ENDICOTT – Maine-Endwell’s winning streak keeps going, and going, and going… .

For this year at least, the task of halting the Spartans’ 48-game victory skein will rest with some team outside of Section IV as M-E rolled to a 48-20 victory over Norwich, Saturday at Ty Cobb Field in the Class B championship game.

A summary of the Spartans’ accomplishments over the past five seasons: Five section titles – two in Class A, three in Class B – three state championships, and five victories over Norwich, all by at least four touchdowns.

“It's really nothing we're doing,” said M-E head coach Matt Gallagher, speaking for his entire staff. “The kids before have set the stage, and these guys want to be a part of it.”

Junior Michael Palmer scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter with sensational individual plays, and was named the game's most outstanding player. Adam Gallagher had two touchdowns – one rushing, one receiving – and sophomore fullback Cordell Woolfolk rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

The Spartans built a comfortable 34-0 lead before Norwich put its first points on the board midway through the third quarter. NHS came into the contest with six straight victories, but its streak was snapped decisively, while the Spartans' remarkable run will live on another week.

“I’m not going to say it was one of those days,” said Norwich coach Mike Chrystie. “We needed to play better. You play a team that is number one in the state and has won three state titles, you need to play fundamentally sound football to beat them.”

Late in the first half, Norwich seemed to capture some momentum, and was in position to cut into the Spartans’ 14-point lead. Pressure up the middle by Norwich rusher Dan Conant forced Palmer to shank his punt all of three yards

With alacrity, Norwich’s Everett Thompson picked up the bobbling pigskin, and returned it to M-E’s 45 with 52.5 seconds remaining. Three plays for Norwich – two incomplete passes – forced a punt, one that was also shanked.

With 25 seconds to play, M-E moved 72 yards in four plays for a touchdown, and did so with one second to spare.

Woolfolk set the stage for the late-first half score rushing 26 yards up the middle. Kyle Balmer was sacked for a three-yard loss forcing an M-E timeout.

Balmer then went deep against one-on-one coverage hitting Gallagher for a 34-yard pass completion, then Balmer zipped a 13-yard TD pass to Gallagher, who toe-tapped two feet inbounds securing his team’s third TD.

Norwich had the ball to start the second half, and moved the ball near midfield after a first-down completion from Cole Rifanburg to Cameron Edwards.

A first-down throw by Rifanburg was tipped near the line to Palmer, who intercepted the ball, and weaved through the Norwich defense to the endzone for 52-yard pick six.

Norwich stalled on downs on the next sequence giving M-E the ball at the Norwich 43. That yardage was covered in just two running plays by Woolfolk, the latter a 25-yarder to create a 34-0 lead.

Norwich answered with a 63-yard drive for its first TD. Rifanburg hit Edwards on an leaping 31-yard play, and M-E aided the effort with back-to-back penalties moving Norwich inside the 10. Oralls, who ran for 145 yards on 25 carries in the game, scored from one yard out to break up the shutout.

The Norwich momentum lasted all of 14 seconds.

The ensuing kickoff bounded inside the 20-yard line. An M-E player tapped the rolling ball back to Palmer, who headed straight up the field through a large crease. Palmer beat a Norwich defender near midfield racing 84 yards for the quick response.

Just like its 42-7 win over Norwich earlier this season, Maine-Endwell had plenty of well-timed big plays throughout the evening. “We have some guys that can make big plays when we need them,” Gallagher said. “We did that today, and it makes it easier when you can do that.”

Norwich was able to score on its final two possessions of the game. Another big pass completion from Rifanburg to Edwards, this one for 34 yards, allowed Norwich to find the end zone late in the third. Rifanburg took the ball on a keeper from three yards out.

Following M-E’s last score, Oralls went off left tackle, broke the line, and scampered 57 yards for the touchdown on his final varsity carry. Oralls finished the season with 1,254 yards rushing, and he finished with 2,780 rushing yards for his career, second on Norwich’s all-time rushing list.

“We’ll build off of this,” Chrystie said. “Last year it was the semis, this year it was the finals. We got a taste of the finals atmosphere, and the goals next year will the same: Win the division, and win a section title.”

Score by quarters

Nor. 0 0 12 8—20

M-E 7 13 21 7—48

Scoring Summary

First quarter

M-E: Kyle Balmer 21 run (Stephan Pham kick)