EAST NORRITON — Norristown got its happy Homecoming Friday.
That, and a different number in the win column for the first time this season.
Scoring 33 unanswered points after falling behind by 21, the Eagles held on for a 33-28 victory over Boyertown in a Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division game. It was Norristown’s first win of the fall after opening 0-8.
“The kids came out believing in us (coaches),” Norristown coach Joe Milligan said. “We had to figure things out on the fly this season, but we kept them grounded.”
The game demonstrated the extent to which Chris Carter figured out a position he started playing midway through the season. A running back previously, the Eagles senior took over behind center when other players ahead of him on the depth chart were unavailable due to injury and other considerations.
In his biggest game of the year, Carter threw touchdown passes on four straight possessions after getting Norristown on track with a 3-yard TD run early in the second quarter. He connected twice with John DiNolfi, then with Julian Arthur on a pair to stake the Eagles (1-4, 1-8) to a 33-21 lead with 3:40 left in the game.
“This was his fourth game as a quarterback,” Milligan said.
It was a night that started out with Boyertown (1-4, 3-6) scoring on its first three possessions, and ended with the Bears trying to mount a comeback of their own.
Leo Egbe, who collected more than 60 yards rushing, scored on runs of 3 yards and 1 yard in the first quarter. The second TD was set up by Boyertown recovering the kickoff at Norristown’s 43-yard line, followed by Egbe and Roman Marinello covering 42 yards on runs predominantly up the middle.
Cole Yesavage staked the visitors to their biggest lead of the game after Boyertown got the ball by recovering an Eagles fumble forced when Cole Marinello sacked Carter. Egbe ran 42 yards on a pair of carries before Yesavage went 2 yards over right tackle 38 seconds into the second quarter.
“There’s no secret what happened tonight,” Boyertown coach T.J. Miller said. “Norristown has big-play capability. We talked about that all week. They beat us tonight, showing steadfastness.”
With 3:27 left to play and trailing by two scores, the Bears showed their own steadfastness. Anthony Panarello made a 22-yard connection to Luke Ordway on fourth down to get Boyertown to the Norristown 8, and the duo teamed on a 7-yard scoring pass that cut it to 33-28.
An attempted onside kick was covered by the Eagles’ Adam Moffitt at the Norristown 37 with 2:38 left, but the Bears forced a turnover on downs at the Norristown 46. Their hopes for a comeback win died, though, after three incomplete passes and a sack by Trey Holmes.
Two kneel downs by Carter later, Norristown was celebrating a long-awaited win.
“The kids never quit,” Miller said. “But Norristown is a better team than their 0-and-8 record. We didn’t have a pass rush, and we’re better than that. Hats off to them.”
Carter went 8-for-13 for 113 yards. Arthur, who also had three carries for 52 yards, was on the receiving end of five of Carter’s tosses for 86 yards.
“We had high hopes coming out,” Milligan said, “but then we got beat by 150 points. This (win) raises the school’s spirit.”
