Led by a large and talented class of 30 seniors, the 2022 Norwalk football team provided their fans with plenty of thrills during the course of a 5-4 season.
The Warriors missed out on the playoffs after finishing 2-3 in Class 4A, District 5, but one would be hard pressed to find many 5-4 programs that were better than Norwalk at the 4A level.
The Warriors’ four losses all came against top-10 ranked opponents: Lewis Central and Carlisle are both playing in today’s 4A state semifinals, Indianola reached the quarterfinal playoff round and Bondurant-Farrar put together an 8-1 regular season.
Norwalk was competitive for at least a half against all four teams – even leading Indianola in the fourth quarter – but head coach Paul Patterson says the Warriors simply couldn’t put together a complete all-facets game against their toughest foes.
“Penalties were number one. Our inability to get turnovers – I think that would be the other one,” Patterson said. “And then for us to [not] be able to get a stop defensively (or) be able to put a drive together when the game was on the line… I think those were probably the biggest hiccups to us being 6-3, 7-2, 8-1 throughout the year.”
Norwalk scored at least 27 points in every game but one as senior dual-threat quarterback Landon Hochstein led the team’s explosive spread offense. Hochstein, who will play collegiate football at Butler University, tallied 2,143 passing yards, 646 rushing yards and 32 total touchdowns in just eight games, and he is the program’s number two all-time passer despite starting only two years.
Patterson says that statistics are only a small part of what Hochstein brings to the table.
“Let’s start with his leadership,” he said. “I think our quarterbacks that got to be in his individual position group every single day are going to come away with more than just football and being better at playing quarterback. I think they’re going to be better at leading our kids as we get ready to move into the future.”
Seniors Dillon Ranck (903 receiving yards, 13 TDs) and Braeden Carlson led Norwalk’s deep receiving corps, with Ranck breaking school records for receiving yards in a single game (219) and a career. Senior defensive lineman Maddux Borcherding-Johnson, a University of Iowa recruit, faced plenty of extra attention from opposing offensive lines but still found a way to notch 32.5 total tackles and 7 tackles for loss. Junior linebacker Will Clark was the team leader with 59.5 tackles, eight sacks and 15 TFL.
Coach Patterson called the team’s 30 seniors a great group of kids that will be missed dearly, but he is excited about what the future holds for Warrior football.