Norwich revisits Chittenango – 21 years after playoff loss
Norwich steps out of the section to face an old rival. The Tornado travel to Chittenango tonight for a 7 p.m. start. It's a reunion, of sorts, as the two teams squared off in the 1993 state playoffs, a contest that ended with the Bears scoring a late touchdown to advance past Norwich. The loss was Norwich’s lone defeat in a 10-1 season.
“There is some history there, and a lot of people remember that game,” said Norwich coach Mike Chrystie, “I know (that result) is still a very sore spot for everyone I have spoken to.”
Clearly, the events of that game have no bearing on either club’s current fortunes. None of the protagonists on the field were born, and Norwich’s head coach, Chrystie, was still in grade school at Oxford Academy.
In the present, each team has matching 1-3 starts with Chittenango coming off recent lopsided losses to Homer and Marcellus. Meanwhile, Norwich produced its first victory of the season last weekend rolling to a 33-6 victory over Windsor. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but Chrystie and his staff will certainly take it.
“We looked at the tape and I think we played well and executed well, but we know we can still improve and still play better,” the NHS coach said. “We need to be more consistent with our effort, our technique, and our overall game plan.”
In Chittenango, Norwich will square off against a team that wants to dictate at the line of scrimmage with a power running attack. If that fails, all bets are off, and Chittenango may resort to a wide-open spread offense. “We want to get them out of their bread and butter and force them to do things they don’t want to do,” Chrystie said.
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A reader pointed out that I make predictions of high school games in Tuesday’s Football Contest, so at the bottom of each game preview, I will repeat my selection. For what it’s worth, I did predict Norwich to defeat Chittenango this week. Below is a look at the other four local football games on the docket:
Tioga (3-1) at Oxford (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Oxford and Tioga do have matching records through four games this season, but in terms of reputation, past success, and results so far this season, the Tigers enter the game as the favorite.
“This will be our toughest competition to date, and going into the game, our kids will need to believe in themselves, believe in team play, and play every down as if it is the last,” said Oxford coach Jeff Newton.
Looking at Tioga on film, Newton said that Tioga operates its offense like a machine, and the defense is disciplined with what it does. The teams that have beaten Tioga were just as fundamentally sound and more physical. “You have to be willing to go nose to nose (with Tioga),” Newton said. “From the beginning of the season to now, our team has done a 180 with being dominant and physical.”
Prediction: Tioga.
Mt. Markham (2-2) at Sherburne-Earlville (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Tonight’s scrap will be the first time since the midway point of the 2012 season that the Marauders have the opportunity to bounce back from a loss. S-E’s lone loss a season ago was in the Section III playoffs, and in 2012, it was knocked out of the playoffs as well.
Mount Markham has usually provided S-E with a stern test, and with both clubs sitting at 1-1 in Section III’s Class C East division, the loser of this game will likely find themselves out of the playoff picture. “It’s a competitive division, and we have to take care our own business to put ourselves in a good position for the playoffs,” said S-E coach Mike Jasper.
Mount Markham’s Kyle Yager ran for 206 yards last week in a shutout of Sauquoit Valley, while the Marauders’ defense allowed over 340 yards rushing to Utica Notre Dame last week. Jasper knows his run defense will need to be on point for his team to be successful. “They kind of held the ball most of the fourth quarter against us,” Jasper said of the loss to UND. “Things could have been better…and we did give up some big plays in the second half.”
S-E’s most impressive offensive outing was also against Sauquoit Valley this season, and the Marauders have the emotional advantage of playing at home on senior recognition night.
Prediction: Sherburne-Earlville.
Bainbridge-Guilford (0-4) at Unadilla Valley (1-3) Friday, 7 p.m.
Bainbridge-Guilford has dominated this almost yearly meeting of local clubs dating back over a decade. With the two clubs sporting just one combined win, pride and the opportunity to build momentum for next season are two components most likely at stake here.
“We would need some help to make the playoffs besides just winning out, so the first step is controlling what we can control,” said UV head coach Mark Segina.
Segina isn’t ready to proclaim his team has completely turned the corner, but it did gain its most significant victory over an established program beating Sidney last week.
Sidney’s no-huddle attack played into UV’s hand as it favors the same mode of attack. B-G, though, prefers a grind-it-out running game, and the 0-4 record, Segina said, is deceiving. “B-G has a great coaching staff, their line is some of the best I’ve seen in terms of technique and execution, and they have very good running backs,” the UV coach said.
While the Bobcats have shown they can run the ball and score points, they haven’t been as successful in stopping other teams, especially the pass. And UV’s passing game is the best among Chenango County’s six football teams.
Prediction: Unadilla Valley.
Greene (0-4) at Lansing (3-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
The winless Trojans have not played particularly bad defense this season, but have found themselves playing too much defense as the club has scored just one touchdown in four games this year. Lansing, meanwhile, has shown a stingy defense itself, and is on pace to return to the playoffs.
“They run the ball about 90 percent of the time, and prefer the power running game,” said Greene coach Dave Gorton. “Defensively, they play aggressively and try to put pressure on the line of scrimmage.”
Gorton said keys to his team’s success will be containing Lansing’s tailback, while also playing clean on offense by avoiding turnovers and untimely penalties.
Prediction: Lansing.
“There is some history there, and a lot of people remember that game,” said Norwich coach Mike Chrystie, “I know (that result) is still a very sore spot for everyone I have spoken to.”
Clearly, the events of that game have no bearing on either club’s current fortunes. None of the protagonists on the field were born, and Norwich’s head coach, Chrystie, was still in grade school at Oxford Academy.
In the present, each team has matching 1-3 starts with Chittenango coming off recent lopsided losses to Homer and Marcellus. Meanwhile, Norwich produced its first victory of the season last weekend rolling to a 33-6 victory over Windsor. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but Chrystie and his staff will certainly take it.
“We looked at the tape and I think we played well and executed well, but we know we can still improve and still play better,” the NHS coach said. “We need to be more consistent with our effort, our technique, and our overall game plan.”
In Chittenango, Norwich will square off against a team that wants to dictate at the line of scrimmage with a power running attack. If that fails, all bets are off, and Chittenango may resort to a wide-open spread offense. “We want to get them out of their bread and butter and force them to do things they don’t want to do,” Chrystie said.
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A reader pointed out that I make predictions of high school games in Tuesday’s Football Contest, so at the bottom of each game preview, I will repeat my selection. For what it’s worth, I did predict Norwich to defeat Chittenango this week. Below is a look at the other four local football games on the docket:
Tioga (3-1) at Oxford (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Oxford and Tioga do have matching records through four games this season, but in terms of reputation, past success, and results so far this season, the Tigers enter the game as the favorite.
“This will be our toughest competition to date, and going into the game, our kids will need to believe in themselves, believe in team play, and play every down as if it is the last,” said Oxford coach Jeff Newton.
Looking at Tioga on film, Newton said that Tioga operates its offense like a machine, and the defense is disciplined with what it does. The teams that have beaten Tioga were just as fundamentally sound and more physical. “You have to be willing to go nose to nose (with Tioga),” Newton said. “From the beginning of the season to now, our team has done a 180 with being dominant and physical.”
Prediction: Tioga.
Mt. Markham (2-2) at Sherburne-Earlville (3-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Tonight’s scrap will be the first time since the midway point of the 2012 season that the Marauders have the opportunity to bounce back from a loss. S-E’s lone loss a season ago was in the Section III playoffs, and in 2012, it was knocked out of the playoffs as well.
Mount Markham has usually provided S-E with a stern test, and with both clubs sitting at 1-1 in Section III’s Class C East division, the loser of this game will likely find themselves out of the playoff picture. “It’s a competitive division, and we have to take care our own business to put ourselves in a good position for the playoffs,” said S-E coach Mike Jasper.
Mount Markham’s Kyle Yager ran for 206 yards last week in a shutout of Sauquoit Valley, while the Marauders’ defense allowed over 340 yards rushing to Utica Notre Dame last week. Jasper knows his run defense will need to be on point for his team to be successful. “They kind of held the ball most of the fourth quarter against us,” Jasper said of the loss to UND. “Things could have been better…and we did give up some big plays in the second half.”
S-E’s most impressive offensive outing was also against Sauquoit Valley this season, and the Marauders have the emotional advantage of playing at home on senior recognition night.
Prediction: Sherburne-Earlville.
Bainbridge-Guilford (0-4) at Unadilla Valley (1-3) Friday, 7 p.m.
Bainbridge-Guilford has dominated this almost yearly meeting of local clubs dating back over a decade. With the two clubs sporting just one combined win, pride and the opportunity to build momentum for next season are two components most likely at stake here.
“We would need some help to make the playoffs besides just winning out, so the first step is controlling what we can control,” said UV head coach Mark Segina.
Segina isn’t ready to proclaim his team has completely turned the corner, but it did gain its most significant victory over an established program beating Sidney last week.
Sidney’s no-huddle attack played into UV’s hand as it favors the same mode of attack. B-G, though, prefers a grind-it-out running game, and the 0-4 record, Segina said, is deceiving. “B-G has a great coaching staff, their line is some of the best I’ve seen in terms of technique and execution, and they have very good running backs,” the UV coach said.
While the Bobcats have shown they can run the ball and score points, they haven’t been as successful in stopping other teams, especially the pass. And UV’s passing game is the best among Chenango County’s six football teams.
Prediction: Unadilla Valley.
Greene (0-4) at Lansing (3-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
The winless Trojans have not played particularly bad defense this season, but have found themselves playing too much defense as the club has scored just one touchdown in four games this year. Lansing, meanwhile, has shown a stingy defense itself, and is on pace to return to the playoffs.
“They run the ball about 90 percent of the time, and prefer the power running game,” said Greene coach Dave Gorton. “Defensively, they play aggressively and try to put pressure on the line of scrimmage.”
Gorton said keys to his team’s success will be containing Lansing’s tailback, while also playing clean on offense by avoiding turnovers and untimely penalties.
Prediction: Lansing.
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