With a league record of 1-1 and an overall record of 2-3, the varsity football team is currently tied for fourth place in the league with Terra Linda and Novato. Even though the team hasn’t had the best of seasons–the Giants recently lost to San Marin–head coach Corky Henderson is still optimistic about the team’s ability to defeat the historically successful Marin Catholic team.

“There’s no doubt in my mind about whether or not we can beat [Marin Catholic],” Henderson said. “They think that they’re going to roll us up, and I think they’re going to get rolled up. This year, I can say with all confidence that we can go over there expecting to beat them. There won’t be any d

oubt in our minds that we can do it by then.”

Because of the suspensions of several Marin Catholic football players, the Giants are advantaged by the inability of the suspended players to participate in practices and games until late October.

“This year is a different story. Novato just played Marin Catholic last week and they held [Marin Catholic] to 7-7 in the first half and lost 21-7,” senior offensive lineman Ryan Pozivenec said. “That is really the first time that an MCAL team has been able to stop Marin Catholic from scoring like 40 points in the first half. We know that they have a lot of talent.”

However, the Giants lost 6-0 to San Marin, who was defeated 55-3 by Marin Catholic.

According to Henderson, one of the team’s best assets is its size, both in the large physical stature of some of the players and the team’s lengthy roster.

“We have guys rotating all the time,” Henderson said. “That’s a huge strength to be able to put fresh legs out there. When you play a team of only 22 guys, and I can run 40 at them all through the game, it’s a big deal.”

The team’s offense has also been helped by the success of senior Aaron Dorfler, who is playing his second year as the starting quarterback. Currently, Dorfler is ranked second in MCAL in the passing yards with a total of 915 yards, already exceeding his total of 760 yards in the previous season. However, during the San Marin game, Dorfler only completed four of 27 pass attempts and threw two interceptions.

The offense also fields a well-rounded team of running backs who can carry the football to gain yardage.

“We rotate our running backs to keep them healthy and keep them fresh,” Henderson said. “Enzo Tallerico and Kyle Fulton rotate at the fullback spot. Jacquez Sweeney, Joe Kasselik, Michael Lee, Nick Calzaretta–all of those guys are good running backs.”

A common trend for the varsity football team has been slow starts and momentous second halves where the majority of the points are scored.

“I hate it,” Henderson said. “I want to be a first and second half team. As coaches we sit here and go ‘what in the world is going on here?’ I don’t know why they warm up so slow in games.”

In the game against Tam on Sept. 20, the Giants battled back and forth for the first three quarters and won the game with a last minute touchdown.

“I don’t know if any of the other two [Redwood varsity football] teams that I coached  had enough talent to come back like we did the other day,” Henderson said. “We seemed to have lost the close games my first two years. This team seems to thrive on close games. They like being in the tight games, which gives me a heart attack. They’re able to compete in the tight games a lot better than we have in the past.”

Junior running back Michael Lee said that games like the one against Tam show the team’s work ethic because they were behind for a large duration of the game, but came back in the end instead of giving up.

“We usually get off to slow starts, but once we get the feel and the pace of the game everything just kind of clicks and our guys get working and more emotionally invested. We’re more fired up,” Lee said.

The team’s offense meets on Friday nights before games to bond as a unit and review their strategy, according to Pozivenec. They play football-related video games, eat dinner, and review their game plan for the next day.

The team will face Novato at home on Oct. 11 for Redwood’s homecoming game, where the King and Queen will be announced at halftime.