The Norwalk girls basketball team finished with its first winning season in 10 years, and the success was due in large part to what senior Bren Moritz brought to the table. The future Upper Iowa Peacock led the team with 15.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in her final Warrior campaign, and often provided the spark the team needed in close game scenarios. Head Coach Jill Martin says Moritz’s success is a product of the hard work she’s put in throughout her career.
The Norwalk girls basketball team traveled to Creston Saturday evening for Class 4A regional semifinal action, and fell just short to the Panthers, 62-56 as aired on KNIA3.
Norwalk fought back from an early deficit to get within 14-12 after one. The Warriors carried the momentum into the second quarter, and extended the lead to as high as nine before taking a 32-26 lead into the locker room. Unfortunately, the halftime break seemingly put an end to Norwalk’s momentum. Creston fought back to take the lead in and held a 43-42 advantage heading into the fourth. The Panthers raced out to a 50-44 lead in the fourth, but Norwalk responded to get within 52-50. From that point on, Creston was able to close the game with key buckets and free throws to get within one game of the state tournament.
The Norwalk basketball teams made the trip to Grinnell Friday evening for their final road doubleheader of the season. The Warrior girls dropped a 67-35 decision, while the boys came back for a 39-38 win, as aired on KNIA3.
It was all Tigers from the start in the girls game. Norwalk had trouble maintaining the pace of play that Grinnell brought to the table, and fell behind 18-8 after the first quarter. Unfortunately for Norwalk, that trend continued throughout the rest of the game. Any scoring flurry by the Warriors was quickly halted, and Grinnell handed Norwalk its worst loss of the season. Bren Moritz scored 12 points to lead the way. Norwalk falls to 11-8 overall and 7-4 in conference play.
The Norwalk basketball teams will return to action for the first time in nearly a week this evening when they hit the road to Oskaloosa for a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader. Tuesday’s home games against Pella were postponed.
The Norwalk girls are surging, having won seven of their last eight games. The Warriors enter coming off a win over a ranked Indianola team on the road Saturday, and are currently third in the conference standings. Senior Bren Moritz says that the key to continuing the win streak is maintaining the same level of intensity and focus.
Meanwhile Oskaloosa has lost four of their last five, and have struggled to hang close with opponents. The Indians are just 1-7 in conference play, but are 6-9 overall. When Norwalk hosted Oskaloosa in December, the Warriors held the Indians to just five second half points in a 60-21 decimation.
A pair of close clashes on Eagle Lane went separate ways as the second half of the Little Hawkeye Conference rotation started with Pella Christian and Norwalk splitting a varsity basketball doubleheader heard on 92.1 KRLS Friday.
Norwalk finished the season sweep of the Eagles girls 41-34, while the Eagles boys mounted a massive second half charge to come back and knock off the Warriors 55-51.
The nightcap was a tale of two halves Norwalk was in control after the home team Eagles jumped to an 8-2 lead through the first few minutes. Balance was evident in the Warriors lineup, as seven different players scored the 34 first-half points for the defending conference champions. However, Pella Christian started the 3rd quarter on an 11-0 run over the first 3:22 in the period, and held Norwalk to five points to close the quarter with a two point lead. Norwalk Head Coach Chris Larson says a series of bad events in that third quarter ultimately cost them the game.