RUTLAND, VT. – Behind a strong rushing attack, Norwich University kept itself unbeaten in Eastern Collegiate Football Conference play with a 40-21 win over in-state rival Castleton St. Oct. 8. The visiting Cadets (3-3, 3-0 ECFC) rolled up 527 yards on the ground and jumped out to a 37-7 lead en route to the win.
Junior quarterback Kris Sabourin (Georgia, Vt.) got the Maroon and Gold going early with a 63-yard scoring scamper on the first play from scrimmage and added a 90-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter as part of a 229-yard, three rushing touchdown game. Senior running back Andrew Fulford (Gloucester, Mass.) was just as tough on the Spartan defense, recording 153 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Adding to the offense's story for first-year Coach Mark Murnyack's team was senior place-kicker Long Ding (Qing Dao, China) who hit field goals from 25 and 41 yards and added four extra points and freshman running back/wide receiver Derrick Pitts (Schnechtady, N.Y.) who had 52 yards receiving and 68 yards rushing.
Castleton State (1-4 overall, 1-2 ECFC) battled back in the second half behind the arm of senior quarterback Shane Brozowski but couldn't get closer than the final deficit. Brozowski threw for 329 yards and one touchdown but was kept on his toes by an aggressive Cadets' defense. Norwich knocked down five of his 59 attempts and forced nine hurries. Junior defensive lineman Matt Simonelli (Scituate, R.I.), sophomore defensive back Dan Gogan (Keansbury, N.J.) and junior defensive lineman Oliver Aurelia (Stratford, Conn.) each sacked Brozkowski as well.
Norwich's top tackler honor was shared by senior defensive backs Sean Stone (Wilder, Vt.) and Colby LeClerc (Raynham, Mass.) with eight each. They also combined for four and half of the team's nine tackles for losses. Gogan and Simonelli, who had 4.5 tackles apiece, finished with one and a half and one tackle for loss, respectively.
Murnyack's crew puts its three-game win streak on the line Saturday, Oct. 15, for a key ECFC clash with fellow league unbeaten Gallaudet. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Sabine Field.
NOTES: The Cadets are now 3-0 all-time against their in-state rivals and have scored 40-or-more points in each case. … Norwich's 527 yards rushing were the most in a game for the program since the 2010 squad posted 556 in an 81-7 win over Anna Maria. … Sabourin's 226 yards on the ground were a career single-game high for the signal caller. It was the first 200-yard-plus game for a Cadets' rusher since Darnel Jackson carried for 209 against St. Lawrence in 2008. … Norwich's ECFC record ballooned to 16-2 with the win.
Courtesy of Norwich Athletics
