Solid in all three phases of the sport, the Greenwich High School football team began its 2023 season the same way it ended its 2022 campaign – with a victory against non-conference rival Fairfield Prep.

Scoring two touchdowns on special teams, receiving a balanced offensive attack and getting strong defensive play, the defending CIAC Class LL state champion Cardinals began their journey to what they hope, is another season to remember, with a decisive 35-21 season-opening win Fairfield Prep on Saturday at hot and humid Cardinal Stadium.

This much-anticipated season-opener between two perennial postseason teams saw each squad have its moments. Yet the Cardinals enjoyed more standout moments, resulting in the second straight win over the Jesuits. The last time Greenwich and Fairfield Prep met was last December in the CIAC Class LL state title game, with the Cardinals earning an impressive 37-17 triumph. Greenwich led the majority of Saturday’s matchup, which featured big plays by both squads.

“This is Week 1 in a nutshell,” said Greenwich coach Anthony Morello, who has been at the helm since 2019. “You do one good thing and then you do one really bad thing. These Week 1 games are going to come down to mistakes and turnovers. We made a lot of those mistakes today, but the defense I thought, played really well and the special teams was huge.”

Senior running back/captain George Vomvolakis powered Greenwich’s running game, rushing for 138 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. The Cardinals displayed balance on offense, effectively mixing the run and pass.

“That’s probably what’s going to happen all season,” George Vomvolakis said. “We probably did 50/50 between the run and pass.”

Rocco Grillo, a senior quarterback, completed 14 of 21 passes for 127 yards. He threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Gavyn Gennarelli.

The game marked Grillo’s varsity debut as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback. He served as the backup quarterback to 2023 graduate Jack Wilson – the team’s starter the previous two seasons.

“There was definitely a lot of pressure – a home game Week 1 against a good opponent,” the 6-foot-1 Grillo said. “I felt it was manageable. The coaches set us up for a good week and we had a good week of practice – five sharp days and we came out here and played and got it done.”

Morello appreciated Grillo’s performance in his first game as the squad’s staring signal caller.

“Rocco demonstrated a ton of poise out there,” Morello noted. “Rocco has done a great job with his crew of seniors. They have all come to the GYFL together and they held up to the pressure really well.”

Morello, who is a new father, credited the squad’s assistant coaches for putting in extra hours of preparation for the game. His wife gave birth to a boy recently – Beau.

“He was born at 6:41 last Friday September 1,” Morello noted. “I had no sleep last night. I had a baby in one hand and computer in one hand. I’m grateful for the coaches I have on this staff. The coaches have stepped up – time was limited for me this week. We have great group of guys. I knew I could trust them with extra time I needed with family.”

Special teams provided Greenwich with its first touchdown of the new season. Behind a sack by senior defensive end John McHugh, Fairfield Prep went three-and-out on its second possession. Senior Ian Kim blocked the ensuing Prep punt and pounced on the ball in the end zone. Senior Erick Perino kicked the extra point and Greenwich took a 7-0 lead with 3:51 remaining in the opening quarter.

“The previous punt block, I missed my opportunity, I knew I had to capitalize to get our team going and to get the momentum and I just gave it all I had,” Kim said. “The ball ended up in my hands and I made the play.”

The Jesuits quickly tied the score. A long kickoff return put the ball at the Cardinals’ 2-yard line and one play later, senior quarterback Tyler Smith scored on a run, making it 7-7 at the 3:34 mark of the first quarter.

The Cardinals seized the lead for good at 14-7 when Grillo threw a 26-yard scoring strike to Gennarelli on a fourth-down play. Gennarelli hauled in a perfectly placed pass in the back of the end zone.

“It was a seam, I saw the ball go up and I had to make a play on it,” Gennarelli said. “We’re very powerful on offense. Everyone on the field can make a big play.”

Grillo knew the Cards had to take advantage of the opportunities that came their way against the Jesuits’ stellar defensive unit.

“Obviously, they have some really good players on their defense,” Grillo said. “Their safeties and linebackers were good. But basically, we watched a lot of film, we noted down what they did and we picked them at times.”

The home team added to its advantage thanks to George Vomvolakis. The elusive Vomvolakis broke through the Jesuits’ defense on his way to a 40-yard touchdown run, putting the Cards ahead, 21-7 with 4:36 to go in the second quarter. He lauded the squad’s offensive line, which features his brother Peter Vomvolakis, Richard McMurray, Nick Granitto, David Virella and Isaiah McDonald.

“The offensive line stepped it up today,” George Vomvolakis said. “Our whole offensive line is good and our offensive line played great today. It is an excellent win. A lot of people doubted us, I know for a fact Fairfield Prep wanted revenge, but we did what we had to do.”

Prep cut Greenwich’s lead to 21-14 when Smith threw an impressive 53-yard touchdown pass to junior wideout Kyler Robinson with 6:11 to go in the third quarter. The Jesuits couldn’t tie the score again though, as GHS senior linebackers John Insinga and Jayden Scott combined to sack Smith on Prep’s next possession giving the Cards the momentum.

The 6-3, 224-pound Insinga, a captain, was a force throughout the game. He bulled his way into the Jesuits’ backfield numerous times and did what he does best – disrupt plays.

“Prep is an excellent team,” Morello said. “Everything that we practiced based on what we saw in previous years, they threw different stuff at us. They forced us to make a lot of in-game adjustments. Having a lot of guys offensively, having their first starts of their careers today – I thought they handled the pressure really well.”

The defensive unit seems like its primed to carry on the team’s tradition of stingy defensive play.

“We have a lot of energy on defense and we are just relentless,” Ian Kim noted. “And we are going to improve from here.”

Grillo scored in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run and senior Brandon Auguste showcased his speed, scoring on a dazzling 90-yard kickoff return to cap the Cardinals’ win.

“Coach (John) Woodring (special teams coach) called a fake left, I saw the hole, ran it to the left, cut it inside, our blockers did a great job and I cut it out – touchdown,” Auguste said of his return to the end zone. “I think we did a great job on offense. But we have stuff to improve on. We have to keep getting better.”

Junior wideout Finbar Molloy snared a pass from Smith in the left corner of the end zone for Fairfield Prep’s final touchdown at the 9:27 mark of the fourth quarter. Auguste’s kickoff return for a touchdown followed, putting GHS ahead by two scores again, 35-21.

“We worked this week in practice, we had a good week of practice and we knew we wanted to punch them in the mouth early and keep being consistent the whole entire game,” said 6-2, 285-pound junior center Peter Vomvolakis, the team’s center. “We knew we had to win this game, it was very important. Coming out with a win and being 1-0 after the first week is really important to us.”

Senior linebacker/captain Sebastian Parra forced a key second-half fumble for Greenwich.

“We knew they were going to come out hard,” said Parra, who like Insinga and Scott was a formidable presence on defense. “We played them last year, so we knew some things. I thought the defense did really good, there were just typical mistakes, but we can fix that up.”

Gennarelli paced the Cards’ receiving corps.

“We struggled a little bit in the first quarter, we didn’t really do what we wanted, but we turned it around. So, we just have to fix some stuff, but it was awesome to get that first win today.”

Indeed, the atmosphere at Cardinal Stadium Saturday was inspiring for the athletes.

“It was great,” Grillo said. “When everyone gets out here and the stadium is bumping, it’s something you can’t make up – it’s something you can only dream of. It’s definitely a new experience and after that first wave of pressure gets lifted off you, it’s a really great experience.”

Following the first quarter, lightning in the area halted the game for 38 minutes. Fans had to seek shelter, but once the delay ended, they filled the stands on both sides of the field again for this much-anticipated season-opener.

Up next for Greenwich is a home game against Stamford on Thursday at 6 p.m.