PLACENTIA – Quarterback Josiah Norwood ran 49 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:26 remaining, and Troy scraped by El Dorado, 25-21, Thursday night in a nonleague game at Valencia High.
“I was very pleased with how we dug deep and we never gave up,” Warriors coach Kevin Hastin said. “They had the ball inside our 5-yard line, and we found a way to get the ball back, march (82) yards, and score.”
El Dorado (0-1) was seeking its first on-the-field victory since Nov. 1, 2013. It was in good position to get it when Jack Strouse’s 27-yard completion to Garrett Seiler gave it first-and-goal at the Troy 8 with three minutes left.
Troy (2-0) trailed, 21-18, at the time, but its defense pushed the Golden Hawks back. Vicente Carrillo sacked Strouse back at the 14. Austin Leocadio made a fourth-down tackle to give the Warriors the ball.
Norwood led a seven-play, 82-yard drive, completing passes for first downs to Matt Macias, Paul Burnett and Chris Rahlwes before scrambling up the right sideline for the winning score.
“We play with heart,” Norwood said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen after that big catch (by Seiler). Our defense is amazing.”
Norwood gained 226 total yards (108 rushing) with two touchdown runs.
Jordan Fulton lifted El Dorado to a 21-18 lead on his second rushing touchdown. The senior had a game-high 156 rushing yards.
El Dorado led, 13-12, at halftime.
Zane Bass got his arm on a punt to give the Golden Hawks the ball at the Troy 11 late in the first quarter. It led to El Dorado’s first score, a sneak by Strouse.
Troy’s Skyler Taylor had 87 rushing yards for two scores.
