Can Norwich do it again?
The Tornado avenged one of their 2011 losses last week blasting Johnson City in the Section IV Class B semifinals. Next up is Chenango Valley tonight at Binghamton Alumni Stadium at 5 p.m. for the sectional championship..Just two weeks ago, CV defeated NHS 32-21 to force a three-way tie for the Division III title.
No other team on the Norwich slate did a better job of breaking down the Tornado’s typically stingy defense than the Warriors. Quarterback Kevin Cox and running back Adam Greene each had 100-yard rushing days, and CV as a collective unit ran for 327 yards, 127 more than any other NHS opponent. The Warriors, after an 0-3 start, have reeled off five straight wins, and are clearly playing their best football. “Offensively, they’re a well-oiled machine,” said Norwich coach John Martinson. “They’ve been the hottest team in the section the last few weeks, and we know we have our work cut out for us.”
Chenango Valley coach, Jay Hope, had Cox and Greene returning from last year’s state tournament participants, but was replacing a lot of bulk on the offensive line. Since losing to Oneonta 35-31 on Sept. 23, Chenango Valley has played with a must-win mentality, and has authored some convincing victories along the way. In addition to beating Norwich, the Warriors handed Class C sectional finalist Waverly a 21-point setback, and last year’s Class B finalist, Owego, fell by the wayside, 26-7.
“We opened with a tough schedule, and combined with the parts we had to replace on the line, it took a little while for those guys to jell,” Hope said. “I wasn’t sure of my expectations because we had a lot of unknowns. I felt that if we could get it going in the right direction, we could be a competitive team.”
The Warriors were able to control play in the second half of its game against Norwich after trailing 14-13 at the break. Cox did most of the damage with the mid-line option, Greene sprinkled in some long runs on the edge, and fullback Dominik Forbidussi kept the NHS interior defense honest with strong inside runs. “We can’t sit back (on defense) and let them make calls because they will be successful,” Martinson said. “They are methodical and patient with their running game, and they have weapons in the air. They’re a formidable opponent, and our kids are excited for this opportunity.”
Norwich had just 140 yards rushing against Chenango Valley’s defense in the first meeting, but the offense was operating at full throttle – in the snow no less – racking up a season-high 321 rushing yards in a 35-0 shutout of the Wildcats. NHS junior fullback Grant Brightman has 445 yards rushing and five touchdowns over the last four games, and he along with backs Kyle Edwards, Pat Taylor and QB Seth Thomsen will likely need big games if Norwich is to win its first sectional championship since 1999.
“I’m not sure if we have peaked, and I hope we didn’t (peak) last week,” Martinson sa
