who took the bulk of the snaps at quarterback, had a 25-yard run.

Gulf Coast 7 22 7 7 – 43

Mariner 0 0 0 0 – 0

First Quarter

GC – Sebastian Zuluaga 20 pass from Ken Mouton (Conor Goulding kick)

Second Quarter

GC – Ryan Dunn 30 pass from Darby McCormick (Goulding kick)

GC – FG, Goulding 43

GC – Safety, Mariner snapped ball out of end zone on punt

GC – FG, Goulding 25

GC – Zuluaga 16 pass from McCormick (Goulding kick)

Third Quarter

GC – McCormick 5 run (Goulding kick)

Fourth Quarter

GC – David Garardy 9 run (Goulding kick)