Keyed by fast starts in both games, the Norwalk basketball teams swept a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader vs. Pella Christian on Friday night, heard live on 92.1 KRLS. The Class 4A third-ranked Norwalk girls led 37-8 in the third quarter and finished off the Eagles 62-29 to stay undefeated on the season. Like the girls, the Warrior boys never trailed and held off a late Pella Christian rally to prevail 54-46.
The boys contest matched two squads coming off state tournament runs a year ago and arguably the two favorites to win this year’s Little Hawkeye championship. Norwalk opened the game with an 8-2 run, led 27-20 at halftime and extended the margin to 14 points in the second half. The Eagles charged back twice and pulled within 49-43 in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors answered every challenge to improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the LHC. Pella Christian is now 3-1 and 1-1, respectively.
Norwalk head coach Aaron Pelzer was pleased by the way his team stayed physically tough against the taller Eagles and stayed patient offensively against a tough 2-3 zone. Two more keys for the Warriors were finishing plus-4 in rebounding and plus-4 in the turnover category.
“The one thing that this team has done really well all year is we just take care of the ball,” Pelzer said. “Guys are strong with the ball, they’re comfortable with the ball, and I think that’s really key in today’s game is not giving the other team extra possessions… A missed shot is a way better option than a turnover.”
Senior guard Redek Born scored Norwalk’s first 10 points and finished with a game-high 19. Teammates Cameron Thomas and Grady Sigrist also stepped up big, adding 15 and 13 points, respectively, and battling hard on defense and the boards. Senior guard Tysen De Vries led the Eagles with 15 points and Josiah Vos scored 11, combining for five 3-pointers.
The girls game was all Norwalk, particularly in the first half when the swarming Warriors defense forced 16 Eagle turnovers en route to a 34-8 halftime advantage. Norwalk attacked the basket effectively as well and hit 13-of-16 first half free throws. Pella Christian played better basketball in the second half and even mounted a 10-0 run at one point, but the Warriors countered with 13 of the next 15 points.
Norwalk junior Bailey Birmingham scored 17 of her game-high 25 points in the first half, Ava Carlson added 17 points and Braelyn Clark had 10. The Warriors improved to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in Little Hawkeye Conference play, surpassing last season’s win total on the 8th of December. Freshman Rachel Kacmarynski scored nine points for Pella Christian, which dropped to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in league play.
Norwalk returns to action Tuesday night with a non-conference girl-boy doubleheader at Council Bluffs Lewis Central. The Pella Christian boys play at Des Moines Christian Monday night and the girls travel to Albia on Thursday, December 14th.