Wildcats power past Tornado in Class B playoffs
NORWICH – Size matters, especially when paired with quickness and strength.
Johnson City’s defensive line proved almost unblockable Friday night, and when the slightest hole opened, aggressive linebackers and defensive backs plugged those gaps quickly.
The Wildcats, their own worst enemy for a quarter and a half, strung together enough error-free plays on offense to rack up three touchdowns in a 20-6 Class B playoff win over Norwich Friday night.
Norwich quarterback Seth Thomsen, and backup Casey Edwards, were sacked a combined nine times by a defensive front led by Division I recruit Daquan Jones, who will suit up for the Penn State Nittany Lions next fall.
“Defensively, they’re so sound,” said Norwich coach John Martinson.
Jones and company on the interior defensive line averaged over 275 pounds. Thomsen, who took all but a couple of snaps under center, rarely had time to throw the ball when the down and distance required a pass play. “Physically it was really hard to match up with them,” Martinson said. “Obviously, Daquan is extremely physical, but that entire defense plays that ‘fifty-two’ (defense) very well. They had nine in the box and made it very difficult for us to sustain drives more than two or three plays at a time. We would get two or three yards here, then lose five or six.”
Johnson City scored two touchdowns over the last 6 1/2 minutes of the first half. Up to that point, JC had converted just one first down, fumbled four times in the first half – losing one – and mishandled two punt returns losing another there as well.
Just like the two clubs’ first meeting, those mistakes were erased quickly by dominating defensive play.
“A lot of talk has been focused on our offense throughout the season, but our defense certainly has stepped it up at times and played well,” said JC head coach Fred Deinhardt, whose club held Norwich to 110 total yards. “No question they did it tonight and they kept us in the ballgame. It’s why we were able to win this game.”
Casting those early mistakes aside, a 15-yard run by Bryon Palmer and a 25-yard scoot by Josh Halladay set the stage for a 71-yard scoring drive. Halladay’s three-yard TD run at 6:35 of the second quarter and Palmer’s point-after kick made it 7-0.
Norwich fumbled on its next possession, the first of two lost fumbles for the Tornado, and 260-pound lineman Patrick Reno recovered at the Norwich 35. On the second play after the recovery, quarterback Jake Spalik rolled to his right looking for a downfield receiver. Seeing nothing he liked, he reversed course and scrambled back to the left. There he picked up a couple of blocks, and did the rest on his own scoring on a 33-yard play. The conversion kick was true making it 14-0 at the break.
Norwich had just three first downs in the second half, but gathered hope midway through the fourth quarter. Spalik threw a pass to tight end Jeff Sisenstein in the middle of the field. Sisentein was leveled by Norwich senior Andrew Austin precisely when Sisenstein was pulling the ball in to his chest. The ball bounced up as Morgan Cleveland pulled in a look-what-I-found interception, and returned it 47 yards to the JC 32.
It appeared the Wildcats defense would hold again as Norwich faced a fourth-and-16 after the ninth and final sack. Thomsen rolled to his right on fourth down, and connected with Casey Edwards on a 32-yard play to the six. Christian Hotaling scored on a three-yard run paring the margin to 14-6.
Johnson City recovered Norwich’s onside kick, and with the aid of a 15-yard face mask penalty, moved 51 yards for the clinching score. Palmer’s one-yard score with 1:25 left ended Norwich’s one-game playoff experience. “Really, this was a one-TD game,” Martinson said. “Our kids fought to the end, and Johnson City is a tremendous football team that I think can go very far.”
Norwich finishes the season 5-4 after returning to postseason play for the first time in four years.
“This season is a testimony to the kids and the coaching staff,” Martinson said. “These kids believed in what they were doing and we believed in them. What they did this year shouldn’t be looked at lightly. To go 0-3 and rip off five straight wins is a tremendous accomplishment.”
Score by quarters
JCity 0 14 0 6–20
NHS 0 0 0 6–6
Scoring Summary
Second quarter
JC: Josh Halladay 3 run (Bryon Palmer kick)
JC: Jake Spalik 33 run (Palmer kick
Fourth quarter
N: Christian Hotaling 3 run (kick failed)
JC: Palmer 1 run (kick failed)
Team Summary
N JC
First downs 7 11
Total yards 110 211
Rushes-yds 45-64 38-146
Passing yds 56 65
Comp-att-int 3-11-2 4-11-2
Punts-avg 4-31.3 3-33.3
Fumbles-lost 2-2 6-1
Penalties-yds 6-45 5-40
Individual Statistics
Rushing: (JC) Josh Halladay, 12-66; Bryon Palmer, 15-48; Jake Spalik, 10-34; Jerrel Whisonant, 1-(-2). (N) Christian Hotaling, 14-47; Mackay Hotaling, 11-22; Paddy Law, 2-8; Tyler Hoffman, 1-1; Casey Edwards, 1-(-3); Alex Williams, 1-(-6); Seth Thomsen, 15- (-11).
Passing: (JC) Spalik, 4-11-2, 65 yards; (N) Thomsen, 2-10-2, 48 yards; Casey Edwards, 1-1-0, 8 yards.
Receiving: (JC) Troy Robinson, 2-51; Bryon Palmer, 1-8; Jeff Sisenstein, 1-6. (N) Casey Edwards, 1-32; Andrew Austin, 2-18; *Tyler Hoffman, 0-6.
*Advanced an Austin 10-yard catch six more yards after a lateral.
Johnson City’s defensive line proved almost unblockable Friday night, and when the slightest hole opened, aggressive linebackers and defensive backs plugged those gaps quickly.
The Wildcats, their own worst enemy for a quarter and a half, strung together enough error-free plays on offense to rack up three touchdowns in a 20-6 Class B playoff win over Norwich Friday night.
Norwich quarterback Seth Thomsen, and backup Casey Edwards, were sacked a combined nine times by a defensive front led by Division I recruit Daquan Jones, who will suit up for the Penn State Nittany Lions next fall.
“Defensively, they’re so sound,” said Norwich coach John Martinson.
Jones and company on the interior defensive line averaged over 275 pounds. Thomsen, who took all but a couple of snaps under center, rarely had time to throw the ball when the down and distance required a pass play. “Physically it was really hard to match up with them,” Martinson said. “Obviously, Daquan is extremely physical, but that entire defense plays that ‘fifty-two’ (defense) very well. They had nine in the box and made it very difficult for us to sustain drives more than two or three plays at a time. We would get two or three yards here, then lose five or six.”
Johnson City scored two touchdowns over the last 6 1/2 minutes of the first half. Up to that point, JC had converted just one first down, fumbled four times in the first half – losing one – and mishandled two punt returns losing another there as well.
Just like the two clubs’ first meeting, those mistakes were erased quickly by dominating defensive play.
“A lot of talk has been focused on our offense throughout the season, but our defense certainly has stepped it up at times and played well,” said JC head coach Fred Deinhardt, whose club held Norwich to 110 total yards. “No question they did it tonight and they kept us in the ballgame. It’s why we were able to win this game.”
Casting those early mistakes aside, a 15-yard run by Bryon Palmer and a 25-yard scoot by Josh Halladay set the stage for a 71-yard scoring drive. Halladay’s three-yard TD run at 6:35 of the second quarter and Palmer’s point-after kick made it 7-0.
Norwich fumbled on its next possession, the first of two lost fumbles for the Tornado, and 260-pound lineman Patrick Reno recovered at the Norwich 35. On the second play after the recovery, quarterback Jake Spalik rolled to his right looking for a downfield receiver. Seeing nothing he liked, he reversed course and scrambled back to the left. There he picked up a couple of blocks, and did the rest on his own scoring on a 33-yard play. The conversion kick was true making it 14-0 at the break.
Norwich had just three first downs in the second half, but gathered hope midway through the fourth quarter. Spalik threw a pass to tight end Jeff Sisenstein in the middle of the field. Sisentein was leveled by Norwich senior Andrew Austin precisely when Sisenstein was pulling the ball in to his chest. The ball bounced up as Morgan Cleveland pulled in a look-what-I-found interception, and returned it 47 yards to the JC 32.
It appeared the Wildcats defense would hold again as Norwich faced a fourth-and-16 after the ninth and final sack. Thomsen rolled to his right on fourth down, and connected with Casey Edwards on a 32-yard play to the six. Christian Hotaling scored on a three-yard run paring the margin to 14-6.
Johnson City recovered Norwich’s onside kick, and with the aid of a 15-yard face mask penalty, moved 51 yards for the clinching score. Palmer’s one-yard score with 1:25 left ended Norwich’s one-game playoff experience. “Really, this was a one-TD game,” Martinson said. “Our kids fought to the end, and Johnson City is a tremendous football team that I think can go very far.”
Norwich finishes the season 5-4 after returning to postseason play for the first time in four years.
“This season is a testimony to the kids and the coaching staff,” Martinson said. “These kids believed in what they were doing and we believed in them. What they did this year shouldn’t be looked at lightly. To go 0-3 and rip off five straight wins is a tremendous accomplishment.”
Score by quarters
JCity 0 14 0 6–20
NHS 0 0 0 6–6
Scoring Summary
Second quarter
JC: Josh Halladay 3 run (Bryon Palmer kick)
JC: Jake Spalik 33 run (Palmer kick
Fourth quarter
N: Christian Hotaling 3 run (kick failed)
JC: Palmer 1 run (kick failed)
Team Summary
N JC
First downs 7 11
Total yards 110 211
Rushes-yds 45-64 38-146
Passing yds 56 65
Comp-att-int 3-11-2 4-11-2
Punts-avg 4-31.3 3-33.3
Fumbles-lost 2-2 6-1
Penalties-yds 6-45 5-40
Individual Statistics
Rushing: (JC) Josh Halladay, 12-66; Bryon Palmer, 15-48; Jake Spalik, 10-34; Jerrel Whisonant, 1-(-2). (N) Christian Hotaling, 14-47; Mackay Hotaling, 11-22; Paddy Law, 2-8; Tyler Hoffman, 1-1; Casey Edwards, 1-(-3); Alex Williams, 1-(-6); Seth Thomsen, 15- (-11).
Passing: (JC) Spalik, 4-11-2, 65 yards; (N) Thomsen, 2-10-2, 48 yards; Casey Edwards, 1-1-0, 8 yards.
Receiving: (JC) Troy Robinson, 2-51; Bryon Palmer, 1-8; Jeff Sisenstein, 1-6. (N) Casey Edwards, 1-32; Andrew Austin, 2-18; *Tyler Hoffman, 0-6.
*Advanced an Austin 10-yard catch six more yards after a lateral.
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