Zaire Savage carries Upper Merion to Battle of the Bridge win over Norristown

WEST NORRITON >> Zaire Savage walked slowly when Upper Merion broke its postgame huddle and winced when he took off his helmet.

The senior was feeling the wear and tear of a 38-carry night.

Savage turned those touches into 175 yards and a touchdown to lead Upper Merion to a 10-0 win over Norristown on a rainy Friday evening at the Norristown Area High School Athletic Complex in the first Battle of the Bridge.

“Zaire is a great athlete,” Upper Merion coach Victor Brown said. “I know what he’s capable of. He’s a physical runner, he’s very athletic. We just have to get the ball in his hands. I’ve said this before in the preseason – last year there were a couple kids that I knew I had to get more involved offensively and he’s one of them.

“I’m very proud of him and the effort he put in today. We spelled him when he needed to be spelled, but other than that we put it on his shoulders with the guys up front.”

Savage’s score came in the first quarter. The Vikings (1-1) recovered a fumble at the Norristown 39-yard line and handed the ball to Savage three times. Ten-yard run. One-yard run. Twenty-eight-yard touchdown.

“The guard pulled and I just followed him and there was a seam,” he said to describe the game’s only touchdown. “I kept running and hoped nobody touched me. I ran in there untouched and I’m glad I scored.

“The team was counting on me and I was doing my best to capitalize in any way possible,” Savage added of his big day. “My line was holding up very well and I was just following my blocks. They had a seam for me and I just went. I just followed my blocks. It was a team effort.”

Nick Lindelow added a 31-yard field goal in the final two minutes of the second quarter to give the Vikings a 10-0 advantage and the defense did the rest.

Upper Merion held the Eagles (0-2) to 58 passing yards and -8 rushing yards and forced four turnovers in the game – two fumbles and two punts.

“We were communicating well,” Savage said. “We were just playing team ball. Everybody knew their assignment and we just went. We got them every play. It was great. I love my boys.”

The first fumble set up the Vikings opening score. The second gave them great field position at the Norristown 12-yard line, but the drive ended with a 25-yard field goal that sailed wide left.

The two interceptions came when Upper Merion needed them most – leading in the fourth quarter.

Taiyan Lobban grabbed the first. He stole an errant Daniel Watson pass inside his own 10-yard line to halt an eight-play drive that could have trimmed the Vikings lead to one possession.

Ahmad Stone made the second interception. On the first play after Norristown blocked a punt and took over at Upper Merion’s 44-yard line. Watson looked for a receiver over the middle. Stone won the battle for the ball. A flag was thrown for what looked like a possible defensive pass interference penalty, but the officials waved it off.

“Defense has been really good for us all year,” Brown said. “Came up and made plays when we really needed them to. For them to get a shutout, especially against a team that has good athletes like this, says a lot about their grit. A team like Norristown with the athletes they have, once they get moving they’re hard to slow down.

“The defensive coaches have done a great job of game-planning this week and preparing our kids. The message has been when we get adversity, we have to be ready. This weather – the rain was going to be our advantage. Anything that happened today – it was going to be our advantage.”

Watson led the Eagles with six rushing yards and 42 passing yards. Receiver Christian Thomas caught three passes for 38 yards.

Upper Merion and Norristown teams faced off in eight different sports Friday in the Battle of the Bridge. The football victory gave the Vikings a 7-1 record on the day and helped earn the Elmwood Park Zoo Cup. UM won boys and girls cross country, girls tennis, girls soccer, girls volleyball, field hockey and football. Norristown won boys soccer.

“We’ve been down two years,” Savage said. “I’m just happy we got the W and we’re on to the next one.”