The Norwalk girls basketball team’s 17-game losing streak against Dallas Center-Grimes is officially history. The Class 4A sixth-ranked Warriors opened Tuesday night’s clash with a 35-9 blitzkrieg of offense and held on for a 70-63 victory over the 4A fifth-ranked Mustangs. The boys game went to overtime, with DC-G outlasting Norwalk 60-56. Both contests were streamed live on kniakrls.com (KNIA3).
The Norwalk boys wrestlers, meanwhile, were defeated by Ankeny 36-28 in the first round of Class 3A Regional Duals at Carlisle.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
The Norwalk girls defeated Dallas Center-Grimes in basketball for the first time in nine years and forced a first-place tie in the Little Hawkeye Conference. The Warriors are 9-1 in league play and 18-1 overall. The Mustangs, who won at Norwalk 53-48 on January 7, fell to 8-1 in the LHC and 14-4 overall.
Norwalk led 42-22 at the half behind 10 three-point baskets. Senior Bailey Birmingham hit five threes and scored 19 of her 20 total points before the break. Freshman Braylyn Birmingham made three first-half treys, converted 10-of-12 free throws in the second half and finished with 25 points. Grace Linder added three long-range shots and 10 points off the bench.
DC-G, led by freshman Ava Smid’s 21 points, never backed down in the second half but trailed by double digits until the final minute of play. Norwalk head coach Joe Sigrist tells KNIA Sports that his team exuded confidence entering the game and backed it up with tremendous all-around effort and execution. Sigrist adds that beating a team like DC-G is the final hurdle the Warriors needed in becoming a championship-caliber team.
“(Our) program hadn’t beaten them in over nine years,” he said. “They haven’t lost a home conference game in five years, so it was a statement win. It was a win we needed to get over that hurdle.”
The Norwalk girls have only two regular season games remaining. They will host Newton next Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
The Norwalk boys basketball team lost their second close game of the season vs. DC-G, falling 60-56 in overtime. The Warriors fought from behind nearly the entire game and overcame a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit, taking their first lead of the night on a Cameron Thomas fast break layup. Mason Johnson gave Norwalk a 48-45 lead with his third 3-pointer of the second half, and Thomas forced overtime with a basket in the final 30 seconds of regulation.
The lead changed hands a few times in OT, including a go-ahead three by Thomas, but Norwalk committed a pair of costly turnovers down the stretch and came up short. Thomas led the Warriors with 17 points, followed by Grady Sigrist with 14 and Johnson 12. Norwalk finished the game with 12 made 3-pointers. Kyle Cason led DC-G with 23 points, matching his average.
The Norwalk boys are now 8-8 overall and 6-4 in the Little Hawkeye. They will play Johnston on Saturday in the State Basketball Crossover at West Des Moines Valley.
WRESTLING
The Class 3A 11th-ranked Norwalk boys wrestlers saw their dual season come to a close at the hands of No. 9 Ankeny, 36-28, in regional duals. Eighth-ranked Carlisle then defeated Ankeny 35-32, advancing to Saturday’s State Dual Tournament.
Ankeny won eight out of 11 contested matches against the Warriors, including three pins. Norwalk heavyweight Kolton Borcherding-Johnson opened the dual with a 10-4 decision. Asaiah Martinez picked up a 20-10 major decision at 120 and Dominic Tigner won 8-4 at 157. Once the outcome was decided, the Hawks forfeited the final three weights.
Norwalk finished the dual season with an overall record of 21-5. The Warriors will compete in a Class 3A District Tournament at Marshalltown on Saturday, February 15.