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NORTON - The Norton High football team thought that they had seen it all until three touchdowns were scored in the very first minute of its Tri-Valley League game with Holliston Friday night at Adams.

The Lancers thought that they had seen it all on game film, until Holliston High sophomore quarterback Sean Mayo began throwing the football - 42 times!

The Lancers thought that they had endured the last of the yellow flag epidemic, but a too many men on the field penalty (on a fourth down punting situation no less) gave Holliston a first down; a holding penalty negated an 84-yard touchdown run; an ineligible receiver penalty wiped out a 34-yard gain into Panther territory and an illegal block infraction dismissed a 23-yard gain.

The Lancers hadn't seen senior tailback Sean Ryan run with such power and speed, amassing 295 yards on 23 carries, including touchdown romps of 16, 75, 3 and 53 yards - the catalytic cachet in a 41-14 victory over the Panthers.

And the Lancers hadn't seen sophomore quarterback Brendan Curtin complete a fake-punt, fourth down throw to Brian Desmond as they did for a 22-yard gain in the third quarter, paving the way for two touchdowns in that stanza.

With Steve Gilmore having a pair of third-quarter TD runs, with Ryan and Curtin also intercepting passes; with Ricky Travers, Darren Doucette and Grover Welch all blocking passes, the Lancers were under siege often and all over the field, but managed to prevail for the seventh time this season, returning to the win column after having their unbeaten status snapped at Medfield a week ago.

"I told the kids that their character would show," related Norton High coach Robb McCoy of the challenge for the Lancers in bouncing back from a beating; of the challenge for the Lancers in defending the best spread offense in the TVL. "I didn't know how the kids would respond, but I was proud of their effort."

A 66-yard return of the game-opening kickoff by the Lancers' Brian Desmond set up a 16-yard TD run by Ryan on the Lancers' very first offensive play of the game.

But no sooner had the Lancers been victimized on a lateral and flea flicker pass by Holliston halfback John Themeli for an 85-yard touchdown toss to Christian Baker on the Panthers very first offensive play, Norton didn't waste any time in regaining the lead - Ryan scoring for the second time within the game's bizarre first minute, a 75-yard romp.

But the Lancers weren't done in demonstrating that they want a piece of the TVL title. Because Norton scored again, on their third offensive series - a 46-yard, 12-play set that took 6:07 off the clock, this time Ryan accounting for his "hat trick" touchdown, a three-yard run behind Welch, the left side tackle.

"The big plays just kept coming," added McCoy of the endless string of long-gainers, on both sides.

Just as impressively, the Lancers tallied touchdowns on their first two series of the second half, drives of 85 and 66 yards. It was Curtin's theatrics which created a 20-point lead for Norton, with both his fakery and thievery - right after Holliston had taken the second half kickoff and driven 77 yards on eight plays to narrow the gap to two touchdowns.

With Tyler Nordbeck awaiting a snap from center to punt for Norton at midfield, it was Curtin who took the snap instead and QB for the Lancer junior varsity fired a nifty 22-yard strike to Desmond for a gain to the Holliston 26 and a first down. A play later, Gilmore bolted through the Holliston secondary for the touchdown.

Curtin plucked off a Panther pass to end Holliston's ensuing series and Norton was securing six more points. Runs by Ryan of 38 (to the Holliston 28) and 20 yards set up Gilmore's second touchdown, an eight-yard run. The Norton defense was tested by Mayo, Holliston's strong-armed sophomore quarterback. He completed just five passes in the first half for 120 yards, but then completed 16 second-half passes - five for 72 yards in Holliston's TD drive at the outset of the third quarter.

"The quarterback (Mayo) can run and throw, Holliston does a very good job of running their spread offense," admitted McCoy. "They had the best balance of any spread offense that we faced this year - they made us defend everything."

Norton returns to the road Friday for a TVL game at Millis.