Last modified: Saturday, October 4, 2008 1:51 AM EDT Norton’s Jonathan Sicard (24) follows the blocking of Ricky Robichaud (22) against Dover-Sherborn. (Staff photo by Martin Gavin) Victory at a cost BY MARK FARINELLA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NORTON - The undefeated Norton High School football team experienced opposite poles of emotion Friday night. The Lancers felt the exhilaration of playing before a large and enthusiastic crowd at Adams Field, of playing under the spotlight provided by the cameras of a Boston TV station, and of earning a 35-7 triumph over Tri-Valley League foe Dover-Sherborn. But that was all tempered by concern over two fallen teammates. First, sophomore wide receiver Phil Rizzo suffered possible knee ligament damage when he went down on the opening kickoff return. Then, with about four minutes gone in the second quarter, senior offensive lineman Mike Rondina suffered a possible neck injury while blocking on a 4-yard gain by quarterback Brendan St. Germain. Rondina was immobilized and removed from the field under every possible precaution by emergency medical personnel, and was transported to Rhode Island Hospital. The Lancers, clinging to a 7-0 lead at the time of Rondina's injury, turned their concern into dedication, determination and focus. "Tonight, it was all about Mike Rondina," said Norton running back Sean Ryan. "He's like a brother to us. He's family. And seeing him go down was horrible. But our team stepped up just for him." Two plays after the action resumed, Ryan swept around left end and turned on the jets for a 36-yard touchdown run, his second of four scores in the game. On the first play of the Raiders' ensuing possession, Norton's Darren Doucette stripped the ball from D-S quarterback Andrew Perlmutter in the end zone, a 9-yard loss, and Brian Desmond smothered the loose ball for a score with 6:36 left in the half, just 16 seconds after Ryan's score. Ricky Travers added the third of his five PAT kicks. Then, after a three-and-out by the Raiders, Norton took over on its own 39. St. Germain quickly lofted a 30-yard pass to Ricky Robichaud to the D-S 31, and two plays later from the 24, Ryan went around right end for a 24-yard scoring run and 28-0 halftime lead. The way his team channeled its emotions into positive effort was a source of great pride for Norton coach Robb McCoy. "You get an injury like that, and for these kids to respond the way they did you tell them to stay focused, stay focused, you tell them to stay on task and keep doing what they're doing, but I'm hurting about it and it's difficult for them, too," McCoy said. "But they responded, they played really well in the second quarter and we went in with a comfortable lead at the half. I'm so proud of them." Ryan, who had broken a 41-yard run on the first play of the second quarter to put the Lancers on the board for the first time, completed another outstanding performance with a 6-yard sweep around right end for a 35-0 lead five plays into the second half. The score was set up by St. Germain's 38-yard toss to Doucette on the first play of the possession. Ryan finished with 139 yards on 12 carries, and four touchdowns. "My offensive line is just amazing," said the senior. "I don't do anything I'm just fast. I just hit the holes." The Lancers allowed just one score, a 13-yard pass from Perlmutter (20 carries, 93 yards) to Tim Torigian with 10:13 left to play. It was the final play of a 17-play, 74-yard drive that took 9:20 off the clock, and would have been much more effective had the Raiders (2-2, 0-2) still been in a close game. The Norton second-string defense came up with an impressive four-down stop of the Raiders inside the Lancer 10 on the game's last possession. That mirrored a half-ending, four-down stop inside the 9 in which Tyler Nordbeck made a touchdown-saving tackle of Jordan Recine after a fourth-down catch. Now 4-0 and 2-0 in the TVL, the Lancers visit Hopkinton Friday night.