All six Norwalk High School winter sports teams finished out the pre-Christmas portion of their schedules on Saturday, including wins by the girls and boys bowling teams as well as the undefeated girls basketball squad.
BASKETBALL
The Norwalk girls basketball team enters Christmas break with a perfect 10-0 record following Saturday’s 59-49 victory over Southeast Polk at the Johnston Winter Tip Off Classic. The Class 4A third-ranked Warriors withstood their toughest challenge of the season, pulling away in the fourth quarter to win by 10. Braylyn Birmingham made 12-of-14 free throws and led Norwalk with 16 points. Bailey Birmingham scored 14 points, Ava Carlson had 12 and Hannah Overholser added 10.
The Norwalk boys basketball team led two-time defending 4A state champion West Des Moines Valley nearly wire-to-wire on the road before falling 61-58. The Warriors took a 44-37 lead into the final quarter, but were outscored 24-14 the rest of the way. Valley took their first lead of the game in the final minute and Norwalk – down by one – turned the ball over with two seconds left. The Warriors, now 4-3 overall, were led by Jack Larson’s 21 points. Cameron Thomas scored 14 and Grady Sigrist added 11.
BOWLING
The Norwalk bowling teams both posted season-best scores and defeated Newton on Saturday at the Air Lanes Bowling Center. The Warrior girls won 2,234 to 2,052, improving to 3-1 on the season. The boys won 2,837 to 2,700, improving their record to 2-2.
The Norwalk girls were paced by Elivia Stout’s two-game series of 338 (138-200), followed by Anna Curran’s 323 (144-179) and Ellery Racz with a 286 (165-121). Brytan Bassman led the Warrior boys with a 483 series, rolling individual games of 267 and 216. Blake Halsted added a 474 (227-247) and Gavin Housley bowled a 396 (225-171). Brothers Gavin and Tanner Housley both converted 100 percent of their Baker games opportunities with strikes or spares.
WRESTLING
The Norwalk boys wrestlers competed at the Battle of Waterloo Dual Tournament on Friday and Saturday, winning four out of six duals and improving to 8-3 overall. The Warriors placed third in the Jeff Voss Bracket on Friday. They defeated North Scott 43-25, lost to Southeast Polk 67-3 and outlasted West Delaware 35-31. They placed second in Saturday’s Pool 3, beating Osage 39-33, falling to Linn-Mar 51-26 and defeating Independence 41-26.
Norwalk senior Dominic Tigner went 6-0 for the weekend at 157 and 165 pounds. He won five matches by regular decision, including one in sudden victory, and added one major. Second-ranked Kolton Borcherding-Johnson went 5-1 at 285 pounds, losing only to top-ranked Cooper Martinson of Southeast Polk. Borcherding-Johnson held a late 5-3 lead before Martinson used a five-point move to win 8-5. Also for Norwalk, Liam McLaughlin went 5-1 at 150 and 157 and Harrison Tripp was 4-1 at 215.
The Norwalk girls wrestlers placed ninth out of 12 teams at Saturday’s Boone Tournament, scoring 93.5 points. Katie Liedtke won the 170-pound bracket for the Warriors, pinning both of her opponents. Brookelynn Lonnevik (105) and Kaylie Popiano (130) both placed third, combining to go 6-2 with four pins, a technical fall and one major decision. Hannah Smith placed fourth at 115, going 2-2 with a pin and a major.