Norwalk tops Sandusky for first win

SANDUSKY — Sometimes, a football team needs a break. Norwalk got one Friday night and took advantage in a come-from-behind 24-17 win over Sandusky at Strobel Field. Midway through the fourth quarter, trailing 14-10, Norwalk's Daniel Traczek appeared to be stopped a yard short of a first down. The Truckers, on their own 29-yard line, ran the punt team onto the field. A few seconds later they ran back to the sideline. Instead of the 29, the ball was spotted on the 30. First down Norwalk. Sandusky's sideline vehemently protested, but the officials stuck to the ruling. Two plays later, Traczek ripped off a 64-yard touchdown run. Garrison Smith's extra point gave Norwalk a 17-14 lead. Sandusky answered when quarterback Michael Franklin sprinted 52 yards to give the Streaks first and goal at the Norwalk 9. The Truckers defense held and Franklin tied it at 17-17 with a 20-yard field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, Sandusky thought it recovered a fumble but the Truckers maintained possession. On fourth-and-1 from the Sandusky 49, quarterback Garrett Chapin took the snap, broke through the line and gained 45 yards. He scored on a 4-yard run on the next play and Smith's kick gave Norwalk a 24-17 lead with 2:12 to play. There was no more heroics for the Streaks. Jakob Stebel and Mason Hughes sacked Franklin to force a long fourth-down situation and a short pass was stopped by Norwalk's defense, clinching the victory. The Truckers improved to 1-2, 1-1 in the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division. Sandusky fell to 0-3, 0-2. Chapin completed 17 of 29 passes for 255 yards. His favorite target was Ethan Phillips, who caught 10 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown. Phillips caught six passes for 165 yards in the first half. Chapin hit Phillips near midfield in the second quarter. A Sandusky defender slipped and Phillips outran the rest of the Blue Streaks defense for a touchdown that gave the Truckers an early lead. Norwalk had minus-2 yards rushing in the first half, but the Norwalk defense held Sandusky to just 136 total yards in the first two quarters. Traczek, one of the Truckers' top tacklers, was one of seven Norwalk players with rushing attempts. He finished with 96 yards on 13 carries, all after halftime. He didn't have a single carry in the first two games this season. Both teams had chances early. Norwalk fumbled on its first possession, giving Sandusky the ball at the Truckers 32-yard line. The Streaks moved the ball to the 12 before Norwalk's Kade Staley intercepted a Franklin fourth-down pass at the 11. Norwalk went three-and-out on its next possession but held the Streaks and partially blocked a Franklin pooch punt. The ensuing drive led to a 43-yard Smith field goal attempt into a stiff breeze, which fell short. Norwalk put together a strong drive on its next possession as Chapin found Phillips for gains of 33 and 30 yards. The Truckers had first-and-goal at the Streaks 2 but couldn't score. A penalty moved them back to the 6 and a Chapin pass on fourth down was incomplete. Sandusky recovered an onside kick to start the second half and went 53 yards on 10 plays, tying the game when Franklin hit Tre Roldan for a 13-yard touchdown pass. That's when Traczek sparked the Truckers' running game, carrying eight times on a 17-play, 79-yard scoring drive that ended with Smith's 18-yard field goal to give the Truckers — who had first-and-goal at the 1 but couldn't punch it in — a 10-7 lead late in the third quarter. Sandusky took a 14-10 lead when Franklin hit Nate' Abbott for a 13-yard score. That touchdown was part a wild fourth quarter that saw 24 points added to the scoreboard. Norwalk 0 7 3 14 — 24 Sandusky 0 0 7 10 — 17 ScoringN — Ethan Phillips 60 pass from Garrett Chapin (Garrison Smith kick) S— Tre Roldan 13 pass from Michael Franklin (Franklin kick) N — Smith 18 field goal S — Nate' Abbott 13 pass from Franklin (Franklin kick) N — Daniel Traczek 64 run (Smith kick) S — Franklin 20 field goal N — Chapin 4 run (Smith kick)