Moses spent all offseason working toward better season with Bishop Guertin football

John Trisciani was wrapping up the last student-free day at Bishop Guertin High School when a familiar face found him in the school.

It was still a few hours before the Cardinals' second-year head football coach would get the team's first preseason practice underway, but there was senior Hayden Moses, at the school, ready to go long before any of his teammates.

"It’s probably the least surprising thing that happened (Aug. 16), to see him here as early as he was," Trisciani said. "The teachers are already in school, so he found me pretty quick when he came in here and I wasn’t surprised at all. He’s really been the most committed kid we’ve had this year."

That was the case from the moment the season ended last October.

Bishop Guertin started its offseason lifting program in January, and Trisciani counted 72 total days of workouts that were available for players. Moses came in for every single one of them, and even some that weren't on the coach's program.

"He gave us a couple of months off to rest our bodies up," Moses said. "A couple of us were going in the weight room right after the season ended. We were all disappointed with how the season went."

The Cardinals compiled a 2-7 record in 2018, missing the playoffs for the second year in row.

But although Bishop Guertin struggled at times - the defense allowed an average of 31 points per game and the offense scored more than 20 points just three times - both Moses and Trisciani eyed this season as one were the team could take a big step forward after gaining a lot of experience.

"A lot of the team was juniors last year, so we knew a lot of guys were returning," Moses said. "I think we know more what to expect this year. Last year, we had big eyes out on the field, not always knowing what to expect. With a year of that, we’re familiar it, with the play calls, everything that we’re doing. It’s really been beneficial to all the guys."

For Moses, one of those experiences was battling for the starting quarterback position for a portion of the season, as he shared time throughout the year with Joey DaSilva. At the end of last school year, DaSilva left Bishop Guertin to go to Windham.

"Competition is always great and I love competing," Moses said. "It’s great for the whole team, too, to see two guys pushing each other. Joey and I were really good friends on and off the field. Whether he was playing or I was playing, we were both encouraging each other and trying to help the team."

The way that Moses handled the situation, not just as it was happening, but in the offseason, told Trisciani a lot about where the quarterback was headed as senior year approached.

"I think Hayden dealt with some adversity last year and it’s like any other life experience," the coach said. "When you’re going through something that’s not ideal at the moment, it’s tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"When you get to look back on it, can you make any adversity you go through a positive. I think that he finished the year so strong and then he really attacked the offseason. I think he handled it in the best possible way that you could expect a high school kid to handle it."

Moses has also learned how to handle the offense that Trisciani wants to run, so much so that the coach will often bounce ideas off the senior.

"From an offensive standpoint, he’s the smartest person on the team who isn’t a coach," Trisciani said. "He’s always been really invested in football. He’s really an intelligent kid. He spends a lot of time on football aside from what the team does."

That comes from having started playing when Moses was 5-years-old. While he's participated in other sports, football is the one that became his passion, one that he hopes can continue in college.

"I’ve hit 12 college camps over the summer," he said. "Pursuing not only a great senior year with the team, but also trying to get ready for college opportunities as well."