Football - Norwin vs Hempfield

September 11, 2020

Hempfield Takes Control Late, Beats Norwin 28-14

Mario Perkins broke a 14-14 stalemate with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter as Hempfield Area beat their neighbors from Norwin 28-14 in the season opener at Norwin Knights Stadium on Friday, September 11.

A capacity controlled crowd was treated to an evenly matched first three quarters of the game as the COVID-19 shortened season got underway for both teams. After Hempfield took the opening kickoff and was forced to punt, Norwin got on the board as Dom Barca carried in for the touchdown from one yard out at the 7:25 mark of the first quarter. The play was set up on a nifty 40-yard pass from Nick Fleming to Connor Chrisman, who was brought down just short of the endzone.

Hempfield answered when Christian Zilli carried in from the 12 yard line with 2:07 left in the first. Neither team scored in the second quarter as the teams hit the locker room tied at 7-7.

Hempfield drew blood first in the second half when Zilli hit Roman Pellis with a 32-yard touchdown pass with 5:19 left in the third. But Norwin bounced right back to tie the game at 14-14 as Dom Barca notched his second touchdown on a 53-yard run with 4:29 to play in the third quarter.

The teams took a 14-14 score into the fourth quarter and battled to the midway point before Perkins got his first rushing touchdown of the season following a long drive at 5:57 left to play, putting the Spartans on top 21-14.

The Knights tried to mount a drive of their own but the Spartans stopped Fleming on a 4th-and-2 keeper with 3:39 remaining. Hempfield put the game on ice with Perkins' second rushing TD from 1 yard out at 1:31 remaining. A Hempfield interception inside the final minute sealed the Knights fate, as the Spartans took the 28-14 win in a game that was played much closer than the final score indicated.

Hempfield (1-0) hosts Seneca Valley next week in their home opener while Norwin (0-1) remains at home to play Pittsburgh Central Catholic.