The Norwalk girls and boys basketball teams picked up a Little Hawkeye Conference sweep at Newton on Tuesday night, as heard live on the KNIA3 stream. The Norwalk girls wrestlers also competed, winning one out of three duals at Pella.
BASKETBALL
Playing for the first time in a week, the Class 4A seventh-ranked Warrior girls basketball team was in control from start to finish in a 71-24 win at Newton. Sisters Braylyn and Bailey Birmingham combined to score 50 points and the Warriors’ full court pressure created numerous Cardinal turnovers. Norwalk led 21-6 after one quarter and 44-16 at halftime.
Braylyn Birmingham scored 22 of her game-high 26 points in the first half, making 9-of-11 free throws. Bailey Birmingham knocked down five 3-pointers and tallied 24 points, Hannah Overholser scored seven and Ava Carlson added five. Norwalk shot 18-of-23 at the foul line.
The Norwalk boys snapped a four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 45-38 victory over the Cardinals. The Warriors took an early 7-1 lead but scored only two second-quarter points and went to the half tied at 13. Trailing 31-29 after three, Norwalk opened the fourth quarter with a crucial 11-2 run and held on for the win.
Kaleb Foltz helped key the Warrior surge and finished with a game-high 16 points, followed by Cameron Thomas with 12, Tim Koerselman seven and Audric Pelzer five. Norwalk played an excellent defensive game, holding Newton’s top two scorers – Cade Bauer and Caden Klein – to a combined nine points. The Warriors were playing without their own leading scorer in Grady Sigrist, who missed his second straight game due to a concussion.
The Norwalk girls improved to 11-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play. The boys are now 5-5 overall and 3-2 in the Little Hawkeye. The Warrior squads play at Oskaloosa on Friday night.
WRESTLING
The Norwalk girls wrestlers finished 1-2 at the Pella quad meet and are now 4-10 overall. The Warriors lost to Newton (30-25) and Pella (60-6) before defeating English Valleys 42-11. Norwalk 170-pounder Katie Liedtke pinned all three of her opponents on the night. Also winning by fall for the Warriors were Savannah Halstead, Maya Wojtowicz and Madelyn Carroll. Norwalk returns to action Saturday for the Waukee Northwest Invitational.