Mariner and Bishop Verot have the honor as the first area schools kicking off spring football scrimmages this week.

The Tritons, trying to continue to climb back to respectability after going 1-9 and 3-7 the last two seasons, take a short ride north to Lemon Bay for a 7 p.m. kickoff Thursday against the Manta Rays.

The Bishop Verot Vikings, meanwhile, host Port Charlotte at 7 p.m. on the artificial turf at Viking Stadium.

Two-time district champion Island Coast concludes its three-week spring session at 7 p.m Friday with a clash at East Lee County.

The Tritons responded to new first-year coach Chris Siner – who was hired last fall just weeks before the regular-season opener – by winning three of their last five games. They beat Bishop Verot, North Fort Myers and Ida Baker down the stretch to finish 3-7.

“I think we are more physical now than last year, or getting there,” said Siner. “We’re getting tired and are ready to hit someone other than ourselves. Everyone is adapting to a new offense and our offensive line, we have four returning starters, we will go as far as the offensive line takes us.”

The Tritons are auditioning for a new starting quarterback after J.T. Etnoyer transferred to Cape High over the winter.

“Our quarterback made our offense go last year,” said Siner. “We’re going to a two-back style, handing the ball off. We will line up Thursday night and see if we can run the football, block and tackle.”

The smallest guy on the roster, Tyler Pigott, continues to lead the Tritons.

“He has the biggest heart and can play multiple positions,” said Siner. “He’s making the shift from fullback to tailback and is doing a good job as our free safety. Our (defensive) secondary – Pigott, Andrew Torres, Jaylen Mitchell and Chaston Carter – is doing a great job.”

The Gators are coming off back-to-back district championship seasons and their first appearance in the regional finals. If they are to make it three in a row they will have to do it in a new seven-team district against the likes of Fort Myers, South Fort Myers, Riverdale and Bishop Verot.

The FHSAA’s two-year reclassification process bumped the Gators up four classes, from Class 2B to 6A.

“This is a tougher district than last year,” Ida Baker coach Brian Conn said when practice started three weeks ago. “You’ve got Island Coast and South Fort Myers in there who went far in the playoffs last year. Fort Myers will bounce back, North I expect will be better and Bishop Verot petitioned to move up. There are seven teams and only two get out (playoffs).”

The Gators believe that with a 2,000-yard runningback returning and much of the offense intact that their skill guys can play with anybody on their schedule.

“We’re fairly young,” Gators coach Joe Bowen has said. “Everybody in the district has been to the playoffs before, recently or for many years. They’ve been there, done that, so we will have to be prepared every week.”

Cape Coral, Ida Baker, North Fort Myers at Oasis all play their spring scrimmages next week.