The non-district portion of Norwalk’s football season concludes tonight when the Warriors host the Class 4A fourth-ranked ADM Tigers at 7:30. The game will be streamed live on kniakrls.com (KNIA3). Pregame coverage starts at 6:30.
It’s Senior Night for Norwalk, which stands 1-2 overall following last week’s 29-21 home loss to Newton. ADM is 2-1 on the year after losing a 30-27 overtime decision at defending 4A state champion Lewis Central. The Tigers won last year’s meeting 47-14 in Adel.
Norwalk coach Paul Patterson tells KNIA Sports that ADM is an aggressive and extremely physical team that plays with a relentless pursuit of whatever their goal is on a particular play. He says the Warriors must play four quarters of physical football while executing on offense, defense and special teams. Patterson adds that his team must play to their own strengths and maintain a next play mentality throughout the night.
“We can’t let one play impact the rest of a quarter or a half, and in some cases a game,” he said. “We need to make sure that we understand regardless of what happens we’ve got to be ready for the next one.”
ADM is led by junior quarterback Hudson Shull, who has passed for 476 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 217 and three scores. Shull has also thrown four interceptions. Running backs Jonathon Hatchitt and Talon Harvey both average more than five yards per carry and Corbin Reed is the Tigers’ top receiver with 14 catches for 252 yards. The ADM defense has eight takeaways in three games.
Norwalk quarterbacks Eli Robbins and James Hatlevig have combined to pass for 511 yards, each throwing two TDs and two interceptions. Robbins leads the team with 289 rushing yards at 8.3 yards per carry and Dominic Tigner has added 198 rushing yards. Both have two TDs. Brady Schmitz, playing his first game of the season last week, hauled in six receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns. The Warriors have five takeaways on defense, including three by freshman Luke Iverson.
Norwalk golfers place 1st at Marshalltown
The seventh-ranked Norwalk boys golf team secured their first tournament championship of the season on Thursday, winning Marshalltown’s Joe August Invitational at Elmwood Country Club.
The Warriors posted a 10-over-par team score of 290, holding off Southeast Polk by two strokes. Dallas Center-Grimes was third with a 303.
DC-G’s Noah Moberg earned top medalist honors with a 1-under round of 69, closely followed by a pair of Warriors. Ian Lux shot an even-par 70 for second place and Grady Sigrist (ranked 11th in 4A) was third with a 71. Tillman Papcun placed ninth with a 74, Kaleb Foltz carded a 75 and Mason Johnson added a 76.
Norwalk had previously placed in the top three of three other 18-hole tournaments this season. The Warriors return to competition on Monday for the West Des Moines Valley Tournament at Willow Creek Golf Course.