The Norwalk boys soccer team advanced to the state semifinals on Wednesday morning while the Warrior baseball and softball teams swept conference doubleheaders vs. Oskaloosa on Wednesday night.
Soccer Wins 2-0
Set piece goals by Tyden Eng and Jace Davis in the first 18 minutes provided more than enough offense for Norwalk, which defeated Marion 2-0 in a Class 3A Boys State Soccer Tournament quarterfinal at Cownie Soccer Park. The fourth-seeded Warriors controlled the match from start to finish, dominating from a possession standpoint and shutting out a Marion team that had outscored their opponents 65-6 on the year.
Norwalk coach Dustin Kralik tells KNIA Sports that when the Warriors are really good at the simple things, they can make the game look easier than it is. “When we can do those things and we don’t let ourselves get sped up, we don’t force things, we don’t dribble too much, then the game is going to look easy,” he said. “I thought we did a really good job of managing the game and managing the emotions, and just limiting (Marion’s) opportunities.”
Kralik adds that the experience and physicality of the Warriors’ back line and defensive wings continues to be a consistent strength of the team.
Eng, who scored his first varsity goal in last year’s state quarterfinals – on the same field – put Norwalk on the board in the 10th minute. Eng took a throw-in from Grant Fletcher on the left side of the box and used his right foot to send a goal past Marion keeper Colby Krupski. The Warriors scored again with 22:08 left in the first half off Teegan Kralik’s corner kick. Caden Endres got first touch on the ball with a header and Davis cleaned it up off a deflection.
Norwalk improved to 12-8 overall and will now face top-seeded Des Moines Hoover in Friday’s 3A semifinal round at Drake Stadium. The match will start at 10 a.m.
Norwalk Softball wins big
The Norwalk softball team opened Little Hawkeye Conference play with a sweep of Oskaloosa, winning 10-0 and 11-1 in a pair of five-inning games. Now ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, the Warriors improved to 6-0 on the season and will host 5A fifth-ranked Johnston tonight at 7 p.m.
Norwalk stroked 15 hits in game one while Olivia Dougherty pitched a one-hitter with eight strikeouts. Lauren Black and Bailey Birmingham both homered for the Warriors, Carly Brewer hit two doubles and Nyah Hulbert went 3-for-4 with a double. In the night cap, Brewer was 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI while Avy Garvey and Birmingham both doubled. Addi Downe pitched all five innings for the win.
Norwalk Baseball also sweeps
The Norwalk baseball team ran their winning streak to five games with a conference sweep of Oskaloosa, winning 9-3 and 6-4. The Warriors will take a 5-3 record into tonight’s 7:30 game against Winterset.
CJ Davis led Norwalk at the plate in game one, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Dawson King hit a three-run double in the third and finished 2-for-3. Briley Purcell pitched six innings for the win, allowing one earned run and striking out five. In game two, Payton Nichols singled and tripled for the Warriors. Aidan Harder went 2-for-3 with two RBI and pitched five hitless innings while striking out six.