After a disheartening loss last week, the Norton High football team will look to rebound when it travels to Flahive Field in Westwood to face an undefeated Wolverine squad in a Tri-Valley League contest on Friday night at 7 p.m.

Last Friday night at a rain-soaked Adams Field, the Lancers suffered a tough 27-0 setback to the combined team from Millis and Hopedale in a match-up of the top two teams in the Tri-Valley League’s Small School Division.

“It was a butt kicking on Friday night, plain and simple,” said Norton head coach Ted Currle. “It was a lack of effort. On offense we have to block the people we are assigned to block. We didn’t do that last week. We have to have more passion with our blocking.

“Our effort was sub-par on Friday night. On defense, we didn’t tackle well. We played too high on defense. Millis was big, strong and fast and they pushed us around. I was shocked that we didn’t answer them. We allowed what happened to us to happen. On Friday, the kids saw first hand what happens if you don’t come to play every game.”

It won’t get any easier this week, playing an unbeaten Westwood team on the road. The Wolverines opened the season with a 20-14 non-league victory in Bedford. They then knocked off Dedham, 21-7, in a non-league contest two weeks ago. Westwood opened the league campaign with a dominating 37-6 win in Bellingham last Friday night.

Senior captain and starting quarterback Glenn Parsons had a terrific game against the Blackhawks, going 10 for 15 passing with 118 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 80 yards rushing. Junior standout running back Brandon Rodenbush had two rushing touchdowns, scoring from 25 and six yards out.

“In one game we saw, they used 14 different offensive sets,” said Currle. “They like to run the ball and they have a real good tailback. Their running back is pretty fast. They run the ball well and throw well. They run out of the ‘I’, but they also run the spread. They do a lot of stuff on offense. What they do on defense (3-4) is simple, but they do it well.”

The week of practice got off to a good start for the Lancers as they prepare for their challenge in Westwood on Friday night.

“I’ve liked what I’ve seen these first two days,” said Currle, following practice on Tuesday. “The kids have worked hard. They really want to rebound from Friday. And I firmly believe that for our next four games (Westwood, Medway, Hopkinton and Medfield) if we don’t show up we will be in trouble every week.

“We need to have the hardest week of practice we have ever had. We will find out what type of character we have this week. We need to execute better on both offense and defense and I think we will play our best game of the season on Friday night.”

The game with Westwood begins a two-week road trip for the Lancers. They will head to Medway to face the Mustangs in a TVL game next Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Norton will then return home for a pair of league games after that. The team will host Hopkinton on Friday, Oct. 14 at Adams Field at 7 p.m. before hosting Medfield for Homecoming on Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Adams Field.