The Norwalk boys soccer team moved within one win of a state tournament berth on Monday night, defeating Mount Vernon 5-0 in a Class 3A, Substate 6 semifinal held at Urbandale. The Warrior baseball team was also in action, losing at Carlisle 4-3 in 10 innings.
Boys Soccer wins 5-0
The sixth-ranked Warrior soccer boys led just 1-0 at halftime before finding the back of the net four times in the final 40 minutes and improving to 10-7 overall. Mount Vernon, which entered the match on a six-game winning streak, finished the season 9-7.
Senior Jack Brown scored his 20th and 21st goals of the year to lead Norwalk and also attempted five of the team’s 13 shots on goal. Teegan Kralik, Tavin Ferner and Jake Freese all scored once for the Warriors while assists went to Kralik, Jace Davis, Keilor Rodman and Holdyn Havick. Goalies Jacob Rueber, Don Agisha and Jacoby Robbins combined on the shutout as the Mustangs were held without a shot on goal.
Next up for the Warriors is Wednesday’s substate final against 8th-ranked and top-seeded Urbandale (6-10). The game will be played at Urbandale and start at 7:00 p.m. The J-Hawks defeated Norwalk 2-1 earlier this month in a contest that could have gone either way, according to Warrior coach Dustin Kralik.
“Both teams had chances. (Urbandale) just did a better job of converting theirs and punishing us for our mistakes,” Kralik said. “It was a competitive game throughout and I think both teams could have made a play here or there that would have changed the result either way.”
Wednesday’s winner advances to the Boys State Soccer Tournament in Des Moines. Norwalk is trying to get back to State for the first time since winning the 2A championship in 2017.
Baseball loses in 10 innings
The Norwalk baseball team held leads of 2-0 and 3-2 at Carlisle, but ultimately lost 4-3 on Ryan Petersen’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th. The Warriors fell to 1-4 in non-conference play while the Wildcats improved to 3-2.
CJ Davis led Norwalk at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Emerson Fels added a double. Briley Purcell pitched six solid innings of relief in taking the loss. The Warriors return to action tonight, hosting Waukee Northwest at 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard live on kniakrls.com (KNIA3). Pregame coverage starts at 7:15.
Softball season opener, girls soccer regional game
Also tonight, the Norwalk softball team opens their season by hosting Southeast Warren and the 10th-ranked Norwalk girls soccer team hosts Boone in a Class 2A, Region 2 semifinal. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.