Through six weeks of the high school football season, the Woodbridge Barrons have been the perfect example of excellence. They are currently 6-0 with four of their six wins resulting from multi-score leads. And they’re showing zero signs of slowing down.
Standout Players
The Barrons have been able to win huge games this year with help from standout players such as ILB Lukas Valentin, RB Joshua Allen, and WR/DB Kyle Campos. Valentin’s been an anchor for the defense with a team-leading 8 tackles per game. Meanwhile, Allen has been on a tear, averaging 178 yards per game with 16 total touchdowns on the season. Campos has become a jack of all trades, being a utility player on offense, free safety on defense, and even playing both kicker and punter. He’s managed to play them all at a high level, leading the team in receiving yards, placing third in tackles per game with 5.5, leading the team in interceptions with three, and placing second in team rushing yards.
From Struggles to Team Success
While they’ve been unstoppable on the field, one could argue that they’ve been unstoppable off the field as well. They’ve been battling injuries, learning new positions, and rebuilding the varsity roster while still remaining dominant.
OL Nico Quezada had this to say about learning to play center, “When you switch to any position, it’s gonna be more difficult, especially with center, but the play doesn’t start until you snap the ball, so you gotta make sure that it’s good every time… I knew that if I practiced every day and worked hard that it was going to be a breeze in game.”
Quezada has been a crucial member of the offensive line this season, along with Guard Damian Vaccaro. Vaccaro has been an asset to the team for years, being named captain on both his freshman and JV teams and now starting varsity every Friday.
Vaccaro was recently asked about the pressures of varsity and what motivates him. This is how he replied, “I wouldn’t say it comes with any added pressure, but it comes with more responsibility. You have to look out for the team and be a good example for them… part of [flipping the switch] is playing for not just yourself but the people around you. Your team, your friends, and your family are all out there watching you.”
Seniors Lead the Way
It’s no wonder the junior class has turned out so well for the team when they’ve had seniors like OT Jhonny Collado and OLB Dylan Sabb to learn from. Both have seen it all during their high school football careers, including coaching changes, witnessing injuries, and seeing both mentors and locker room leaders leave the program.
When asked about seeing an injury on the field, Sabb gave an admirable response, “It’s really awful, just horrible to see. I wouldn’t wish that upon anybody … We’ll always try to do everything we can to help them out, keep their moods up, and keep them involved as part of the team.”
Sabb also had this to say when asked about being a leader on the field and trying to keep everybody focused, “I just try to remind everyone of their vision and why we’ve been working so hard for this… You can’t let that go to waste over one bad play.”
Through everything, the Barrons have continued to show they will get over any obstacle in their path, and they’ll do it together every step of the way. And with the playoffs only moving closer, it’s safe to say the Barrons will have the added support of the whole school to lift them up.
