Senators storm to TVAC title

October 15, 2025 by Ken Lay

Norris Middle School’s football team is once again atop the Tennessee Valley Athletic Conference.

The Senators captured their second league title in three years Thursday night, edging Spring City 16-12 on the road to claim the 2025 TVAC championship.

Hunter Wade provided all the offense Norris needed, scoring both touchdowns — one on the ground and another through the air — as the Senators battled back from an early 6-0 deficit.

Spring City, undefeated in league play during the regular season, nearly doubled its lead late in the first half before Norris flipped the script with a game-changing defensive stand.

“The biggest thing is that they had the ball with about two minutes to go in the first half on our 3-yard line,” Norris Coach Richie Noe said. “Then they got a penalty and that moved them back to the 8. They threw a pass, and Cooper Downs picked it off.”

Downs, who also quarterbacks the Senators, followed the interception by connecting on a pair of long passes to Cam Wilcox, shifting field position and setting up the go-ahead touchdown before halftime.

“They were going in to score and go up two touchdowns, but we were able to flip the field,” Noe said. “Scoring with a minute and a half left in the half, then getting the ball to start the third quarter, was big for us.”

Norris controlled the ball for seven minutes of the eight-minute third quarter, a drive capped by Wade’s second touchdown.

The Bulldogs rallied late to trim the deficit to four, at 16-12, but Norris sealed the win by recovering an onside kick and earning one final first down.

“We had to recover that onside kick with three minutes left, and we had to get a first down to win it,” Noe said.

While the victory adds another championship trophy to the Senators’ case, Noe said his pride goes beyond the scoreboard.

“We tell them when we start this that we want them to be good people,” he said. “Sure, we want to win and be competitive on the football field, but these guys are going to do so much more than that. They’re going to be good dads and good citizens in our community.”