Mark Norris Leads Tuscaloosa Academy to 1-0 Start With 5 Total Touchdowns

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - It's week zero for high school football across the state of Alabama, which means everyone has their sights set on winning a state championship, and on Friday, Tuscaloosa Academy began its quest toward that goal. The game got off to an unusual start, as a near 45-minute rain delay took the players off the field just three minutes into the first quarter. The Knights had taken the opening kick down into the redzone by the time of the delay.

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However, senior and star quarterback Mark Norris didn't let the delay bother him. On the first play back from the delay, Norris found his receiver James Corder for a 21-yard touchdown. Corder would go on to finish with three touchdown receptions on the evening.

Ball security played a huge factor in the game tonight, as both teams finished with multiple turnovers. The rain that came with the weather delay likely contributed to some of the mismanagement of the football. After a fumble recovery, the Knights offense took the field; it was then that Sulligent scored half of its evening's point total. Norris fumbled the first snap of the drive, leading to a 90-yard scoop-n-score for the Blue Devils. Sulligent then broke off a 70-yard touchdown run on their next possession, but after that it was simply the Mark Norris show.

The senior signal-caller finished the first half with a pair of touchdown passes, both to Corder. He began the second half similarly, finding Corder for his third score of the night from 20 yards out. From there on out, the Knights' defense controlled the game, preventing Sulligent from so much as threatening to score.

Norris eventually accounted for two more touchdowns, one by air and one by land, bringing his early-season total to five.

The Knights eventually kneeled out the clock to end their season opener with a 33-12 victory over the Sulligent Blue Devils.