CHENANGO FORKS – No, Chenango Forks is not its typically dominant self in 2007. Still, this group of Blue Devils has found the same winning formula as its predecessors improving to 6-0 with a tough-to-the-end 14-6 victory over Norwich Saturday afternoon.

It was the third time this season Forks has been pressed deep into the game, and if not for an ill-timed Norwich penalty late in the third quarter, may have needed yet another fourth-quarter comeback victory.

Norwich gathered possession at the 28 after Forks’ Garrett Cade fumbled a punt return, leading to Paddy Law’s recovery for the Tornado. A first-down run by Chris Mattingly and then an 11-yard pass from Nate Foote to Mike Moon had the Tornado first-and-goal at the five. A first-down run went nowhere, and Norwich was whistled for an illegal block, spot-foul penalty on the next play that moved it back 21 yards. The Tornado did not recover and missed a go-ahead 37-yard field goal attempt.

Dodging that bullet, the Blue Devils responded as any championship team would: It marched for a touchdown getting big first-down runs from Joe Aston and Jake Reynolds. Aston scored his second TD of the game from five yards out for the eight-point margin.