Norwich grinds out win over Holland Patent

NORWICH – While Chenango Forks is still king of the hill in Section IV’s Class B, Norwich is poised to knock the Blue Devils off their long-standing perch.

Norwich will look for its first win over Forks since 1999 this coming Friday after it methodically ground out a 20-7 non-league win over Section III’s Holland Patent Friday on homecoming weekend.

Unlike its first three victories, the Purple Tornado never trailed in the fourth contest building a 20-point lead before giving up a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. It was the first touchdown given up by Norwich in the second half this season, and it certainly did not sully a thoroughly dominating performance.

“We’re pretty pleased with where we are,” said Norwich head coach John Pluta. “This team has a bunch of grinders. They work hard and play hard, and they have fun on Friday nights.”

It wasn’t all fun from the get-go, Holland Patent matched up with Norwich physically, and although the Golden Knights’ offense was going nowhere nearly the entire first half, the defense gave ground grudgingly. Just under two minutes into the second quarter, Norwich found its offensive rhythm, and senior quarterback Tim Clark punched in a one-yard sneak for the opening tally.

Following Andrew Austin’s interception two plays later, Norwich capitalized on the short field moving 25 yards for its second score. Mike Moon barreled over from a yard out, and Moon’s two-point run upped the lead to 14-0.

Holland Patent didn’t earn its initial first down until its last drive of the half, and it took a trick play to do it. Running back Stephen Falk threw a 41-yard halfback option pass to Dan Frusclla that had the Golden Knights in striking range of the Norwich goal. Two more first downs set up a first-and-goal. Norwich stuffed two pass attempts, the latter a two-yard loss on a Falk reception, and Holland Patent’s 28-yard field goal went wide left with under a second left in the half.

Norwich went on its final scoring drive after Jake Fazio recovered a Holland Patent fumble at the 30.

Clark hit Andrew Austin on a big 17-yard pass over the middle, and Law squirted out of a pile at the line of scrimmage to score on a 16-yard scamper with 1:40 left in the third stanza. “They came out in the second half and got after us a little bit,” Pluta said. “We withstood that and came back with a nice touchdown drive.”