Back-to-back games on back-to-back nights to begin the season put the Mariner Tritons through widely different emotions and challenges, but a similar result. Back-to-back wins.

After overwhelming the Estero Wildcats 65-24 in their debut Tuesday night, the Tritons had to scratch and claw their way to a 63-52 win over new city rival Island Coast Wednesday night.

Sam Guerrier garnered a game-high 19 points to lead Tuesday’s win and contributed 11 points against the Gators when Rick Moore topped all scorers with 20 points and Kendrec Ferrara adding 15.

“The second quarter was key for us,” said Tritons coach James Harris. “We got the cushion we needed by controlling the tempo and getting some easy buckets in transition.”

The Tritons overcame 27 turnovers against the Gators’ half-court trap defense.

“That is the downside of not playing last week,” said Harris. “It was just our second game and it was their sixth.”

The Gators’ first-quarter effort cost them in the second quarter.

“We just ran out of gas in the second,” said Gators coach Greg Coleman. “They got the lead and we would storm back. We hung around, played them even in the second half, but could not close the gap.”

Tim Dal Bon led the Gators with 16 points with Terrell Griffin adding 11. Dal Bon scored 16 Tuesday night when the Gators captured their first district victory against Gateway Charter 67-29.

“It was a tough battle between city rivals,” added Harris. “Island Coast was well prepared and caused us to do some things we did not want to do.”

The Tritons (2-0) visit district rival Cypress Lake Friday night. The Gators (3-3) host district rival LaBelle Monday.

Mariner 9 23 15 16 – 63

Island Coast10 10 16 16 – 52

MARINER 63 – Bender 1, Marrero 4, Moore 20, Minto 6, Guerrier 11, Ferrara 15, Emmons 6. Totals: 24 10-21 63.

3PG: Moore 5.

ISLAND COAST 52 – Chery 3, Gomez 3, Dungan 1, Dal Bon 15, Griffin 11, Harding 9, Orellana 1, Rees 9. Totals: 17 11-16 52.

3PG: Chery 1, Gomez 1, Dal Bon 1, Harding 3, Rees 1.

Girls Soccer

Bishop Verot 8, Island Coast 0: Bishop Verot threw up a double hat trick en route to a shutout victory over Island Coast Wednesday.

McKenna Duquette and Kady Otzko scored three goals apiece to lead the Vikings.

Goalkeeper Kimmy Kania made 17 saves for the Gators (1-7, 1-1) face LaBelle Monday.

The Vikings (4-2-1) visit district rival LaBelle Thursday.

Girls Basketball

Island Coast 41, Mariner 30: Larresha Blackman connected for a game-high nine points with 12 rebounds to lead Island Coast to victory Wednesday over Mariner.

The Gators (4-2) play at LaBelle Monday. The Tritons (1-9) host Cypress Lake Friday.

Island Coast 7 11 13 10 – 41

Mariner 7 6 11 6 – 30

ISLAND COAST 41 – Blackman 9, Mims 9, Boyd 6, Young 2, Manning 3, Williams 2, Ortiz 1. Totals: 12 16-33 41.

3PG: Mims 1.

MARINER 30 – Dodson 8, M. Bono 7, Taylor 6, Lanza 4, McClure 3, O’Connor 2. Totals: 10 7-20 30.

3PG: Lanza 1, Dodson 1, Taylor 1.