Frank Speziale Photo
NORWICH – After a year without facing one another, the Purple Tornado took to the gridiron on Friday night against longtime rival, the Oneonta Yellowjackets. Norwich racked up 646 yards on offense with 511 coming in the ground game in the win over Oneonta on Friday, 56-20, including two separate players that finished with more than 200 yards rushing.
The Purple Tornado’s senior Drew Walsh led the way with a game-high 290 yards on 17 carries, scoring five touchdowns in his team’s win. His partner in the backfield Eric Conant used his speed for 218 yards on 11 carries and one touchdown.
Norwich took their opening drive down the field and called Walsh’s number to punch it in from one yard out. Later in the quarter, the Tornado senior found a big hole that was created by the offensive line and ran the ball 64 yards to the endzone for his second score.
“I have to give the credit to my [offensive] line for my performance,” said Walsh. “The holes were just ginormous. I have never seen them like that and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
On the ensuing drive, the Yellowjackets passing game came alive as Oneonta quarterback Tony Giovagnoli connected with Graham Wooden for a 42-yard touchdown pass to pull the Yellowjackets to within seven points.
Norwich’s Zachary Mills answered and rushed for his first offensive touchdown of his career to go back up by two touchdowns. Walsh tacked on another from a 19 yards away to give him his third score of the first half as the Purple Tornado went up 27-7 before the half.
But before the halftime whistle, Conant bounced out to the outside and turned on his jets for a 76-yard touchdown run to give the 35-7 score.
With 40 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Oneonta faced a fourth down. As they decided to go for it, Giovagnoli found a wide open Khysani Atkinson on the sideline for a 32 yard passing touchdown.
Norwich went into the intermission with a 21 point lead, but there would be no let up.
As the clock ticked down to two minutes remaining in the third, the Tornado put together a drive that was capped off by yet another Walsh touchdown.
His final score of the game came on a 59 yard run through the middle of the Yellowjackets defense with just under three minutes later.
Carson Maynard saw time at quarterback once Norwich had the significant lead. On his first series as the on-field commander, Maynard had his own number called in the play and made a dash towards the endzone. On his 30 yard journey, he made several Oneonta defenders miss and broke a few tackles before being dragged down on the one yard line. Tornado head coach Mike Chrystie rewarded Maynard’s work and allowed him to sneak up the middle for the score, his first of his Norwich varsity career.
The final touchdown of the game came from the Yellowjackets’ Wooden 58 yards away from the line of scrimmage. Wooden was just shy of 100 yards receiving, catching six passes for 92 yards. He also rushed for 59 yards on four carries.
Oneonta’s quarterback Giovagnoli completed 13-of-22 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns in the loss while Mariano Hernandez was the Yellowjackets’ leading rusher with 67 yards on 15 carries.
Norwich’s QB Thomas Parrella attempted three passes and connected on two to Eli Rodriguez. Both pass-catch plays totaled 35 yards.
Brad Walley of the Purple Tornado had a run on the second to last play of the game that went for 35 yards.
“I think it was a great team effort,” said Chrystie about the big win.
Next Friday night, Norwich faces Johnson City for Homecoming.
“We will have a little bit different approach for Johnson City,” said Chrystie. “I anticipate having another great week of practice. Johnson City is loaded with athletes and you have to throw the record out when a team has a lot of great athletes. We will be ready for them next week.”
