Friday night marked more than just a spring football game for Fort Myers High School.It marked the beginning of a new chapter.The Green Wave hosted Cape Coral in their spring finale, the first spring game in decades without longtime legendary coach Sam Sirianni leading the program. Before kickoff, Fort Myers also honored Margaret Sirianni, matriarch of Green Wave football and wife of the late Sam Sirianni Sr.Now, former Cypress Lake High School head football coach and former Green Wave player Joey Mendes has stepped into the role of head coach, looking to carry on one of Southwest Florida’s most historic football traditions.Cape Coral, led by former Florida Gators quarterback Jaylen Watkins, tested Fort Myers immediately with an aggressive defensive effort. The Seahawks forced two first-quarter interceptions while building an early 14-0 lead.Fort Myers attempted to establish momentum through the running game with Christian Hall, while a pair of Cape Coral offsides penalties helped the Green Wave sustain drives early in the game.Like many spring football matchups, Friday night also featured plenty of growing pains. Penalties, broken plays and timing issues showed that both programs are still working through the adjustments that come with spring ball and roster development.Following the first quarter (14-0 Cape Coral), the scoreboard reset as junior varsity players rotated out and varsity play continued for the remainder of the evening.Cape Coral ultimately defeated Fort Myers 56-21 as both teams wrapped up spring competition and shifted their focus toward the fall season.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
FORT MYERS, Fla. —
Friday night marked more than just a spring football game for Fort Myers High School.
It marked the beginning of a new chapter.
The Green Wave hosted Cape Coral in their spring finale, the first spring game in decades without longtime legendary coach Sam Sirianni leading the program. Before kickoff, Fort Myers also honored Margaret Sirianni, matriarch of Green Wave football and wife of the late Sam Sirianni Sr.
Now, former Cypress Lake High School head football coach and former Green Wave player Joey Mendes has stepped into the role of head coach, looking to carry on one of Southwest Florida’s most historic football traditions.
Cape Coral, led by former Florida Gators quarterback Jaylen Watkins, tested Fort Myers immediately with an aggressive defensive effort. The Seahawks forced two first-quarter interceptions while building an early 14-0 lead.
Fort Myers attempted to establish momentum through the running game with Christian Hall, while a pair of Cape Coral offsides penalties helped the Green Wave sustain drives early in the game.
Like many spring football matchups, Friday night also featured plenty of growing pains. Penalties, broken plays and timing issues showed that both programs are still working through the adjustments that come with spring ball and roster development.
Following the first quarter (14-0 Cape Coral), the scoreboard reset as junior varsity players rotated out and varsity play continued for the remainder of the evening.
Cape Coral ultimately defeated Fort Myers 56-21 as both teams wrapped up spring competition and shifted their focus toward the fall season.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.