The Norwalk boys soccer team returns to the state tournament pitch this afternoon, taking on Des Moines Hoover at 4 p.m. in a Class 3A semifinal at Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines. The game will be broadcast live on 94.3 KNIA, as well as kniakrls.com.

The fifth-seeded Warriors, now 12-7 overall, advanced to the semifinal round with a thrilling 3-2 win over Humboldt on Tuesday. Freshman Teegan Kralik scored the game-winning goal with 6:02 remaining. Top-seeded Hoover, meanwhile, improved to 17-1 with a commanding 6-0 first round win over Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Norwalk coach Dustin Kralik calls the Huskies a team full of dynamic individual players that are technical and skilled on the ball. He adds that Hoover plays a similar style to Humboldt, but with more goal-scoring threats. Kralik tells KNIA-KRLS Sports that the Warriors must once again circulate the ball, keep it moving, and manage the heat and energy of the game by letting the ball do the work.

“We’ve just got to keep playing our game,” he said. “We’ve got to not have the moments where we panic and start sending the ball long. We’ve got to keep possession and just stick to it and not lose our composure.”

Today’s winner will face Iowa City Liberty or Marion in Saturday’s 3A championship game at 4 p.m.

Baseball/Softball wins 3 of 4 at Osky

The Norwalk baseball and softball teams traveled to Oskaloosa on Wednesday, opening Little Hawkeye Conference play with varsity doubleheaders. The Class 4A fifth-ranked Warrior softball squad earned a sweep, winning the first game 12-2 and taking game two 12-1 in five innings. The baseball team left town with a split, winning 7-2 in game one before dropping the night cap 6-5 in eight innings.

Zadie Wadle pitched a four-hitter with 11 strikeouts in game one of the softball twin bill. Jaylynn Brandt had a four-hit game while Nyah Hulbert, Maddie Gullion and Addi Downe all had three hits, including a home run by Hulbert. Norwalk broke the game open with seven runs in the top of the seventh, then used a seven-run fourth in game two. Olivia Dougherty earned the pitching win and five Warriors had two hits in the night cap, including Lauren Black and Kaylee Cary. Black belted her first home run of the year.

The Warrior baseball team was poised for a sweep as well, but Osky rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-3 lead in game two. Norwalk tied it in the seventh before the Indians plated the winning run in the eighth. Warrior senior DJ Harris hit a three-run double in the first game and went 3-for-3 in the night cap. 

Norwalk is now 4-0 in softball and 3-6 on the baseball diamond. The baseball team plays at Winterset tonight and both squads host Newton on Friday.