Hawks stifle Eagles

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WATERBURY — Woodland’s defense is back to normal. That is, if allowing three points to opposing varsity offenses in the last two games is normal.

The Hawks allowed just 103 yards of total offense, scored 32 points, and pitched a shutout in a dominant, 32-0 win over Kennedy last Friday night at Municipal Stadium.

Still, Woodland coach Tim Shea wasn’t buying any notion that his Hawks played a flawless game.

“I’ve been around football a long time,” Shea said. “I’ve yet to see a perfect game. We have a lot to work on. Kennedy is a lot better than this score would show. They played very, very hard tonight. We had to make some adjustments and we ended up playing some good football.”

The Hawks (3-1) allowed Kennedy (0-4) to run just a handful of plays inside the red zone and held the Eagles under 100 yards of total offense until the fourth quarter.

“The kids take it upon themselves to play at a unit,” Shea said. “We preach a real simple scheme to get to the ball. Every team has something they do well and we try to take that away.”

Sophomore quarterback Tanner Kingsley played perhaps his best game of the season, completing 13 of 22 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns.

Kingsley was responsible for three of Woodland’s first four trips to the end zone. Late in the first quarter, he rolled out on a third-and-5 from the Hawks’ 38-yard line and found Anthony Scirpo all alone at midfield. Scirpo did the rest, just reaching the goal line before Kennedy’s James Jonelis to put Woodland ahead, 7-0.

On the Eagles’ first play of their next offensive series, Zach Plourde recovered a botched snap to give the Hawks the ball at the Kennedy 19. Three plays later, Kingsley hooked up with Kyle McClintick on a 5-yard touchdown pass to make it 13-0.

Matt Zaccagnini scored for the third time in four games with a 4-yard run late in the second quarter to make it 19-0, the margins by which Woodland led at the half.

Zaccagnini did not play in the second half due to an ankle injury, according to Shea.

“It was mostly precautionary,” Shea said. “He could have gone if he needed to.”

The senior running back’s absence allowed Kingsley to air it out a little more. The left-hander’s third and final touchdown pass of the night came in the third quarter when he lofted a pass to McClintick in the front right corner of the end zone from 26 yards out. That gave Woodland a 25-0 advantage.

Woodland’s backup running backs also saw time in Zaccagnini’s absence. Sophomore Taylor Tucciarone carried 12 times for 64 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to account for the 32-0 final.

“It was good getting Tucciarone some carries tonight,” Shea said. “He ran the ball pretty hard. Tanner will get better every week. Game reps take care of everything.”

The Hawks play their only Saturday game of the regular season this week when they visit St. Paul at 1:30 p.m. The Falcons allowed 80 points last week to Torrington and a whopping 209 in just four games so far this year.