Norwich will attempt to do on Saturday what no other team has done over the past 20 games – defeat Maine-Endwell.
The Spartans strung together 12 straight wins a year ago on their way to a Class A state championship. As good as that sounds, the look of this year’s club is nothing short of ravishing.
In eight wins this season, M-E is averaging over 50 points per game and has outscored opponents by more than six touchdowns per tilt. The Spartans’ combined margin of victory in eight games –353 points – is more than any team in Section IV has scored.
“I was talking to their coach, and this is a team that has put in a lot of time together on and off the field,” said Norwich coach John Martinson of M-E. “They are committed to do their best and improve...they really have something special there, and it reminds me of those great Chenango Forks teams. You look up and down their roster, and it’s every bit a state championship team. You look to find a weakness, but they’re balanced everywhere.”
With a formidable task ahead – and a 49-7 loss to M-E three weeks ago – Norwich will line up on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. with the intention of “shocking the world,” Martinson said. “We’ve put together our game plan, and we’ll give it our best shot,” the NHS coach said. “We’ve worked on our option responsibilities. We’ll need to fight off blocks and make tackles. On offense, we’ll have to hold the ball and get some points on the board.”
In a meeting earlier this season at Norwich, the Spartans rolled to a 49-7 victory.
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The rest of Chenango County’s ballclubs will finish up their games this weekend. Below is a look at week nine’s matchups:
Windsor (3-5) at Greene (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Trojans may be renamed the “B killers” if they win Friday’s clash with Windsor. The Trojans have beaten three Class B teams this season – Susquehanna Valley, Dryden, and Norwich – this season, and all but the Norwich victory were blowouts. “When you move up a classification, it’s always a challenge,” said Greene coach Tim Paske. “The ball hasn’t always bounced (Windsor’s) way this season, but they’re big and battle tested.”
Greene held on to slim playoff hopes after beating Norwich last week, but those hopes rested on a Newark Valley victory over Sidney. The Warriors won that game to clinch the second Class C Division V playoff spot to eliminate the Trojans. “We knew coming into the season that we needed to beat either Sidney or Forks (Chenango), and we didn’t do that,” Paske said. “We had a chance at the end, but had to rely on other people. We’d rather be in the playoffs, but the seniors are excited to play their last game at home and go out with a win.”
Windsor’s offense is led by running back Isma’il Griffin, who has several 100-yard rushing games this season. The Black Knights also have a complementary passing game led by quarterback Josh Cady. “They’re a tough team, much better than their record shows,” Paske said.