Even when Novato defenders could get their hands on senior running back Nick Calzaretta, there was little they could do to bring him down. Despite only carrying the ball 10 times, a tiny workload compared to his previous outings, Calzaretta racked up 270 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, a remarkable stat line. But Calzaretta’s dominance was only part of the story as the Giants blew past the Hornets 76-7 on Saturday.
It wasn’t until the score was 76-0 during the third quarter that the Hornets were even able to put points on the board, as Redwood’s stout defense kept Novato’s offense at bay for the entirety of the game.
The crowd was energized from the start as the homecoming gameday atmosphere was noticeable throughout the stands. As Redwood broke big play after big play, the bleachers were quick to make themselves heard.
“Coming off of a bye week is rough,” Talley said. “But [the players] played well and got off of the line quickly.”
Talley added that the lopsided score provided an opportunity to get many more players into the game.
After finishing the first half ahead 69-0, Redwood took its foot off the gas, allowing younger players to get more reps. Calzaretta didn’t have a single carry in the second half.
The win pushes the Giants to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in MCAL and puts them in a position to lock up second place in MCAL with a win next week.
Moving Forward
Next week, the Giants will face the third place San Marin Mustangs.
With a record of 7-1, Redwood is already assured a place in the NCS playoffs. With a reeling San Rafael team still on the schedule the week after this one, the matchup with the Mustangs is likely to be the Giants’ last competitive MCAL game. Should they win, the Giants will clinch second place in MCAL, and will most likely stay behind Marin Catholic barring an unlikely late-season collapse from the Wildcats.
Nonetheless, Redwood’s primary focus will be on its next matchup, as it’ll try to stay on the right track before the postseason.
“San Marin has been playing really well lately, so it’s going to be an important game,” Talley said. “We’ll enjoy this win for now and begin to focus on San Marin tomorrow.”
Photo gallery by Jocelyn Overmyer:
