Cardinals soar over FCIAC football foe Westhill, raise record to a perfect 8-0

By David Fierro on November 5, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich High School senior quarterback Rocco Grillo, right, scrambles for yards down the sideline during an FCIAC football game against Westhill on Nov. 4, 2023, in Stamford. Greenwich won, the game, 43-8.

The beat goes on for the Greenwich High School football team.

Flourishing once again on both sides of the ball, the Cardinals beat another opponent in emphatic fashion on Saturday at Westhill High School in Stamford.

Scoring 29 first-half points, Greenwich topped Westhill, 43-8, in an FCIAC game held in Stamford. Ranked No. 1 in the GameTimeCT Top-10 Poll, the Cardinals ran their record to a perfect 8-0 with the triumph.

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich tight end Max Marek runs with the ball after catching a pass, while being pursued by Deadre Rodas of Westhill during a varsity football game on Nov. 4, 2023, in Stamford. The Cardinals posted a 43-8 victory.

Senior quarterback Rocco Grillo threw a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Gavyn Gennarelli, senior Ian Kim ran for two touchdowns, Brandon Auguste, a senior, caught a touchdown pass and Brandon Boone (senior) had a TD for the Cardinals, who held a commanding 29-0 halftime lead on the Vikings (0-8).

“The team played well,” Greenwich coach Anthony Morello said. “George Vomvolakis (senior running back) is recovering from a lacerated kidney and will be out for some time, so it was nice to see Ian Kim step up and lead the team in rushing.”

Kim rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Cardinals’ running game. Vomvolakis, one of the Cards’ captains, sustained his injury during last week’s 23-9 road win against St. Joseph. He is Greenwich’s leading rusher, totaled 607 yards and eight touchdowns in six games.

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich wide receiver Blake Martin catches a pass over the middle against host Westhill.

Since edging Maloney on the road, 30-28, on Sept. 22, Greenwich has allowed only 31 points in its last five games. They have allowed less than 10 points in four of those five matchups, all of which resulted in resounding wins.

“Defensively, we continued to be sound and physical,” Morello said. “The defense gets better every week and is really fun to watch.”

Senior linebacker/captain Sebastian Parra intercepted a pass from Westhill’s quarterback and returned it to the end zone for a touchdown. Parra now has a team-high four interceptions on the season for GHS.

Greenwich High School senior linebacker John Insinga sacks Westhill’s quarterback during a varsity football game at Westhill in Stamford on Nov. 4, 2023. The Cardinals have a record of 8-0.

“He continues to fill every stat this sport has to offer,” Morello said of Parra’s excellent performances each game.

Greenwich took a 6-0 lead at the 10:38 mark of the first quarter. Grillo completed a pass in the right flat to Gennarelli, who showed his speed by turning the corner and reaching the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown. Gennarelli had two receptions during the scoring drive.

Greenwich senior wide receiver Gavyn Gennarelli runs with the ball after catching a pass during a game against host Westhill. Pursuing Gennarelli is Lucas Bourisquot. The Cardinals were victorious, 43-8.

Getting the start in the backfield in place of Vomvolakis, Kim scored on a 7-yard touchdown run with 7:18 left in the first quarter. Senior Erick Perino split the uprights for the extra point, giving Greenwich a 13-0 advantage.

A pair of receptions from junior tight end Max Marek and a two runs for first downs keyed the Cardinals’ first scoring drive.

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich wide receiver Max Marek catches a pass against Westhill in Stamford.

Westhill’s ensuing drive was halted deep in its own territory, thanks to tackles for lost yardage by senior defensive lineman Ignacy Pietryka and senior linebacker/captain John Insinga. Insinga, as usual, was a force on defense throughout the FCIAC game.

Punting deep in their own territory, the Vikings couldn’t get the ensuing punt off, due to a mishandled snap. The ball rolled into and out of, the end zone, resulting in a GHS safety and a 15-0 lead for the Cardinals with 5:20 to go in the opening quarter.

Greenwich’s offensive unit scored 43 points in a victory versus Westhill on Nov. 5, 2023.

The Cardinals weren’t done putting points on the scoreboard in the first quarter though. On its next possession, Greenwich entered the end zone again. This time Auguste scored on a 9-yard reception, which he took around the left side, putting the visitors on top, 22-0, with 1:25 remaining in the first quarter.

Junior wideout Blake Martin kept Greenwich’s drive going with a reception over the middle and Kim had a couple of more runs for positive yardage.

Running back Ian Kim scored a pair of touchdowns in Greenwich’s win over FCIAC football opponent Westhill.

Morello was pleased with how the offense consistently moved the ball.

“Rocco (Grillo) continues to thrive in this offense, completing passes to half a dozen wide receivers,” Morello noted. “It’s great to see so many guys involved in the offense.”

Greenwich High School’s varsity cheerleaders in action during the Greenwich varsity football team’s game vs. Westhill.

Kim capped Greenwich’s first-half scoring with an 8-yard run through the left side with 2:48 to go in the second quarter, making it 29-0. In the second half, senior quarterback Brandon Boone had a touchdown and Parra picked off a pass for a score.

Grillo entered Saturday’s game versus Westhill with 12 touchdown passes and only two interceptions for the season.

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich senior defensive lineman John McHugh pressures Westhill’s quarterback.

Senior defensive lineman Yahcere McGhee registered a sack for Greenwich, which put a good amount of pressure on Westhill’s quarterback.

The Vikings’ touchdown came during the third quarter. Trailing 36-0, Westhill reached the end zone behind its defense. Senior defensive back/captain Konstantinos Servos intercepted a pass from Greenwich senior quarterback Kaine Rama (who replaced Grillo in the second half) and ran it back 60 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. The Vikings had a successful 2-point conversion, making it 36-8.

Greenwich senior wide receiver, Brandon Auguste, right, scored a touchdown in a triumph versus host Westhill.

Coach (Owen) Sandoval is a great guy and him and his staff are working hard to turn that program around,” Morello said of Westhill. “They are a few years away from making some noise.”

The Cardinals will look to continue their perfect season Friday against Ridgefield at Cardinal Stadium at 7 p.m.

Greenwich’s defenders converge on a Westhill offensive player during FCIAC football action on Nov. 5, 2023, in Stamford.

“These are the grind weeks,” Morello noted. “Late hours, long nights, short weeks. I tell the team it’s a battle of attrition from this point on. What we did for two months means very little. It helped us get to where we are but every game from here on out is a must win.”