Frank Speziale Photo

NORWICH – In what many people deemed a one sided matchup, the Purple Tornado varsity football team would prove the naysayers wrong with an upset 14-11 win over 14th ranked Windsor, on Friday, Sept. 23.

“Our kids truly believe in what we are doing and they believe in each other. It doesn't matter who scores or who makes the tackle. These kids want to be successful and are willing to work for it. Everyone wants to win on Friday night but I tell them all the time 'who's willing to work Monday through Thursday to be successful?' They have bought into that,” said Norwich's head coach Mike Chrystie.

With the game on line and down 14-11 with just 1:10 left in the fourth quarter the Black Knights would elect to not go for the short field goal, but instead run a play in an attempt for the go ahead.

The Tornado defense would hold on fourth down, taking the ball back over on their side of the field, where they would elect to kneel out the game to claim the victory at home.

Oddly enough, Windsor chose not to go for the tie late in the game, even though their kicker would make good on a 48 yard field goal in the first quarter.

This field goal by Kieran Horton of Windsor with 1:58 left in the first quarter would give Windsor the early 3-0 lead over Norwich.

Fast forward just :15 seconds and Norwich would claim the lead for their own – keeping it the rest of the game – as a Horton kickoff following the monster field goal would set up Norwich's number 2, Ky'sawn Veale who would take the ball at 10 yard, returning the kickoff 90 yards for the score.

The defensive effort of Norwich would limit Windsor – who averages a monstrous 61 points a game – to a mere three points at the half. Norwich would see every facet of the team perform, following the special team score, Norwich's defense would get on the board when number 21, Carter Rudnitski would intercept a Trevor Kimble pass. Rudnitski would take the interception all the way to the house to give Norwich a 14-3 lead with 9:53 left in the half.

14-3, that is where the score remained until the fourth quarter. A somewhat struggling Norwich offense would fail to score in the second half of the game, however the defense would hold Windsor to just one score late in the fourth quarter. Windsor's Cory Hagerman would run the touchdown in for the late push by the Black Knights – with the two point conversion successful the score would move to 14-11.