BINGHAMTON – Two games in four days is not the norm for any football team, let alone high school football. Alas, even the lack of the usual seven day break between games didn’t stand in the way of the Purple Tornado on Saturday afternoon. After a small stumble out of the gates early, there was no stopping the Purple Tornado football team in the second half of their contest against Binghamton as they ran their way to victory at Binghamton’s Alumni Stadium, defeating the Binghamton Patriots on the final game of the ‘Fall 2’ football season 41-20.
Norwich hasn’t been a stranger to facing adversity this season, especially after their one day of in-person practice in their latest win versus Oneonta, and now faced with a game against Binghamton with only one-day of contact practice, their winning mentality never wavered.
“I was extremely proud of them with all the adversity they had to overcome, not only in the last two weeks, but in the last year” said Norwich Head Coach Mike Chrystie of his team’s ability to face challenges head on, “Even the first quarter against Binghamton, getting down quick like that. How you deal with adversity really says a lot about your character. And this is a high character group.”
It’s easy to see as to why some teams may have gotten down on themselves after an opponent like the Class ‘A’ Patriots drop 20 points in the first quarter.
Binghamton quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead. After Norwich got hit with Binghamton’s 14 point haymaker, Norwich’s Griffin Mills scored on a two yard rushing touchdown and for a second it looked like Norwich would find themselves only down 14-7 headed into the second quarter of play. But Binghamton had other plans. The Patriots had the last punch of the opening period with a successful 59 yard kick-off return for a score as Binghamton extended their lead 20-7 at the conclusion of quarter number one.
“In the first quarter, (Binghamton) hit us with some stuff we haven’t seen before…they hit us with some big plays” said Chrystie. “After the first quarter and we got some legs underneath us, from that point on we dominated the game a lot.”
Domination might just be an understatement for the Tornado. Norwich proceeded to shut-out Binghamton defensively, all while the NHS offense scored 34 unanswered points.
Norwich’s Evan Sylstra had a one-yard scoring run for a touchdown to put Norwich within a one possession game with 9:32 to play in the opening half. Later in the second quarter, Griffin Mills scored on another two yard TD run to tie the game with 2:27 left, and the point-after attempt from Carson Thornton proved successful and Norwich had their first lead of the game as the halftime score was 21-20 in favor of the Tornado.
In the third quarter, Norwich’s offense just kept pushing forward; solely focused on extending their lead to get their final win of the 2021 ‘Fall 2’ season.
Griffin Mills found the end zone early in the third period as he scampered his way for an 18 yard touchdown run at 10:05 to go in the quarter. Mills recorded 208 yards rushing on the afternoon, and while his legs kept the NHS offense in motion, he also found his Purple Tornado teammates open with his passing ability.
With 5:35 left to go in the third stanza, Mills found Torin Lawrence for a seven yard TD pass to extend the NHS lead 34-20.
Entering the final quarter of the season, Norwich’s Cameron Byrne clinched the victory for the Tornado as he ran for a 17 yard TD to give the Tornado the 41-20 victory over Binghamton.
“You always want to send your seniors off with a win” said Chrystie, “Its tough we’re a perennial playoff team. You make the playoffs and there’s usually only one team in the state that is usually happy in your class at the end of each season, so we had a unique opportunity that we don’t normally have this year to send your season off with a win.”
For Norwich’s nine seniors it was important to not only get this coveted season-ending win, but to also end the year on a high note as this team finishes with a winning record of 3-2, as they end this COVID-19 shortened season.
“With all of the adversity that we really went through this year with COVID, having a pause and having two games in four days against two solid opponents, and to overcome all of that…I could not be more prouder of any team I have ever coached that this years group” added Norwich Head Coach Mike Chrystie on his team’s accomplishments this season.
Score by quarters
NORWICH 7 14 13 7 - 41
BINGHAMTON 20 0 0 0 - 20
Summary:
First downs: N 23 B 16; Rushes-yds: N 31- 328; B 37-229 Passing; N 7-11-0, 65 yds; B 9-15-2, 104yds. Total yards: N 393; B 333. Punts-avg: N 1- 21; B 3- 22.3. Penalties-yds. N 4-40; B 7-50. Fumbles-lost: N 1-1; B 0-0. Records: N 3-2; B 0-6.
Scoring:  B, Xymier Thomas for 39 yard TD (PA Fails); B, K. Sapp runs for 60 yards TD (Two-Point Conversion Success); N, Griffin Mills runs for 2 yard TD (PA Success); B, K. Sapp kick-off return for 59 yard TD (Two-Point Conversion Fails); N, Evan Sylstra runs for 1 yard TD (PA Success); N, Griffin Mills runs for 2 yard TD (PA Success); N, Griffin Mills runs for 18 yard TD (PA Success); N, Griffin Mills 7 yard pass to Torin Lawrence for TD (PA Success); N, Cameron Byrne runs for 17 yard TD (PA Success).
Individual Statistics
Rushing:  N Griffin Mills 13-208, Evan Sylstra 14-93, Cameron Byrne 2-32; B K. Sapp 21-210, D. Creveling 6-13.
Passing:  N: Mills 7-11-1 65; B: Thomas 7-13-1 109.
Receiving:  N: Torin Lawrence 4-51, Trent Wessels 1-12, Cameron Byrne 1-5; B: D. Griffin 2-59, X. Thomas 1-39, D. Hamilton 1-6.