Football

Norwich 33, Windsor 6

WINDSOR – With only three division games, Norwich treated its division opener Friday night at Windsor as if it was a playoff game.

Winless through three weeks, Norwich advanced a step forward toward a sixth straight postseason berth blowing the Black Knights out.

Mike Oralls rushed for 164 yards and two second-half touchdowns, and sophomore quarterback Cole Rifanburg scored on a pair of first-half TD runs. Norwich (1-3) appears to have righted the ship as it crosses the midway point of the 2014 season.

“We talked about playing a complete game and finishing games, and Friday night we controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,” said Norwich coach Mike Chrystie. “Statistically, I think it proved that.”

As dominant as Norwich played – and it only allowed Windsor 127 yards of total offense – it was a one-score game in the first half. Norwich lost one fumble while it was driving, and a fumbled punt return led to Windsor’s only score to make it 13-6 at halftime.

Windsor had an opportunity to extend the momentum to start the second half, but disaster quickly struck the Black Knights. A bad snap sailed over quarterback Jake Conroy, and Norwich junior Nick Murphy picked up the ball for a 28-yard scoop-and-score.

“We wanted to come out in the second half, get a stop, and then get a score,” Chrystie said. “I guess you could say we did both of those things on one play. From that point, we dominated the game.”