Norwich football upsets state ranked Windsor
Frank Speziale Photo
NORWICH – In what many people deemed a one sided matchup, the Purple Tornado varsity football team would prove the naysayers wrong with an upset 14-11 win over 14th ranked Windsor, on Friday, Sept. 23.
“Our kids truly believe in what we are doing and they believe in each other. It doesn't matter who scores or who makes the tackle. These kids want to be successful and are willing to work for it. Everyone wants to win on Friday night but I tell them all the time 'who's willing to work Monday through Thursday to be successful?' They have bought into that,” said Norwich's head coach Mike Chrystie.
With the game on line and down 14-11 with just 1:10 left in the fourth quarter the Black Knights would elect to not go for the short field goal, but instead run a play in an attempt for the go ahead.
The Tornado defense would hold on fourth down, taking the ball back over on their side of the field, where they would elect to kneel out the game to claim the victory at home.
Oddly enough, Windsor chose not to go for the tie late in the game, even though their kicker would make good on a 48 yard field goal in the first quarter.
This field goal by Kieran Horton of Windsor with 1:58 left in the first quarter would give Windsor the early 3-0 lead over Norwich.
Fast forward just :15 seconds and Norwich would claim the lead for their own – keeping it the rest of the game – as a Horton kickoff following the monster field goal would set up Norwich's number 2, Ky'sawn Veale who would take the ball at 10 yard, returning the kickoff 90 yards for the score.
The defensive effort of Norwich would limit Windsor – who averages a monstrous 61 points a game – to a mere three points at the half. Norwich would see every facet of the team perform, following the special team score, Norwich's defense would get on the board when number 21, Carter Rudnitski would intercept a Trevor Kimble pass. Rudnitski would take the interception all the way to the house to give Norwich a 14-3 lead with 9:53 left in the half.
14-3, that is where the score remained until the fourth quarter. A somewhat struggling Norwich offense would fail to score in the second half of the game, however the defense would hold Windsor to just one score late in the fourth quarter. Windsor's Cory Hagerman would run the touchdown in for the late push by the Black Knights – with the two point conversion successful the score would move to 14-11.
“Coach mills and our defensive staff did a great job of putting together a game plan. To hold a team that averages 61 points a game to 11 is amazing. It's the best defensive performance I have ever been a part of,” said coach Chrystie.
Pass defense would rule the game, as Norwich and Windsor would only produce 50 and 51 yards through the air respectively. Norwich's Cole Rifanburg would complete six out of 14 passes for 51 yards and two interceptions. While Windsor would split time under center with Trevor Kimble completing five out of 14 for 41 yards and two interceptions and Cory Hagerman completing two out of four passes for nine yards.
Ky'sawn Veale would grab three passes from Rifanburg for 32 yards, while Ty Rifanburg would catch two for 11 yards and Michael Carson would see one catch for eight yards.
On the ground Windsor would dominate the stat line with Cory Hagerman rushing for 130 yards and a touchdown off of 26 carries. Hagerman was followed by quarterback Trevor Kimble with tacked on 43 yards off of nine rushes, Dante Kimbrough with five rushes for 26 yards and Dillon Morgan who added one yard on one rush.
The dominating ground game was impressive but would only find the end zone once, allowing the limited but successful rushing attack of Norwich to try to keep pace. Norwich would be lead on the attack by their quarterback Cole Rifanburg. Rifanburg would grab 59 yards on the ground off of 12 carries. Sophomore Eric Conant would be pulled up to varsity for the first time in his career, and lead the Tornado backs on the ground with nine yards off his two carries. Zack Race would would held to negative 10 yards on his 10 carries while Ty Rifanburg would end the game at negative two yards on his one carry.
The special teams for Norwich would be lead by Veal off his 90 yard touchdown return, followed by Conant with his 14 yard return, and Race who returned a kickoff for 10 yards.
Leading the dominate Norwich defense – and leading tackler in the game – was Austin McCloskey with 12 tackles and half a tackle for a loss. Brennan Slater would get involved with his five tackles and one for a loss, while Rudnitski would record the interception for the touchdown, while tacking on 4.5 tackles and two for losses. Recording the second interception for Norwich was Michael Carson, who also finished with 2.5 tackles.
Norwich (3-1) will return back for a week of practice before they play a Saturday game this coming weekend against Chenango Valley. Norwich will take on the Warriors of CV this coming Saturday, Oct. 1 at 3 p.m.
N: 7 7 0 0– 14
W: 3 0 0 8– 11
NORWICH – In what many people deemed a one sided matchup, the Purple Tornado varsity football team would prove the naysayers wrong with an upset 14-11 win over 14th ranked Windsor, on Friday, Sept. 23.
“Our kids truly believe in what we are doing and they believe in each other. It doesn't matter who scores or who makes the tackle. These kids want to be successful and are willing to work for it. Everyone wants to win on Friday night but I tell them all the time 'who's willing to work Monday through Thursday to be successful?' They have bought into that,” said Norwich's head coach Mike Chrystie.
With the game on line and down 14-11 with just 1:10 left in the fourth quarter the Black Knights would elect to not go for the short field goal, but instead run a play in an attempt for the go ahead.
The Tornado defense would hold on fourth down, taking the ball back over on their side of the field, where they would elect to kneel out the game to claim the victory at home.
Oddly enough, Windsor chose not to go for the tie late in the game, even though their kicker would make good on a 48 yard field goal in the first quarter.
This field goal by Kieran Horton of Windsor with 1:58 left in the first quarter would give Windsor the early 3-0 lead over Norwich.
Fast forward just :15 seconds and Norwich would claim the lead for their own – keeping it the rest of the game – as a Horton kickoff following the monster field goal would set up Norwich's number 2, Ky'sawn Veale who would take the ball at 10 yard, returning the kickoff 90 yards for the score.
The defensive effort of Norwich would limit Windsor – who averages a monstrous 61 points a game – to a mere three points at the half. Norwich would see every facet of the team perform, following the special team score, Norwich's defense would get on the board when number 21, Carter Rudnitski would intercept a Trevor Kimble pass. Rudnitski would take the interception all the way to the house to give Norwich a 14-3 lead with 9:53 left in the half.
14-3, that is where the score remained until the fourth quarter. A somewhat struggling Norwich offense would fail to score in the second half of the game, however the defense would hold Windsor to just one score late in the fourth quarter. Windsor's Cory Hagerman would run the touchdown in for the late push by the Black Knights – with the two point conversion successful the score would move to 14-11.
“Coach mills and our defensive staff did a great job of putting together a game plan. To hold a team that averages 61 points a game to 11 is amazing. It's the best defensive performance I have ever been a part of,” said coach Chrystie.
Pass defense would rule the game, as Norwich and Windsor would only produce 50 and 51 yards through the air respectively. Norwich's Cole Rifanburg would complete six out of 14 passes for 51 yards and two interceptions. While Windsor would split time under center with Trevor Kimble completing five out of 14 for 41 yards and two interceptions and Cory Hagerman completing two out of four passes for nine yards.
Ky'sawn Veale would grab three passes from Rifanburg for 32 yards, while Ty Rifanburg would catch two for 11 yards and Michael Carson would see one catch for eight yards.
On the ground Windsor would dominate the stat line with Cory Hagerman rushing for 130 yards and a touchdown off of 26 carries. Hagerman was followed by quarterback Trevor Kimble with tacked on 43 yards off of nine rushes, Dante Kimbrough with five rushes for 26 yards and Dillon Morgan who added one yard on one rush.
The dominating ground game was impressive but would only find the end zone once, allowing the limited but successful rushing attack of Norwich to try to keep pace. Norwich would be lead on the attack by their quarterback Cole Rifanburg. Rifanburg would grab 59 yards on the ground off of 12 carries. Sophomore Eric Conant would be pulled up to varsity for the first time in his career, and lead the Tornado backs on the ground with nine yards off his two carries. Zack Race would would held to negative 10 yards on his 10 carries while Ty Rifanburg would end the game at negative two yards on his one carry.
The special teams for Norwich would be lead by Veal off his 90 yard touchdown return, followed by Conant with his 14 yard return, and Race who returned a kickoff for 10 yards.
Leading the dominate Norwich defense – and leading tackler in the game – was Austin McCloskey with 12 tackles and half a tackle for a loss. Brennan Slater would get involved with his five tackles and one for a loss, while Rudnitski would record the interception for the touchdown, while tacking on 4.5 tackles and two for losses. Recording the second interception for Norwich was Michael Carson, who also finished with 2.5 tackles.
Norwich (3-1) will return back for a week of practice before they play a Saturday game this coming weekend against Chenango Valley. Norwich will take on the Warriors of CV this coming Saturday, Oct. 1 at 3 p.m.
N: 7 7 0 0– 14
W: 3 0 0 8– 11
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