After a strong preseason, the Aptos Mariners have had a rough time in league play, holding a 2-3 record with their only wins coming against cellar-dwellers Harbor and St. Francis.

Aptos, however, is a dangerous team. The Mariners lost to league leader Soquel on a fourth-quarter touchdown and to Santa Cruz by one, when a two-point conversion attempt failed with 40 seconds remaining.

The Mariners are led by Curtis Warden, a quick quarterback who is a threat to run or pass on any given play.

Running back Aaron Williams is a physical runner who gets the majority of carries for Aptos, which prefers to keep the ball on the ground.

This has been a season of ups and downs for the San Lorenzo Valley Cougars, who look to hit their stride offensively after scoring at will against an undermanned St. Francis team. When the Cougars establish the run with Sean Carroll early in games, the passing game typically opens up. When the Cougars get behind and are forced to pass, they are often inconsistent.

It will be important that the Cougars get off to a good start to give them confidence and allow them to pound the ball on the ground to set up open passes. Kicker Michael Eisner could be instrumental in this game. He leads the team in scoring and consistently booms kickoffs into the opponent’s end zone, discouraging potentially game-changing returns.

Opening kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 tonight, Nov. 9, at Aptos.