Tristyn Tavares leads Norwin on winning drive to top Canon-McMillan, close in on playoff spot

By: Ed Troup
Friday, October 17, 2025 | 10:19 PM

In a game with serious playoff implications, with the score tied in the fourth quarter, Norwin got the ball with 3 minutes, 11 seconds left and looked to its senior quarterback and playmaker Tristyn Tavares to lead the charge.

Tavares led the Knights on a 12-play, 54-yard drive that was capped by senior kicker Tristan Josephic’s 29-yard field goal with 9 seconds left. That gave Norwin a 24-21 win over Canon-McMillan on Friday night at Norwin Knights Stadium, moving the Knights ever closer to a playoff spot.

“Tavares is one of the best in the WPIAL, and people are finding that out now, which is nice to see,” Norwin coach Mike Brown said. “Our kids found a way here tonight, and they have been doing it all year.”

The Norwin (6-3, 3-2) football program has not made the WPIAL playoffs since 2017 and did not win a Class 6A game last season. Now, the Knights are most likely playoff-bound.

“It’s the young men we have in that locker room that have been able to buy in these last two years with our staff,” Brown said. “Losing games but still fighting. Our seniors. We can preach all we want, but we had to have our young student athletes buy into what we are trying to do here.”

Canon-McMillan (4-5, 2-3) built a 14-7 halftime lead but was unable to capitalize on that after receiving the second-half kickoff. A short Big Macs punt to the 50-yard line opened the door for Tavares and the Knights offense.

Norwin used an 11-play, 50-yard drive to tie the score 14-14 on a Giovanni Rothrauff 2-yard touchdown run with 7:09 left in the third quarter.

The Big Macs regained the lead in the fourth quarter on an impressive 16-play, 83-yard drive, with Braelon Wingfield scoring on a 4-yard touchdown run. Canon-McMillan had a 21-14 lead with 11:49 left in the game.

The Big Macs did not have many answers defensively in the second half for the Norwin offense. On the next Knights offensive drive, Tavares scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to tie the score 21-21 with 7:12 left.

Both teams exchanged three-and-outs on their next drives before Norwin got the ball back on its own 24-yard line to start the winning drive.

“Tavares was banged up a little bit, but he just keeps on fighting,” Brown said. “He is our team captain, and (I) could not be more proud of him and our offensive line here tonight.”

After a Norwin three-and-out to start the game, Canon-McMillan put together an impressive opening drive that covered 17 plays in 9:37. But it ended with a missed 38-yard field goal by Ryhs Maentz at the start the second quarter.

The Knights responded on the next drive with a 51-yard touchdown run by Tavares. The scoring play came on a fourth-and-2, and Norwin led 7-0 with 8:38 left in the second quarter. The drive covered 80 yards in eight plays.

The Big Macs got things going on the next drive as quarterback Ty Jansma hit Bryan Schmeltz to get past midfield. Bryce Collins capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run with 7:03 left in the second quarter, and the score was tied 7-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Big Macs’ Ryan Blynn recovered a fumble by Matt Hirsch at the Norwin 31-yard line. On the next play, Jansma found Ethan Campoli on a 31-yard touchdown pass to give Canon-McMillan a 14-7 lead with 6:47 left before halftime.

For Norwin, Tavares finished 14 of 23 for 118 yards, adding 15 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Canon-McMillan was led by Jansma, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 179 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

“Hats off to a great Canon-Mac team. They gave us everything we could handle here tonight,” Brown said. “They have great coaches, they are physical, but our kids found a way.”

Norwin will finish the regular season next week at home against Mt. Lebanon. Canon-McMillan will return to AHN Field at Big Mac Stadium for the first time in three weeks as it hosts Central Catholic in its regular-season finale. For Norwin to miss the playoffs, the Big Macs would have to knock off the top-ranked Vikings.

Tags: Canon-McMillan, Norwin