The Norwalk and Dallas Center-Grimes basketball teams split Thursday’s girl-boy doubleheader at DC-G in a pair of Little Hawkeye Conference battles for first place. The Class 4A top-ranked Mustang girls pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat the seventh-ranked Warriors 55-20. The Norwalk boys then outlasted DC-G 55-52 in a highly competitive game of runs. Both contests were heard live on 94.3 KNIA and KNIA3.
The boys game was tied 31-31 at halftime before Dallas Center-Grimes took advantage of three quick Norwalk turnovers and opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run. The Warriors countered with a 14-2 response to finish the period and led for all but a few moments the rest of the way. Redek Born and Aidan Harder paced Norwalk with 20 points apiece on the night, and head coach Aaron Pelzer was proud of the way his two senior starters led the charge following a poor start to the second half.
“It’s so nice to have the experience of those guys that have been in these types of games before,” Pelzer said. “If your leaders are going to panic in a situation like that then that’s when those games go from nine to 18 real quick. We were able to get it going the opposite direction and I think a lot of it is those two guys.”
Cameron Thomas scored nine points for Norwalk and Tim Koerselman added six. Thomas gave the Warriors a three-point lead on a bizarre play at the third-quarter horn. Following a Norwalk missed shot, Brogan Fuller grabbed the rebound for DC-G but – thinking the quarter was over – basically handed the ball to Thomas, who made a layup as time expired. Thomas later put the Warriors up 55-52 by making 1-of-2 free throws with a second left. The Mustangs’ desperation half-court shot at the final buzzer was off the mark.
Norwalk improved to 7-2 overall and 4-0 in the Little Hawkeye. DC-G, which was led by Calix Cahill’s 19 points, dropped to 5-2 and 2-1, respectively.
In the girls game, Dallas Center-Grimes led 28-18 following a low-scoring third quarter, then caught fire in the fourth and outscored Norwalk 27-2 to win the game by 35 points. Freshmen Macy Meyer and Tessa Jones both hit a pair of second-half threes for the Mustangs, who improved to 9-1 overall and 3-0 in the LHC. Norwalk is now 9-2 overall and 3-1 in league play.
Bailey Birmingham scored 12 of her team-high 14 points in the first half for the Warriors, who battled cold shooting throughout the night against the defending 4A state champs. Kayla Reis led DC-G with 14 points and Meyer scored 13.
Both Norwalk teams will now have a long holiday break before returning to action on January 9 at Newton.