Football - Penn-Trafford at Norwin

Norwin holds off Penn Trafford for a 44-36 victory in their WPIAL Week Zero Rival Football Game 

Norwin snapped a seven game losing streak to rival Penn Trafford with a 44-36 victory over the visiting Warriors at Knights Stadium on the opening night of the 2018 football season. Penn Trafford recovered an onside kick at the beginning of the Week Zero WPIAL football game however Norwin stopped the Warriors opening drive. Norwin quarterback Jack Salopek threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Gianni Rizzo to open the scoring on their first drive of the game. Norwin's Rizzo then intercepted a first quarter pass from Penn Trafford quarterback Ethan Carr setting up the home team in good field position. Salopek then connected with wide receiver William Kerston for a 25-yard touchdown and the Knights led 14-0. Norwin kicker Carter Breen kicked a 29 yard field goal extending the knights lead to 17-0 in the second quarter. Kerston then caught his second touchdown pass of the half with a 39-yard reception from Salopek and the home team lead 24-0.Penn Trafford's Caleb Lisbon scores on a 1-yard touchdown run to get the Warriors on the scoreboard.Penn Trafford quarterback Gabe Dunlap threw for three touchdowns and scored another rushing as the Warriors marched their way back into the game closing the score to 24-21. A pair of touchdowns on fourth down plays  however gave Norwin some breathing room.The first was a 32-yard touchdown pass from Salopek to Sean Pavlic on fourth and 27 and the second one Salopek broke away from Warrior defenders on a fourth and one and battled his way to the end zone to score on a 29 yard touchdown run. Norwin running back Ezekiel Houser added a 65-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Salopek passed for 283 yards and four touchdowns and ran for a another. Penn Trafford quarterback Gabe Dunlap passed and rushed for more than 100 yards with three touchdown passes and scored once on the ground.

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