NEWPORT, R.I.- The Norwich Football team rounded out their 2024 campaign Saturday afternoon with a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest against Salve Regina.

After a long return on the opening kickoff, the Seahawks quickly went down the field to score the first points of the game. Salve would pin the Cadets deep in their own territory on the ensuing kickoff, setting the table for Norwich's longest play of the season. On the first pass of his first career start, freshman signal caller Landon Beecher (Holliston, Mass.) would connect with Henri Bourque (Claremont, N.H.) for a 90-yard catch and run for a touchdown on 3^rd and 5 from their own 10 for the quick response.

Two drives later, the Seahawks answered by going up the short field before finding the end zone again. On the ensuing kickoff, Jehric Hackney (Jericho, Vt.) took the return 83 yards, setting up Norwich in scoring range, eventually leading to a Jace McCarron (Sharon, Mass.) field goal to make the Salve lead four at the end of the first.
A couple of drives after a Seahawks field goal to stretch their lead to seven, Norwich would answer. A seven-play drive, including key third down receptions by Riley Geyer (Augusta, Maine) and Will Thornton (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) set up a four-yard scamper by Beecher that knotted the score at 17 early in the second. Late in the frame, the Seahawks would embark on a lengthy drive that ended in a touchdown at the buzzer to take a 24-17 lead into the break.

Salve would score again midway through the third quarter making it a two-score lead. Both teams were kept off the scoreboard until the fourth, when a pick six by Devin DeJesus (Chelmsford, Mass.) on a fourth down brought the Norwich deficit back to one score. After the Seahawks' ensuing drive stalled, a seven-yard punt set the Cadets up with prime field position, setting the table for a 44-yard touchdown run by Hackney to shrink the gap to one. Norwich elected to go for the two-point conversion which failed, preserving the Salve lead, allowing them to cement their victory in the season finale.

At the end of the day, Hackney had 114 yards on nine carries, averaging 12.7 yards per carry and the score to go along with 94 yards on three kick returns. Defensively, Shayne Leddy (Spring Lake, N.J.) led the way with 15 total tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception and a pass breakup. Second in tackles was Madux McGrath (Amherst, N.H.) with 11, and Simon Taraska (Willowick, Ohio) making his precense felt with eight total tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.