Aaron Walkins experienced a dramatic swing from potential goat to hero within the span of 12 plays, ultimately holding his breath alongside the rest of the Norwood High School football team as a last-second field goal attempt sailed wide.
Newton North kicker Jon McMillan missed a 31-yard field goal to the right as time expired at Dickinson Stadium, preserving a heart-pounding 21-19 season-opening Bay State League victory for Norwood.
“I think we kept people in the seats,” Norwood Coach Joe Smith remarked after the game. “I don’t think anyone left early.”
Walkins’ Redemption and Offensive Surge
Walkins led the Norwood ground attack with 112 yards on 18 carries. However, his afternoon nearly took a disastrous turn in the third quarter while playing defense. When Newton North quarterback Adam Hunt launched an underthrown pass, Walkins leaped for the interception.
“I thought I had the interception, but then I tipped it,” Walkins recalled. The deflected ball fell directly into the arms of Newton North receiver Rowan Baptiste, who raced 63 yards for a touchdown that tied the score at 13-13. “I gave up. I didn’t even think of running after him.”
Redemption came quickly. On Newton North’s ensuing possession, pressure from Steve Cohen forced another mistake, allowing Walkins to intercept Hunt’s pass at midfield. Just three plays later, Walkins atoned for his earlier gaffe by exploding through the line for a 55-yard touchdown run, adding the two-point conversion to push Norwood ahead 21-13.
Early Special Teams Spark
Norwood jumped out to an early advantage thanks to stellar special teams play. Quarterback AJ Grant—who threw for 64 yards and a touchdown, including a 39-yard scoring strike to Brian Chisholm in the first quarter—pinned Newton North deep in their own territory with a magnificent 43-yard punt that rolled dead at the one-yard line. On the very next play, Hunt fumbled in the end zone, and Steve Cohen pounced on the loose ball for a defensive touchdown, giving Norwood an early 7-0 lead.
Newton North fought back valiantly, capped by Hunt’s touchdown pass to Baptiste and a late scoring drive, but McMillan’s missed field goal at the final horn sealed the dramatic opening-day win for the Mustangs.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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