Raiders overwhelm Norwin, 47-0
JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley football team opened the 2011 season with an emphatic bang: and Norwin was caught in the blast zone.
The Raiders rolled up 528 yards of offense and broke open a scoreless game with 28 second-quarter points in a 47-0 rout at NexTier Stadium Friday night.
It was the most lopsided season-opening win in SV's 48-year history.
“I know this is going to sound crazy, but we probably could have played better,” said Raiders' coach Don Holl. “At the start of the game, our defense was playing lights out, but we stubbed our toe on offense.
“But once we got our feet under us, we came on like a tidal wave and it was fun to watch,” he added.
“We've had some sick kids and the lack of conditioning hurt us,” said Norwin coach Art Tragesser. “We have a lot of work to do and it showed tonight.”
SV's first three possessions yielded a turnover on downs, a punt and an interception off the arm of junior quarterback Jordan Brown.
But then the Raiders found their groove. On the sixth play of their fourth offensive drive, the team faced a third-and-3 from Norwin's 44-yard line.
Brown hit Jon Dorogy with a pass parallel to the line of scrimmage. The junior running back turned upfield to pick up the first down, then cut back and raced down the opposite sideline for the game's first score.
Michael Denny kicked the first of five extra points for a 7-0 lead.
“We have some guys with a lot of talent,” said Holl. “We get to see it in practice all the time and the other coaches and I joke that we can coach kids to be fast like that.”
There were many more big plays to come and not all were made by the Raiders' offense.
Following Dom DiTomasso's blocked punt which Joe Duggan recovered in the end zone for a 14-0 lead, it was Brown's turn to score, breaking two tackles and scampering 61 yards on a first-down play late in the second quarter.
Before the half was over, Forrest Barnes took a shovel pass and turned it into a 69-yard scoring play.
Barnes stood out among all of the contributors to SV's win, totalling 210 yards from scrimmage and scoring two touchdowns.
“There were a few times I was out there huffing and puffing, but I was getting the ball and that's all you can ask for,” said Barnes. “I have to give credit to my teammates, to my (offensive) line.”
While SV's offense and special teams were adding to the scoreboard, the Raiders' defense was keeping Norwin off of it.
The Knights managed a paltry 60 yards of offense in the first two quarters, ending the game with 116.
“Our defensive coordinator, Larry Wendereusz, had a great game plan,” said Holl. “We didn't miss many tackles and the proof is in the pudding, with that goose egg on the scoreboard.”
Brown ended the game with 170 yards passing and 128 on the ground.
