The Norwalk bowling season didn’t end with any conference titles or state tournament appearances in 2023-2024. Instead, it was a year of growth for two Warrior squads consisting almost entirely of juniors, sophomores and freshmen.
The Norwalk boys finished with a 4-7 dual record, placed sixth at the Two Rivers Conference Tournament and were seventh at their state qualifying meet. The girls team was 3-8 in duals, fifth at the conference tournament and sixth in the state qualifier.
Norwalk bowling coach Russ Greenwood tells KNIA Sports that the Warriors have many talented bowlers that are capable of posting great scores on any given day. The key to improving next season’s team results, he says, is everyone showing more consistency and not dwelling on one bad roll or frame. Greenwood puts an emphasis on steadily improving from the first game of the season to the last.
“I always tell my kids, ‘You need to focus one ball at a time, one frame at a time, one game at a time, and then one day at a time,’” Greenwood said. “If you throw a bad ball the first time and you don’t get a very good pin count, remember it long enough just to fix it… and then forget it. Do better on the second ball, do better on the next frame, do better on the next game. It’s all about that improvement.”
Perhaps it is fitting that one of Norwalk’s biggest highlights of the season was accomplished by a freshman. On January 11 at Air Lanes Bowling Center, Brytan Bassman set a school record with a high game of 279, finishing with 11 consecutive strikes. Bassman also turned in the Warrior boys’ high two-game series with a 467 the same day. Junior Andrew Winfrey led the team with a 186 average on the season while Bassman, Tanner Housley and Gavin Housley were close behind with averages between 181 and 178.
The Norwalk girls were paced by junior Julia Palen’s 162 average, followed by junior Ellery Racz with a 143. Palen recorded the team’s high series with a 349 and Racz had the high game of 198.
Greenwood says that two traits of the Norwalk teams that bode well for the future are perseverance and positivity. Both Warrior squads never give up, he says, and have come back from 100-pin deficits to win. Norwalk bowlers are also very encouraging and supportive of each other during practices and meets.
Greenwood has encouraged his bowlers to practice as much as possible at multiple lanes during the off-season. He adds that joining a league is a great way to make that happen. Greenwood is excited to have most of his teams back next season and believes the Warriors will be very competitive against a demanding schedule.