Tornado’s 2nd quarter path doesn’t stay on course in loss to Indian River
Purple Tornado junior Griffin Mills jets down field during Norwich’s first possession of the game. Mills’ big gain set up a Tornado touchdown in the early minutes of the first quarter but Norwich fell to Indian River 53-27 at the Dome. (Tracey Vinal photo)
SYRACUSE – Taking in the biggest football setting for high school football in New York State, the Norwich Purple Tornado played the first game of the 2019 season at the Dome in Syracuse, New York in a Saturday edition of Friday night lights.
Going up against Section III Class A Indian River, Norwich hung in the contest through half time but the Warriors took over in the third quarter, where they secured the 53-27 win.
The Tornado’s quarterback Griffin Mills led the Norwich offense, despite the loss, as he compiled over 200 yards both on the ground and through the air, earning the team’s Most Valuable Player award for the game.
Mills, in his first game starting under the center, threw for two touchdowns and 155 yards on 13 completions in 24 attempts. On the ground, the junior quarterback ran took 12 carries for 116 yards and two scores.
“Griffin had a great game,” said head coach Mike Chrystie. “We have great play makers in Eli [Rodriguez, JT [Vinal], Carson [Maynard], and Cameron [Byrne] and he did a tremendous job of reading the defense and getting them the ball. He also made some impressive plays with his feet. We will need him to continue to be a dual threat QB for us.”
Norwich elected to receive the ball after winning the coin toss and took no time at all to take the ball down the field, capturing the early lead after Mills tossed the fade ball to wide receiver Carson Maynard for six as he kept possession of the ball by dragging the foot across the back of the end zone for the spectacular catch.
The Warriors started the first series of plays at the 35-yard line and needed just three minutes to tack on their first of seven touchdowns scored in the game as Indian River’s Rosario Acosto took the handoff into across the goal line from 20 yards out. After adding the two-point conversion, Indian River held the 8-7 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter.
Forcing Norwich into a three-and-out following the kickoff, Indian River took the ensuing drive in for another score from three yards out as running back Justin Barker punched the ball into the end zone.
Mills used a quarterback keeper to score Norwich’s next two touchdowns, giving the Tornado a 20-16 lead with 5:15 remaining in the first half. The first of the two Mills’ keepers was set up by Eli Rodriguez’ strip with Acosto carrying the ball, stopping the Warriors’ from increasing the margin to three scores.
Just over two minutes later, Acosto punched his second touchdown in to give Indian River the advantage back with three minutes left in the half.
Receiving the kickoff to start the second half off the field, Indian River marched down the field and put up another six points on the score, once again recorded by the Warriors halfback Acosto.
Holding Norwich on several of their possessions, Indian River was able to capitalize each time to grow their lead, putting the game out of reach early in the fourth with Acosta’s fourth and final touchdown of the game.
Despite the Warriors’ had the game well in the grasp, the Purple Tornado did not give up as they continued to try and find the end zone. Norwich was able to do so with 7:04 left in the contest as Mills connected with Maynard once again, giving the senior wide out both touchdown receptions to start the year.
“I was very proud of how hard we fought,” said Chrystie. “We battled and battled the whole game. To play a Class A school that has won state titles and went to the state semifinals last year in week one will make us stronger in the long run. Obviously, we have to improve in certain areas but we definitely did some good things that we can build off of.”
Maynard caught a total of three passes for 37 yards. His colleagues at the wide receiver position Rodriguez and JT Vinal ended the day with multiple receptions and crucial catches. Rodriguez finished with six receptions for 61 yards while Vinal caught four for 57 yards.
Norwich was led defensively by Vinals’s 14.5 tackles – 13 of those solo wrap-ups – and first-year varsity player Cameron Byrne’s nine tackles.
Acosto piled up 254 yards in 29 attempts. His teammate Gannon Lynch also reached the century yard mark in the game, finishing with 16 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown while Barker added 79 yards and two scores for the Warriors.
Norwich (0-1) starts the Section IV Division-II schedule on Friday for the first home game of the season. The Purple Tornado Booster Club will start the night off with the annual program dedication with kickoff against Owego to follow at 7 p.m.
Indian River 53, Norwich 27
NHS 7 13 0 7 – 27
IR 16 8 16 13 – 53
Rushing: (N) Griffin Mills 12-116, David Berger 10-20, Seth Wessels 2-10, Nik Barber 2-7; JT Vinal 1-4, Evan Sylstra 2-1, Cameron Bryne 1-0; (IR) Rosario Acosto 29-254, Lynch 16-100; Barker 11-79, Davis 4-18, Colvard 2-15, Miller 1-8, Martin 1-4. Alexander III 4-(-5).
Passing: (N) Griffin Mills 13-for-24, 155 yards, 2TDs, Carson Maynard 0-for1; (IR) 2-for-4, 0 yards.
Receiving: (N) Eli Rodriguez 6-61, JT Vinal 5-57, Carson Maynard 3-57 2TDs; (IR) Rosario Acosto 1-6, Marshall 1-(-6)
Going up against Section III Class A Indian River, Norwich hung in the contest through half time but the Warriors took over in the third quarter, where they secured the 53-27 win.
The Tornado’s quarterback Griffin Mills led the Norwich offense, despite the loss, as he compiled over 200 yards both on the ground and through the air, earning the team’s Most Valuable Player award for the game.
Mills, in his first game starting under the center, threw for two touchdowns and 155 yards on 13 completions in 24 attempts. On the ground, the junior quarterback ran took 12 carries for 116 yards and two scores.
“Griffin had a great game,” said head coach Mike Chrystie. “We have great play makers in Eli [Rodriguez, JT [Vinal], Carson [Maynard], and Cameron [Byrne] and he did a tremendous job of reading the defense and getting them the ball. He also made some impressive plays with his feet. We will need him to continue to be a dual threat QB for us.”
Norwich elected to receive the ball after winning the coin toss and took no time at all to take the ball down the field, capturing the early lead after Mills tossed the fade ball to wide receiver Carson Maynard for six as he kept possession of the ball by dragging the foot across the back of the end zone for the spectacular catch.
The Warriors started the first series of plays at the 35-yard line and needed just three minutes to tack on their first of seven touchdowns scored in the game as Indian River’s Rosario Acosto took the handoff into across the goal line from 20 yards out. After adding the two-point conversion, Indian River held the 8-7 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter.
Forcing Norwich into a three-and-out following the kickoff, Indian River took the ensuing drive in for another score from three yards out as running back Justin Barker punched the ball into the end zone.
Mills used a quarterback keeper to score Norwich’s next two touchdowns, giving the Tornado a 20-16 lead with 5:15 remaining in the first half. The first of the two Mills’ keepers was set up by Eli Rodriguez’ strip with Acosto carrying the ball, stopping the Warriors’ from increasing the margin to three scores.
Just over two minutes later, Acosto punched his second touchdown in to give Indian River the advantage back with three minutes left in the half.
Receiving the kickoff to start the second half off the field, Indian River marched down the field and put up another six points on the score, once again recorded by the Warriors halfback Acosto.
Holding Norwich on several of their possessions, Indian River was able to capitalize each time to grow their lead, putting the game out of reach early in the fourth with Acosta’s fourth and final touchdown of the game.
Despite the Warriors’ had the game well in the grasp, the Purple Tornado did not give up as they continued to try and find the end zone. Norwich was able to do so with 7:04 left in the contest as Mills connected with Maynard once again, giving the senior wide out both touchdown receptions to start the year.
“I was very proud of how hard we fought,” said Chrystie. “We battled and battled the whole game. To play a Class A school that has won state titles and went to the state semifinals last year in week one will make us stronger in the long run. Obviously, we have to improve in certain areas but we definitely did some good things that we can build off of.”
Maynard caught a total of three passes for 37 yards. His colleagues at the wide receiver position Rodriguez and JT Vinal ended the day with multiple receptions and crucial catches. Rodriguez finished with six receptions for 61 yards while Vinal caught four for 57 yards.
Norwich was led defensively by Vinals’s 14.5 tackles – 13 of those solo wrap-ups – and first-year varsity player Cameron Byrne’s nine tackles.
Acosto piled up 254 yards in 29 attempts. His teammate Gannon Lynch also reached the century yard mark in the game, finishing with 16 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown while Barker added 79 yards and two scores for the Warriors.
Norwich (0-1) starts the Section IV Division-II schedule on Friday for the first home game of the season. The Purple Tornado Booster Club will start the night off with the annual program dedication with kickoff against Owego to follow at 7 p.m.
Indian River 53, Norwich 27
NHS 7 13 0 7 – 27
IR 16 8 16 13 – 53
Rushing: (N) Griffin Mills 12-116, David Berger 10-20, Seth Wessels 2-10, Nik Barber 2-7; JT Vinal 1-4, Evan Sylstra 2-1, Cameron Bryne 1-0; (IR) Rosario Acosto 29-254, Lynch 16-100; Barker 11-79, Davis 4-18, Colvard 2-15, Miller 1-8, Martin 1-4. Alexander III 4-(-5).
Passing: (N) Griffin Mills 13-for-24, 155 yards, 2TDs, Carson Maynard 0-for1; (IR) 2-for-4, 0 yards.
Receiving: (N) Eli Rodriguez 6-61, JT Vinal 5-57, Carson Maynard 3-57 2TDs; (IR) Rosario Acosto 1-6, Marshall 1-(-6)
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks