August 29, 2013 at 11:15 a.m.
Norton's 3 scores lead Vikings over Braves
Norton, a 6'0", 184 pound senior, helped guide coach Larry Green's Vikings to the shut-out victory over the Belmont Braves during the teams' 2013 season opener - and the 'league' opener on Butch Leitl Field at Ralph E. Davis Stadium on the UW-Platteville campus.
The game was played as a part of the conference's annual Six Rivers Jamboree - with 9 of the league's 14 member school affiliates represented.
Neither team was able to score in the first period of play - but the Vikings would score twice before halftime. After Pec-Argyle junior quarterback Drew Schliem hooked up on a significant passing play down the right sideline to teammate - and first cousin, Brooks Chandler, the Vikings were in good position inside the Braves 10 yard line and from there, moments later, Norton hauled in a 5 yard scoring pass (at the 6:15 mark) from Schliem across the middle for the first Pec-Argyle score of the year.
The Vikings would score again, late in the second quarter when Norton, from his outside linebacker's position, tipped a passed ball, steadied himself and hauled it in, before sprinting 39 yards for a Vikings' touchdown - with just 1:20 to go until intermission.
Teammate Alec Treuthardt hauled in a two point conversion pass from Schliem and the Vikes had a 14-0 lead at the half.
The final Pec-Argyle score came in the fourth quarter, when with 4:03 remaining, Norton intercepted another Jon Bahr pass and returned it 85 yards for the touchdown - with the ensuing conversion kick coming off the toe of Pec-Argyle sophomore placekicker Jake Dearth.
"It was a nice win for us - and a good way to open the season on a day when Chase Norton did an excellent job of being in the right position at the right times. He read his keys well and got to where he needed to be on the football field and made some good plays for us," said Green.
"Defensively, I felt our secondary did a very nice job and we defended the pass well, although we allowed our opponents to run the ball too much up the middle for over 300 yards and although we knew they (Belmont) would want to run the ball, they were more physical than what we had anticipated," added Green. "Although we bent between the 30 yard lines, we did toughen up every time they got the ball closer to our end zone," added Green.
"Certainly, in the days since, we have looked at the tape of the game and feel that it's a matter of technique for some of those younger guys in the line and in gaining the experience needed and we know they'll work hard to get better, week by week. Our opponent Friday - Benton-Scales Mound, has a very big running back so we will need to do a better job of defending this week - when we need to defend well and to cut down on and to correct mistakes."
Game notes:
- Alec Treuthardt threw the first pass of the season - a halfback option pass - good for a 16 yard completion to teammate Kyle Emberson.
- On the day, Pec-Argyle was 6 of 11 for 77 yards through the air while rushing 22 times for 66 yards
- The Vikings had 8 first downs and allowed 20 first downs to their opponents.
- Belmont had a bevy of rushing success (46 carries for 351 yards), but Pec-Argyle's defenders picked up the pace and provided solid resistance each time the Braves got close to pay dirt.
In other 'jamboree' games Saturday, defending league champion and WIAA state championship runner-up (D-6) Potosi, was an easy winner, rolling past the Shullsburg Miners 38-12.
Black Hawk annihilated Benton-Scales Mound 52-0 and Cassville nearly doubled up on River Ridge, in a 35-18 win over the Timberwolves.
Also over the weekend, Highland waltzed past Wauzeka-Steuben 40-17 in a non-conference battle.
