Football continues winning streak

The Norwich men's football team had success on the playing field this year with wins over teams that it struggled with in the past, including a 42-27 victory over Hartwick College, which is part of the very competitive Empire 8 conference.

The team has an impressive 8-2 record, 5-2 in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference, which puts it second behind the undefeated SUNY Maritime College.

It hosts Framingham State at Sabine Field tomorrow at noon in the ECAC Northeast Bowl.

Team co-captain Don Hanni, 22, a criminal justice major from Youngstown, Ohio, and a starter on the offensive line, spoke about how he had two main goals this season: A victory over an Empire 8 team and a bid for a bowl game.

Hanni has enjoyed the season because two out of his two goals were met.

Alongside Hanni, Robert Sturgis, 20, a junior communications major from Holden, Mass., and also on the offensive line playing center, spoke about the team in positive light.

"We put up a lot of points and we are a very explosive offensive," Sturgis said.

Co-captain Rocco DiMeco, a 21- year-old senior from Holden, Mass., who is majoring in physical education, said, "Without a doubt we are the best defense in the conference, we out coach every opponent defensively."

The Cadets' defense is very powerful; every opponent they have come up against, even when they suffered their two losses of the season, the defense did not give up a lot of points.

"We are taught toughness and effort, our coaches talk about the two things we can control are our effort and attitude, and those two things are what we really pride ourselves on," according to DiMeco.

The Cadets won the "Maple Sap Bucket," after beating Castleton 50-41, according to the Norwich athletics website.

This rivalry is new between the Cadets and the Spartans, the Spartans being a second-year program.

After this win over the Castleton Spartans the Cadets held their heads high going into the next week of practices.

"This week we will probably run some offense and sharpen up on things we did wrong against Castleton," said Jason Hill, 20, a business management major from Canajoharie, N.Y., and one of the wide receivers. "Doubt we will go full pads, help everyone heal and get ready to win the school's first bowl game."

The last time the Cadets were in a bowl game was 2004. They have only made it to two previous bowl games in 117 years and have yet to win one, according to Hill.

"We try and keep it [football practice] the same every week no matter who the opponent is," Sturgis said.

The Cadets will be practicing in the off week, studying film on all the teams.

"If we do execute [on the football field] then no team can stop us," Sturgis said.