What Remmy has seen:
Woodland- Woodland has been playing progressively better, especially on defense. The Hawks are still suspect on offense, in my opinion. The good thing for them is that with DeBiase handling the ball on every play, a score can occur at any time. Woodland has the more balanced attack of the two combatants in this game.
Torrington- Everyone knows the Raiders boast a powerful, hard-nosed running game. There have been questions regarding the starting quarterback's status. Some say he is out and a freshman will be starting at QB while others say this is just a rumor. Whoever it is, it will not matter too much because Torrington rarely throws the ball. But it could prove costly for the Raiders because of the freshman's lack of experience handling the ball in games.
What Kyle has seen:
Woodland- The Hawks weathered the toughest schedule of any NVL team over the first five weeks and the gauntlet continues this week in Torrington. Woodland's rush defense has steadily improved throughout the season, allowing well under 100 yards to good running teams in Watertown and Holy Cross. The offense is starting to shape up, too, with some emphasis coming off Jack DeBiase and shifting to wingbacks Craig Genz and Jake Pinho. DeBiase is also throwing the ball a little more lately, hooking up with Rahmi Rountree on a few big plays over the last few weeks.
Torrington- Torrington features one of the best running games in the league, led by Brenden Lytton. The passing game hasn't been too effective, but it really hasn't been needed much. The Raiders' defense has also become more effective with every game it’s played. Torrington can match physicality with most teams, including Woodland.
Remmy's keys to the game:
Woodland- Don't be afraid to throw the ball. Hit Torrington quickly through the air. The Raiders' weakness on defense is its secondary. The Torrington D-line is pretty good, especially big #74. The kid is a maniac--don't run his way. The Hawks have the speed, with DeBiase and Pinho, to get to the corner and get some big gains in this game. The Hawks' defense must slow down the Raiders run game. If the Hawks can limit Torrington to a sub 200-yard game on the ground, the Hawks go back to Beacon Falls with a win.
Torrington- Run the ball down Woody's throat. Torrington won't surprise anyone with its passing offense. However, it should, because the Woodland secondary itself has been suspect this year--giving up big pass plays in practically every contest.
Kyle's keys to the game:
Woodland- It's probably going to come down to stopping Torrington's running game. Woodland has shown the ability to slow down any team's running game after the first week against Ansonia, and all the practice they've gotten from stopping Matt Quatrano, Curtis Pomeroy, Brandon DiClementi, and Dave DiGiorgi will come in handy this week against Lytton and Jared Williams. The Hawks' offense normally plays to the flow of the game, so I wouldn't expect a ton of points unless it becomes an up-and-down game. Working the short passes could be important.
Torrington- The Raiders are going to have to break Woodland's rush defense in order to win. We're not clear on quarterback Jason Abbott's status for the game, but even if he plays, he's not a huge threat to throw. That will allow the Hawks to concentrate on stuffing the box and crashing the safeties. Woodland has been playing a lot of man defense, so we'll see if that continues. I'm interested to see what Torrington can do on defense. Perhaps unfairly, the last time I saw the Raiders, they gave up several big plays to Naugatuck. We know the key matchup will be Torrington's rush offense against Woodland's rush defense, but the Raiders' defense might be the X-factor.
Remmy's summary:
Torrington's backfield vs. Woodland's 8-, 9-, and 10-man fronts. Expect Woodland to stack the box on Saturday, especially if Torrington starts the freshman at QB. If DeBiase is the leading tackler for Woodland, the Hawks are going to be in trouble. Don't allow Lytton to get into the secondary or he's gone! Collectively, I have not seen a defense hit harder this season than that of the Hawks. I've seen Torrington in only one game, at Seymour, and the Wildcats didn't lay big licks on the Raiders. I'm interested to see how Torrington would respond after being hit hard in a very tight game. Woodland should take its chances with DeBiase rolling out and throwing the ball on the run. The benefit to having a QB and a hard-nosed player like DeBiase is he is never afraid of tucking and running. This could prove to be the difference in this game. Pick: Woodland, 27-26.
Kyle's summary:
It's no secret here: If Woodland stops Brenden Lytton and the Torrington running game, the Hawks will win. If not, the Woodland offense is going to need to pull out the offense that it showed against Ansonia to stay in it. Either way, this should be an excellent game and probably will be a one-possession contest come the fourth quarter. If it does come down to a game decided on the last few possessions, I would favor the Hawks' leadership to win out. I think there are just more things in favor of Woodland than Torrington, but I'm not going to be surprised if either team wins. Pick: Woodland, 21-14.
For a little extra to chew on before this week's games, check out Kyle's first examination of the state playoff picture in the latest post on the Red Zone blog.
For a little extra to chew on before this week's games, check out Kyle's first examination of the state playoff picture in the latest post on the Red Zone blog.
