Woodland’s Mike Kenney will move from wide receiver to quarterback this season.
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Vitals
Vitals- Coach: Tim Phipps (1st year)
- Conference: NVL Iron Division
- Playoff Class: S (342 boys enrollment)
- Home: Woodland Football Field, Beacon Falls
- 2013 Record: 12-3 (NVL Copper Division champions, NVL finalists, Class S finalists)
- 2014 Kickoff: at Watertown, Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.
- Captains: Jake Laliberte, Max McSperrin, Joe Poeta
- Team website: MaxPreps page
Top players
- Jake Laliberte, 6-1, 205, Sr., OL/LB
- Max McSperrin, 6-1, 214, Sr., OL/DL
- Joe Poeta, 5-8, Sr., WR/DB
- Sean McAllen, 5-9, 175, Jr., RB/DB
- Alex Varhol, 5-10, Sr., C/NT
- Will Flormann, 5-10, 210, Sr., OL/DT
- Mike Kenney, 6-0, 160, Sr., QB
- Dylan Abarzua, 6-2, Sr., WR/SS
- Jason Rodrigues, 5-11, 170, Sr., WR/DB
- Coby Vaccarelli, 5-9, 185, Jr., DB
- Pat Hale, 5-9, 145, Sr., DB
- Chris McDonald, 5-11, Sr., LB
Key losses
Tanner Kingsley, QB; Levi Fancher, TE/LB; Taylor Tucciarone, WR/DB; Chris Slavin, RB/LB; Alec Bures, OL; Jack Pinho, WR.
Woodland junior RB Sean McAllen
Outlook
Phipps begins his first season as head coach after taking over for Tim Shea, who resigned in May. Shea is now an assistant at Post University.
Shea did not leave the cupboard bare. Four of five (Laliberte, McSperrin, Varhol and Flormann) return on the offensive line.
The Hawks, though, do have to replace Tanner Kingsley at quarterback. Kingsley threw for 45 touchdowns last season. Kenney, who caught 57 passes for 1,014 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior, takes over that position and has impressed in the preseason.
McAllen and Vaccarelli lead the rushing attack. McAllen rushed 182 times for 1,586 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
The defensive line should also be strong. The four returning offensive linemen also play on the defensive side, giving experience to that unit.
The secondary is sound as well with the return of McAllen, Vaccarelli, Hale, Poeta and Rodrigues. Poeta made an interception to preserve Woodland’s 30-26 victory over Bloomfield in last season’s Class S semifinals.
The NVL expands to three divisions this season and the league has eliminated the league championship game, usually played the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Woodland is in a division that includes Valley teams Naugatuck and Oxford, a first-year NVL member, as well as Torrington, Watertown and Wolcott. Woodland, though, does not play Oxford this season.
“I believe that our players and coaches are excited about the new league realignment and the new division that we are in,” Phipps said. “We look forward to taking on a very challenging schedule and to competing against the other great teams of our conference. We are going to come out with tenacity and passion for each and every contest.”
2014 Schedule
- Sept. 12 — at Watertown, 6:30 p.m.**
- Sept. 19 — at Torrington, 7 p.m.**
- Sept. 26 — Wolcott, 6:30 p.m.**
- Oct. 3 — St. Paul, 6:30 p.m.*
- Oct. 17 — Weston, 6:30 p.m.
- Oct. 24 — at Naugatuck, 7 p.m.**
- Oct. 31 — at Wilby, 3:30 p.m.*
- Nov. 7 — Ansonia, 6:30 p.m.*
- Nov. 14 — Holy Cross, 6:30 p.m.*
- Nov. 21 — at Derby, 7 p.m.*
- Nov. 26 — Seymour, 6 p.m.*
*Conference game
**Division game