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Normandy High senior running back Damarion Williams can't shake the memory of last year's season-ending loss.

That's because it didn't happen on the field.

The Vikings were forced to forfeit a first-round game at Ste. Genevieve in the Class 3 District 2 Tournament in November.

Injuries, defections and general apathy were key factors in deciding not to play the contest.

"Last year was very toxic," Williams recalled. "A lot of players just doing bad in school, doing bad on the field, fighting and stuff."

Normandy took the first step in resurrecting a once-proud program with a 49-0 win over Confluence Academy on Aug. 27, the opening day of the high school football season in Missouri.

That triumph was just the second in three seasons for a school that used to belong in the old Suburban North Conference.

Granted, both wins have come over Confluence, which has dropped its last 15 games. But the victory could serve as a change of direction, both on and off the field.

Antoine Torrey has returned as head coach at Normandy after a 15-year run at Chaminade.

Torrey, a 31-year coaching veteran, guided Normandy from 1996-2011, its last stretch of glory. Now, he's returned to help the Vikings climb back to respectability.

"He makes us put in the work every day," senior two-way lineman Mark Agnew said.

Normandy will be looking for its first 2-0 start since 2022 when it plays at Riverview Gardens at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Williams remembers the disappointments of last season, which included one-sided losses to St. Dominic (65-0), University City (62-0) and Jennings (57-0).聽

The low point came when the team decided not to participate in postseason play for a myriad of reasons.聽

"Last year there was a lot of losing and my mentality wasn't all the way there," said Williams. "I took time out during the summer to fix (things)."

Torrey held an administrative job at Chaminade and seemed comfortable. But when he saw the turmoil within the Normandy program he decided to return to try to point things in the right direction.

"I started my (coaching) career at Normandy, and I saw a chance to get back to my roots and help where it was needed," Torrey said. "Full circle. Now, I want to take on the challenge and finish my career back where it started."

Normandy assistant athletics director Kyle Harris said Torrey is a perfect fit for the new-look program.

"The structure he's brought has helped a lot," Harris said. "He's holding our kids accountable, not only on the field, but in the classroom as well."

Torrey's move may have come as a surprise to some. But he felt the school needed someone to guide the team in the right direction and could not pass up that opportunity.

"I saw a place where I thought I could make a quick impact," Torrey said.

Torrey, who worked for the Missouri State High School Activities Association as an advisor for four years, has already made a difference after just several months. He got the players involved in offseason workouts and stressed team bonding. Torrey has received plenty of support from聽former Normandy star Laurence Maroney, who spent five years as a running back for the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos.

The school sports a brand new artificial turf state-of-the-art stadium, which added more juice to the environment.

The Vikings christened their new digs with their most one-sided win since a 49-0 triumph over Affton on Sept. 13, 2008.

Williams led the way with 217 yards and four touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder kick-started the onslaught with a 31-yard touchdown run just 109 seconds into the contest and added a pair of 14-yard TD gallops in the second half.

Sophomore linebacker Erion Johnson Jr. capped off the blitz with 35-yard pick-6 in the final stanza.

"After all of the stuff from last season, it felt good to win like that," Williams said. "It shows we are going in the right direction."

Torrey remembers the Vikings' glory years during his first stint in charge of the squad. The 2009 team reached the state quarterfinals before losing to eventual state runner-up Helias 21-13 at home in one of the biggest games in school history.

"That's the kind of success we hope to achieve somewhere down the road," Torrey said. "Hopefully, sooner than later."