CONKLIN – A bending Norwich defense stiffened at the right time, and a persistent Tornado offense that stuck to what it does best wore down and broke down a game Sus Valley club Saturday afternoon in a 20-6 road victory.

Mike Moon ran for a pair of short TD runs in the second half to break a 6-6 halftime tie and pull Norwich into a tie for second place in Class B’s Division III along with Chenango Valley, and one game behind division leaders Chenango Forks and Windsor. “This was probably our best defensive effort of the season,” said Norwich coach John Pluta. “We gave up some big plays, but we made the big stops when we needed them.”

Norwich took advantage of great field position early in the third quarter getting the ball at the SV 25 to regain the upper hand over the host team. On the previous sequence, Norwich punter Justin Ballin pinned the Sabers inside their own five, and the Tornado defense promptly held setting up a short TD drive. Moon converted a short fourth-down run to the 15, Jesse Prosser hit the SV defense for a 10-yard gainer, and Moon plunged five yards for six making it 13-6.

Late in the third, NHS (3-2) embarked on another scoring drive ignited by a 32-yard Prosser scoot. It was a Moon three-yard TD run in the early stages of the fourth stanza that had the Tornado in command by two touchdowns.