CONKLIN – Following the huge win last Friday night, Norwich was looking to follow it with another on Saturday afternoon and continue their perfect start to the 2017 season. The Sabers of Susquehanna Valley had alternate plans as few questionable calls and three turnovers led to a 21-12 Norwich loss, the first of the season.
The temperature reached 85 degrees at the time of kick-off, which meant at least five degrees hotter on the playing field for the second official day of fall.
Norwich kicked off the ball to the Sabers to start the game. On the first drive, the high pressuring defense for the Tornado picked up right from where they ended last week, forcing the Sabers to a three-and-out following a tackle in the backfield from Kegan Wright and a back by Eric Conant.
Purple Tornado Michael Carson took the punt by Ed Lavin of Sus Valley to the 42 of the Sabers on a 19 yard return to give Norwich great starting field position.
Norwich capitalized as they took plays to put six on the board. The effort of a rushing Drew Walsh, a passing Thomas Parrella and a receiving Carson allowed Conant to score from the outside, eight yards out. Mike Trevisani tacked on the extra point to make the score 7-0 very early into the contest. Celebrating with his team, Head Coach Mike Chrystie could be heard screaming, “Don’t let up.”
Norwich listened as the purple defense pushed the Sabers back on their next series, resulting in one positive yard and another three-and-out. This time, Norwich’s Grant Wessels found Sus’ quarterback Jarred Freije as he was dropping back and tackled him for the sack and an eight yards loss, forcing the Sabers to punt on a fourth and eighteen.
The Tornado took over for their next set of downs at 4:20 left in the first quarter. On the first play of the drive, Sus Valley’s Zack Green sniffed the play to outside coming as he meet Conant in the back field for a five yard loss. Walsh punched it up the middle on the next play, getting back to the original line of scrimmage. On third and ten, Parrella dropped back for the Tornado pass, but couldn’t find anyone open down field. As he took off on the run, the ball was knocked loose by the Sabers and Lavin jumped on it, giving the ball back to Sus Valley with 2:50 left in the first.
Starting at the Norwich 43, Sus Valley looked to get something going in the good field position. But Robert Shepherd and the strong purple defense didn’t allow it, again sacking Freije on third down. The Purple Tornado took over following the Sabers punt to the Norwich 29 yard line.
Norwich gained a first down on runs from Conant and Walsh. But Dan Matthews of Sus Valley came up with four tackles on six plays, stopping the Tornadoes at their own 44 and forcing Ty Rifanburg to punt the ball away to the Sabers 17 early in the second quarter.
The Sabers gained four yards on the first two plays of the series, bringing up a third and six. Freije pass was completed to Kyle Leonard but was met by Norwich’s Zack Lowe, stopping Leonard two yards shy of the first down marker. Lavin would drop back for the third punt of the game.
A bad snap on Lavin’s punt gave the Tornado the ball at the Sus Valley two yard line to start their next set of downs. One play later, a diving and rolling Walsh made Norwich’s number on the scoreboard increase to the 13. Trevisani stayed prefect on the season, making his eleventh straight extra point and giving Norwich a 14-0 score with 7:55 left to play in the first.
On the ensuing kick-off, Trevisani kicked it away to a waiting William Sheridan for the Sabers. Sheridan broke through Norwich’s special teams, leaving Trevisani as the only man to beat. Trevisani wasn’t letting Sheridan score as he stepped in front and recored the tackle at the Norwich 33.
Sheridan’s 38 yard return set up a momentum swing along with great field position for Sus Valley. Joe Hoskins and Leonard split the duty on the 33 yards as they rushed for a touchdown for the Sabers, making the score 14-6. The point after attempt by Josh Andrade was missed, keeping the score the same with 5:40 left in the first half.
Norwich’s next series of downs resulted in another turnover as Walsh lost it on his way down as he was being tackled by Sus’ Sean Kane. But the Sabers couldn’t capitalize, turning the ball after an incomplete pass from Frieije. The teams went into the intermission with a score of 14-6, trying to cool themselves from the hot sun beating down.
The Tornado received the kick off to start the second half but couldn’t get anything going, bringing Rifanburg out to punt the ball away.
Sabers ensuing possession ended on an interception by Carson, who read the halfback pass play beautifully, giving Norwich the ball back at 8:10 in the third. Hoping to get something going, Chrystie called for a pass play. Parrella delivered a ball in the air as Carson went overtop of the Sabers defender and brought down for a 35 yard completion.
The potential scoring drive was stalled when Parrella mishandled the snap on fourth and one, giving the ball back to the Sabers with 5:28 left in the quarter.
“I think the turnovers killed us and put us in a bad spot to get anything going,” said Chrystie after the game. “Can’t turn it over 3 or four times against a good team and expect to win.”
The Sabers scored on a 32 yard pass from Freije as he connected with a wide open Dan Wagner. Freije ran in the two point conversion, tying the score at 14 a-piece with 1:44 left in the third.
For the rest of the quarter and most of the fourth, both teams drives ended without scores. Fans were beginning to think about how high school overtimes were handled and hoping the players could last through a possible overtime with the hot sun beating down on them.
But at the 2:59 mark, Sus Valley’s Bertrand Dure ran the ball in from 11 yards out and Andrade tacked on the extra point as his kick went just inside the right upright, giving the Sabers the lead.
Norwich turned Parrella and his receivers on the next possession, praying the football gods for a miracle. They didn’t receive one as Norwich’s last play resulted in an incomplete pass, going just off the fingertips of Vinal with 1:41.
Dure carried the ball for 13 yards and a first down, smashing all hopes Norwich had to get one last stop before Sus Valley kneed on the last two plays.
“One game does not define this season. Just like our win last week didn’t define us, this week doesn’t either. We will bounce back. This is our first taste of defeat. We need to be mentally strong to overcome its and move on to CV [Chenango Valley],” Chrystie said to his players immediately following the loss.
Chrystie said after, “We have great leadership on this team and we will be fine.”
Norwich finished with a total of 139 yards, 90 coming from the ground game. Conant and Walsh both had touchdowns as they split the carrying for the Tornado. Walsh rushed for 70 yards on 20 attempts. Conant had 14 carries for 32 yards.
Parrella threw nine times, completing four for 49 yards. Carson caught three of Parrella’s for 45 yards, with the one chunk coming from his athletic catch over the Sabers defender. Vinal grabbed the other completion for four yards.
Conant led the defense with two sacks and eight tackles. Walsh and Jacob Davis each recorded 5 tackles with Davis recorded two for losses. Grant Wessels gave Norwich another sack as he finished with 4.5 tackles.
Norwich looks to get back on the winning train on Friday against the visiting Warriors for the 2017 Homecoming game. Kick-off will start at 7 p.m. with a parade and other events to take place before.

Susquehanna Valley 21, Norwich 14

Norwich ….. 7 7 0 0 - 14
Susquehanna Valley ….. 0 6 8 7 - 21

First quarter
N— Eric Conant 8 run (Mike Trevisani kick)

Second quarter
N— Drew Walsh 1 run (Trevisani kick)
SV— Joe Hoskins 18 run (kick failed)

Third quarter
SV— Dan Wager 34 pass from Jarred Freije (Freije run)

Fourth quarter
SV— Bertrand Dure 11 run (Josh Andrade kick)

Rushing — Norwich, Walsh 20-62, Conant 14-34, Thomas Parrella 3-(minus-12). SV, Hoskins 18-66, Dure 7-28, Kyle Leonard 6-16, Edwin Lavin 1-2, Mitchell Knapp 1-0, Freije 10-(minus-13).

Passing — Norwich, Parrella 4-for-9, 51 yards. SV, Freije 3-for-8, 55 yards, int.; Lavin 0-for-1.

Receiving — Norwich, Michael Carson 3-45, J.T. Vinal 1-6. SV, Wager 1-34, Shawn Tarbox 1-17, Leonard 1-4.