Norwich football coach Mike Chrystie said that teams facing Maine-Endwell the past two years have had the look of a defeated team even before the opening kickoff. And why not?
The Spartans ran their winning streak to 29 games last week routing Johnson City 39-3. M-E is averaging 44 points per game, and has not had a competitive, four-quarter game since winning the Class A state title in 2011.
“We know its Maine-Endwell and Norwich, but we feel it’s still about us,” Chrystie said. “If we execute, it doesn’t matter who we line up against.”
Since a blowout loss to Vestal in week one when it turned the ball over nine times, Norwich has rarely put the ball on the ground, and is averaging over 30 points per game during a three-game winning streak.
Norwich’s offense is still developing and improving, but will the defense have enough to slow M-E’s potent attack led by all-state quarterback Kyle Gallagher, stout fullback Darnell Woolfolk, and a cast of returnees and newcomers that are putting up numbers similar to last year? “They lost a lot on the line, especially in terms of size,” Chrystie said. “The guys that have stepped in are not quite as big, but they’re just as physical.”
The Tornado and the Spartans both sit on top of Section IV’s Class B division, and a loss for either club certainly isn’t a postseason deal-breaker. And Chrystie is well aware that nearly everyone has his team as a big underdog. “Would this be a big upset?” Chrystie asked. “Probably to anyone outside of our locker room. We believe in ourselves and we’ll see this weekend how we measure up.”
Norwich travels to M-E Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. start. Below are the rest of this week’s football games:
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In a meeting of winless teams, Bainbridge-Guilford (0-4) entertains Unadilla Valley (0-4) tonight with the game moved up to a 6 p.m. start instead of 7 p.m. In a loss last week to Unatego, the Bobcats had a pair of 100-yard rushing days from Dylan Moffitt and Pedro Aparicio. “I expect they will be coming at us pretty hard to get their first win,” said UV coach Mark Segina. “They have some pretty solid talent at running back and on the line. Kind of frightening to think they are as young as they are. I think they will grow into one heck of a team the next couple of years.” ...The Marauders moved up two spots to the number 17 spot in the Class C state rankings after last week’s shutout win over Frankfort-Schuyler. Tonight, S-E (4-0) faces a big and physical Holland Patent (2-2) club that played F-S tight for most of the game....Greene (2-2) entertains Chenango Valley on Friday. CV, a Section IV Class B champion two of the previous three years, dropped down to Class C this year, and has shown no let up on the offensive end scoring over 34 points per game. The Warriors (3-1) won their opener in Class C division play beating Whitney Point, 28-8, while Greene was routed by Dryden in a non-division game last week....coming off its first victory, Oxford (1-3) has the tall task of traveling to defending Section IV Class D champion Tioga (4-0). The Tigers are allowing just seven points a game, and their record is anchored by a shutout victory over Chenango Forks.

Correction: S-E plays at Holland Patent Saturday afternoon.