RIPON – As a sophomore, Isaac Norman still has a ways to go before he hits his full stride.
But that didn’t stop him from single handedly helping the Ripon Christian make history by downing the Hughson Huskies 21-13 to help give the Knights their first ever season with two Trans Valley League victories.
On top of his two touchdowns, Norman also managed to rack up 178 yards on the ground and pulled in three catches for 129 yards – including a 97-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Tyler Voogd that gave the Knights the lead just moments before he dashed for a 22-yard score that blew the doors open and put the game out of reach.
“It was such a big game for us tonight, and it was a great way to rebound after what happened to us last week,” Norman said. “We came up with our game plan and we executed it as a team and we ended winning our second TVL game in the process.
“I think that everybody should feel proud for how well we played together as a team.”
The Knight’s started off remarkably strong by stopping Hughson from getting into the end-zone after they managed to get within a few inches of the goal-line – forcing a defensive fumble that they would then take 97 yards downfield in only four plays to put the game’s first points on the board.
They would go back and forth with Hughson for the remainder of the quarter, but got into trouble when Hughson found their stride in the second quarter. The dangerous combination of bruising back Jr. Garrett and accurate-passer Johnny Cardoza managed to spark the Husky rally that would eventually overtake the Ripon Christian lead to give them the 14-7 margin they would carry into the fourth quarter.
But when Voogd hooked up with Norman on the 97 yard touchdown pass, the momentum swung drastically back into the favor of the Knights. It is something that would continue until Norman iced the game with his 22-yard touchdown scamper.
“Even though we were down tonight we didn’t give up, and that was a big step for us especially since this gives us our second TVL win this season which is the best that we’ve been able to do since the program started,” Ripon Christian head coach John Vander Schaaf said. “Last year we had one win, and now we have two, so we’re taking the steps that we need to in the right direction to keep this program moving forward.
“I think that everybody has something to be proud of about tonight.”
But that didn’t stop him from single handedly helping the Ripon Christian make history by downing the Hughson Huskies 21-13 to help give the Knights their first ever season with two Trans Valley League victories.
On top of his two touchdowns, Norman also managed to rack up 178 yards on the ground and pulled in three catches for 129 yards – including a 97-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Tyler Voogd that gave the Knights the lead just moments before he dashed for a 22-yard score that blew the doors open and put the game out of reach.
“It was such a big game for us tonight, and it was a great way to rebound after what happened to us last week,” Norman said. “We came up with our game plan and we executed it as a team and we ended winning our second TVL game in the process.
“I think that everybody should feel proud for how well we played together as a team.”
The Knight’s started off remarkably strong by stopping Hughson from getting into the end-zone after they managed to get within a few inches of the goal-line – forcing a defensive fumble that they would then take 97 yards downfield in only four plays to put the game’s first points on the board.
They would go back and forth with Hughson for the remainder of the quarter, but got into trouble when Hughson found their stride in the second quarter. The dangerous combination of bruising back Jr. Garrett and accurate-passer Johnny Cardoza managed to spark the Husky rally that would eventually overtake the Ripon Christian lead to give them the 14-7 margin they would carry into the fourth quarter.
But when Voogd hooked up with Norman on the 97 yard touchdown pass, the momentum swung drastically back into the favor of the Knights. It is something that would continue until Norman iced the game with his 22-yard touchdown scamper.
“Even though we were down tonight we didn’t give up, and that was a big step for us especially since this gives us our second TVL win this season which is the best that we’ve been able to do since the program started,” Ripon Christian head coach John Vander Schaaf said. “Last year we had one win, and now we have two, so we’re taking the steps that we need to in the right direction to keep this program moving forward.
“I think that everybody has something to be proud of about tonight.”
