WATERBURY — Woodland High sophomore running back Zach Kabusk was just 1 yard shy of giving the Hawks an incredible trifecta last Thursday at Municipal Stadium.
Kabusk ran for 149 yards, Ben Nuss added 150 yards and Edit Krivca led the pack with 161 rushing yards as Woodland crushed Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech, 57-30, in a dominant offensive performance.
“They came out with a great attitude and they executed,” Woodland coach Chris Moffo said. “Offensively we executed very well.”
Moffo has come to expect terrific performances by Krivca, the junior who usually leads the team in carries. Krivca didn’t disappoint, scoring three touchdowns on the ground and adding a 51-yard touchdown grab from Tyler Bulinski, who tossed his first career scoring pass.
Nuss was solid, too, racking up three more touchdowns on 15 carries. But Moffo was especially impressed with Kabusk, who needed just nine carries to hit his total.
“Zach Kabusk did very well,” Moffo said. “He ran the ball hard and played well on defense.”
Zach Cochran also carried three times for 14 yards and a touchdown. The number of quality options Woodland (2-1) has in its wing-T backfield leads to a contagiously positive attitude among the stable of running backs, according to Moffo.
“The boys get excited,” he said. “They know that they can touch the ball a lot and that good things can happen if we execute.”
Next up is the Hawks’ rivalry game against Naugatuck, which is set for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff Friday in Beacon Falls. This will be the fifth time the teams will play for the George Pinho Trophy, which is named after the Naugatuck native and Woodland assistant coach who died unexpectedly in January 2013.
Since the Pinho Trophy made its debut, the Hawks and ‘Hounds have each claimed it twice. Naugatuck blitzed its way to a 39-0 win last season. The Greyhounds are 3-0 this fall after squeaking out a win over Torrington last week.
“They have great athletes,” Moffo said of Naugy. “(Wide receiver Zach) Koslosky is a very good football player. (Quarterback) Mike Plasky does very well. Defensive line-wise, they’re very good. They’re well coached and it’s going to be a fun game on Friday.”
Part of that fun stems from the rowdy atmosphere that usually surrounds the rivalry game, especially during the contests played on top of Rimmon Hill. Moffo said the Hawks’ coaching staff has been trying to prepare the team not just for what Naugy will bring on the field, but also for the atmosphere in which they’ll play.
“We have to keep the kids on task,” Moffo said. “We have to get them to ignore the noise at their local hangouts and barbershops and whatnot. We have to stay within us and take one step at a time. It’s going to be an emotional night. The community comes out to support us every week, but this week especially. It’s a great atmosphere at home whenever we play, but especially for the Naugatuck game.”
