Woodland High School football made a strong statement in the season opener, decisively defeating GNH 56-7 on Saturday afternoon. The decisive victory came in the debut game for new head coach Jeremy Clark, who replaced Joe Lato after last season’s 11-1 campaign that ended in the Class SS semifinals.
The Hawks faced considerable skepticism entering the season after losing numerous senior contributors from their previous year’s roster. However, Woodland’s offense proved doubters wrong by accumulating 324 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Senior quarterback Evan Mastropietro, who transitioned from tight end, led the offensive charge with 128 rushing yards and contributed 96 passing yards and two touchdown passes. Colby Marsan, a guard-turned-fullback, recorded two rushing touchdowns, while Justin Pringle added a score and a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown on defense.
Woodland’s dominant performance included not punting once during the entire game, showcasing offensive efficiency throughout all four quarters. GNH managed only one touchdown, scored by junior Airyn Berube on an option pitch, as the Yellowjackets struggled with early turnovers that proved costly against the Hawks’ dynamic offense.
Coach Clark emphasized his team’s ability to move forward from questions about roster turnover. “All they wanted to prove was…why don’t we just go be ourselves and play for each other?” Clark said after the game, highlighting how his players silenced preseason doubts with their impressive opening-day performance.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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