Football Looks To Rebound Against Westwood on Friday

One game won’t dictate a season, but it’ll certainly motivate a squad to makeup for their mistakes.

Last weekend against Millis-Hopedale, Norton saw its two-game winning streak conclude with a 33-14 thrashing against their Tri-Valley League Small rival, which brought back some unfavorable memories from a year ago to head coach Ted Currle.

“I think last year [our loss against the Mohawks] kind of shocked us because we had never lost to them before and then the reality set in that [we needed to win out],” explained Currle.

“It turned out we were 3-1 [in our division] and they were 4-0, so it’s difficult to get the guys mindset right knowing that could happen again, but our [current goal] is to be 10-1.”

The Lancers can certainly obtain eight more wins this season, but it’ll be a difficult task for a squad that enters Friday’s contest at home against Westwood without Brad Wry and Josh Jenkins, who’re both nursing injuries that their head coach didn’t disclose.

“[Westwood] is extremely fast and they’re extremely well coached. They’re not real big, [but] they have a tremendous quarterback [in Alex] Berluti, who can sling it, run it and do everything. He’s just a good athlete and he’ll be tough to contain and I think if we do we’ll have a great chance of being in the game at the end and if we don’t it could be a long night.”

A win against Westwood would certainly help Norton regain its confidence from a week ago, as well as provide the Lancers with some momentum, too. Yet, it’ll also help Currle’s players to continue exercising his adage of new excuses.

“I think this group is extremely resilient and a good group of kids that plays hard,” said Currle.

“It hurt, it stunk [to lose, but] the sun came up and we’re healthy for the most part and we’re going to play the next game. Not everyone gets a chance to go out and play a football game and we’re going to try and go 10-1 and if we go 10-1 it would be the best record the school’s had in [a long time].”   

If Norton is to possibly claim the TVL Small, they’ll not only have to earn wins against Westwood and Holliston, two squads that competed for the TVL Large a year ago on Thanksgiving, but also obtain victories against Ashland, Bellingham and Dover-Sherborn.  

“Ashland, Dover, Bellingham we’ve got to win, so we’d have to be 3-1 in the league and we would need either Ashland, Bellingham and Dover to bet Millis and go 3-1 in the league as well,” explained Currle. “Anything can happen.“

The 1st and 10-Norton High Football Booster Club is sponsoring a Purple Pride Day event for the game and is asking that everyone wear purple to support the community.

The Lancers are currently 2-1. After tonight's match, their next game is against Medway Oct. 5.