Football Game Preview: Estero Wildcats vs. Mariner Tritons

The Estero Wildcats will head out on the road to square off against the Mariner Tritons at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Estero is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 33.7 points per game this season.

Estero was handed a heart-breaking two-point loss in their last matchup, but they sure didn't let that happen against Lemon Bay on Friday. The Wildcats put the hurt on the Manta Rays with a sharp 42-22 win. The result was nothing new for the Wildcats, who have now won four contests by 20 points or more so far this season.

Maddox Stewart

Passing Touchdowns

10/10/25 @ Lemon Bay	4
09/12/25 @ Barron Collier	4
09/05/25 vs East Lee County	4
08/29/25 vs Aubrey Rogers	3
09/26/25 @ Cypress Lake	1
+ 2 more games

Maddox Stewart continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, throwing for 245 yards and four TDs on only 19 passes, while also punching in one score on the ground. He is becoming a predictor of Estero's success: when he posts at least three passing touchdowns the team is undefeated (and 0-3 when he doesn't). Taegan Ruud was in the mix too, providing the Wildcats with two touchdowns.

On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Estero's defense and their four sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Michael Lau, Jack Shank, and Dylan Miller, who each picked up one sack apiece. Estero got some further help from Lau: he picked up a sack and made 16 total tackles.

Meanwhile, Mariner was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Friday as they fell 20-15 to Charlotte. The Tritons have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Estero now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Mariner, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-5.

Everything went Estero's way against Mariner in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, as Estero made off with a 31-10 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wildcats since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.