Houser’s burst helps Norwin preserve win over Hempfield

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 7, 2018 | 10:51 PM

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Apparently stopped in the backfield, Zeke Houser refused to be written off, refused to let Hempfield stay close.

The Norwin tailback took a first-down handoff, a counter that seemed innocent enough. But he shed one tackler at the line, then two more as he moved downfield before busting into the open for a 75-yard touchdown to give Norwin some breathing room in a tight, 28-20 victory over Hempfield on Friday night at Spartan Stadium.

“Someone missed a block, and then I got a block,” Houser said. “I saw an opening and took it. It was a blur. That sparked us for the rest of the game.”

Houser’s score came with about nine minutes left as Norwin (2-1, 1-1 6A conference) rebounded from a blowout loss to North Allegheny.

“Zeke ran track for us that last couple years,” Norwin coach Dave Brozeski said. “It has carried over on the football field. That was a big play, one of the four or five plays that determine the outcome of a game. He was able to fight through.”

Houser finished with 158 yards and two scores on 13 carries, and Gianni Rizzo scored two touchdowns for the Knights.

“That last run … I think we had him 3 yards in the backfield,” Hempfield coach Rich Bowen said. “He outran us to the end zone. Zeke is a nice player, and he made a play when he needed to.”

Blake Remaley, still dealing with a left shoulder injury, passed for 147 yards and three touchdowns, two to Zach Cieslo, who had four catches for 73 yards for the Spartans (1-2, 0-2). Hempfield was blanked last week at Pine-Richland, 49-0, and showed improvements on both sides of the ball.

“I’m proud of the way we played on defense,” Bowen said. “We gave up 28 points, but how many times did we stop them in the red zone? There was a lot of positive things tonight, but we gotta find ways to win games.”

Hempfield pressured Jack Salopek and limited the Norwin quarterback’s ability to pass. Just like last week against North Allegheny, Salopek was running for daylight as the jaws of the defense closed around him.

But the junior showed he is more than just a strong arm as he ran for big gains to set up scores for the Knights.

“We’re real proud how Jack was able to make some plays with his legs,” Brozeski said. “Zeke as well. If they don’t make those plays … I am proud of how our guys persevered throughout the entire game.”

Norwin took a 13-7 lead into the break. Houser took a pitch right and scored on a 27-yard run on the Knights’ second play from scrimmage.

Hempfield’s Nate Roby, who was shaken up and left the game at one point, blocked a field goal try by Norwin early inthe second quarter.

While the Spartans couldn’t cash in initially, they went to the air on their next possession to tie it 7-7. Blake Remaley found Cieslo on a go route for a 41-yard scoring play.

Salopek, who earlier had zig-zagged for a 43-yard gain, bolted 47 yards through the center of the defense to set up a first-and-goal for the Knights.

Three plays later, Rizzo powered ahead off a direct snap for a short touchdown. The extra point missed, and the Knights repelled Hempfield two more times in the second quarter with Billy Kerston intercepting Remaley just before halftime.

Nate Ross stepped in front of a pass intended for Kerston at the Knights’ 15-yard line. Remaley delivered to Cieslo again with a soft lob into the corner of the end zone.

New kicker Luke Sternick’s extra point gave the Spartans a 14-13 advantage early in the third.

Hempfield had some trouble with a punt after a high snap, and a swarm of defenders gang-tackled Cieslo. That gave the Knights possession at the Hempfield 17.

Norwin passed on a field-goal attempt and was turned away on downs but still managed to regain the lead as Salopek found Houser wide open out of the backfield for a 28-yard gain. That set up Rizzo’s plow-ahead score, and the Youngstown State recruit added the 2-point reception to give Norwin a 21-14 lead late in the third.

“It was fourth-and-3,” Brozeski said of going for it on fourth down. “I had some confidence in the way our defense was playing.”

After a sizable kick return by Roby, Remaley led Hempfield downfield and connected with tailback Mario Perkins for 18 yards. The scoring play, though, was followed by a wide-right extra point.

“Some kids really stepped up tonight and became football players,” said Bowen, whose son, Aaron, started on the line for Norwin. “There were some good, posotive things from some young kids. It’s a lot to be a 6A player.”

Up 21-20, Norwin needed some spacing and got it a play later when Houser raced 75 yards.

“We knew it was going to be tight,” Brozeski said. “One of the first things we said in the handshakes was it’s going to be another barn-burner.”

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Hempfield, Norwin