Prep football: Redwood uses quick-strike offense to beat Novato

Every time Nico Trubuzio caught the ball on Saturday afternoon, he scored a touchdown. It was that kind of a day for the Redwood High football team.

Trubuzio caught three balls for 127 yards and three scores as the Giants rode a quick-strike offense to a 55-0 home win against Novato.

“What my coach always says is put the ball in the hands of playmakers and let them make plays,” Redwood quarterback Brady Weingart said. “That’s basically the goal every game and Nico is a playmaker. He’s always going to make that play. I trust him every time.”

At times, the Giants not only looked like they could score from anywhere on the field, they actually did. Redwood (3-1, 1-0 MCAL) had four different one-play scoring drives in the first half.

Redwood needed three plays to score its first touchdown — a short run by Yur Majesty Starbird — then began dialing up big play after big play.

Starbird got the Giants rolling with an electric 53-yard touchdown run where he broke a couple of tackles and went down the right sideline, stiff-arming a defender to the ground on his way to the end zone.

“I’ve actually been trying to work on (the stiff arm), working out more, trying to get my upper body stronger so I can do what I did on that play,” Starbird said.

From there, Weingart and Tribuzio connected for touchdowns on Redwood’s next three scoring drives — a 21-yard throw to the back corner of the end zone, a wide receiver screen that Tribuzio took 49 yards to the house, and a 57-yard score where Trubuzio broke a handful of tackles then sprinted to the end zone.

“(Tribuzio) got a good release (on the first touchdown),” Weingart said. “He beat his guy because I think he’s the fastest player in MCAL. I kind of threw it up there and let him run under it. That’s all you have to do. He makes my job pretty easy.”

Tribuzio’s last two scores came on the first play of those drives. The Giants capped the half with another one-play drive — a 36-yard touchdown run by Sam Janowsky to put them up 42-0 and activate the running clock.

“Our O-line has been absolutely working,” Weingart said. “Every block, they finished those blocks. The holes for the running backs were huge. The pocket was great and honestly it all started with the O-line. They did a great job today.”

Weingart threw for 216 yards and four touchdowns — the last of which came late in the third quarter to Baden Bunch. Janowsky ran for 81 yards and Starbird had 115 scrimmage yards — all in the first half.

Novato was led by Samaje Featherstone, who ran for 25 yards and had the Hornets’ only reception for 15 yards.

Redwood rolls into its rivalry game against Tam next Saturday with some momentum.

“I’m so excited,” Weingart said. “It’s always been a big rivalry, always been a fun game, always gets chippy. I think a good week of practice and I’d bet money on us.”

Three of the previous four meetings between Tam and Redwood went down to the wire with Redwood winning all four.

Redwood 55, Novato 0

MCAL

Novato 0 0 0 0 — 0

Redwood 28 14 6 7 — 55

SCORING SUMMARY

R–Starbird 5 run (Weasler kick)

R–Starbird 53 run (Weasler kick)

R–Tribuzio 21 pass from Weingart (Weasler kick)

R–Tribuzio 49 pass from Weingart (Weasler kick)

R–Tribuzio 57 pass from Weingart (Weasler kick)

R–Janowsky 36 run (Weasler kick)

R–Bunch 11 pass from Weingart (kick failed)

R–Schuberth 11 run (Weasler kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–N, Featherstone 10-25, Peterson 3-3, Moreno 1-0, Martinez 2-(minus-4), Mulvaney 2-(minus-6), Flores 4-(minus-10). Totals 22-8. R, Janowsky 10-86, Starbird 6-80, Kaufman 4-28, Schuberth 3-7. Totals 23-201.

PASSING–N, Peterson 1-7-0 15, Moreno 0-1-0 0. Totals 1-8-0 15. R, Weingart 8-10-0 216.

RECEIVING–N, Featherstone 1-15. R, Tribuzio 3-127, Starbird 1-35, Bunch 2-34, Stodolnic 1-20. Totals 8-216.

Records: Novato 1-3, 0-1. Redwood 3-1, 1-0.