Norwin ends Penn-Trafford's dominance
Penn-Trafford entered Friday night's Quad South Conference finale with an eight-game winning streak over Norwin.
The Knights (6-3, 4-1) showed that they feature a different and more dynamic team with an impressive 27-6 victory over the Warriors (3-6, 3-2), sealing second place in the conference and locking up home-field advantage in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs.
"When you beat your rival, it means everything," Norwin coach Dan Conwell said. "I can't say enough about how our kids responded all week long and focused on a big game. They came out and played their hearts out."
Norwin enjoyed many time-consuming drives, highlighted by a productive rushing attack behind an overpowering offensive line.
Norwin fullback Tyler Urban rushed for 76 yards and three touchdowns. Fullback Chad Tatkus added 127 rushing yards, Mike Salopek rushed for 98, and the Knights finished with 371 yards on the ground..
Norwin quarterback Alex Dennison's pass on the second play of the game deflected off Mike Shanahan's hands and right to Warriors defensive back Mike Brown for an interception.
Penn-Trafford was able to reach the Norwin 16-yard line, but after a penalty, P-T's Brent McBride missed a 38-yard field goal.
Norwin quickly took advantage of the momentum swing by marching 80 yards in 14 plays with a drive that lasted more than six minutes and included 12 running plays.
The score came on a pass play from Dennison to Shanahan, who stiff-armed Brown en route to a 34-yard touchdown.
After Norwin forced a three-and-out, the Knights put together a seven-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Urban's 7-yard run.
The Knights' defense came through with another three-and-out, and the offense added another long touchdown drive, this one covering 58 yards in 12 plays.
Urban scored on a 2-yard dive behind left tackle Donald Rhodes for a 21-0 lead at halftime.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Urban scampered into the end zone again on the Knights' first drive of the third quarter, capping a 10-play, 67-yard drive with a 23-yard run.
"Coach Conwell said coming into this game that we were going to run the ball a lot," Urban said. "Our offensive line, you have to (credit) a lot of those rushing yards to them. They opened up holes the entire game."
Penn-Trafford finally put together a drive in the fourth quarter by marching to the Norwin 1-yard line, but the Knights' defense held.
The Warriors would recover, however, as senior Frank Laspin blocked Urban's punt out of bounds at the Norwin 5. On the next play, Brian Mack plowed into the end zone.
"Sometimes you're the hammer. Sometimes you're the nail. We were the nail (last night)," P-T coach Art Tragesser said.
