The wait is over. For the first time in 18 years, Norwalk will compete in the Girls State Basketball Tournament today, taking on Central DeWitt in a Class 4A quarterfinal inside Wells Fargo Arena. The game is slated for a 1:30 p.m. tip-off and can be heard live on kniakrls.com (KNIA3). Pregame coverage will begin at approximately 1:10.

The fourth-ranked Warriors enter the state tourney as the No. 4 seed in Class 4A with the best record in the field at 22-1. Freshman guard Braylyn Birmingham leads the team with a scoring average of 20.7 points per game. Senior Bailey Birmingham averages 16.7. 

Central DeWitt is the No. 5 seed in 4A and brings a 20-4 record to Des Moines. Three of their four losses are against 5A and 4A state qualifiers. The Sabers are led by senior guard Lauren Walker, who averages 25.2 points per game. Walker has made 78 three-pointers, shooting an impressive 48 percent from beyond the arc. Junior Ava Putman adds 12 points per game.

Norwalk coach Joe Sigrist tells KNIA Sports that the Sabers parallel Norwalk in many ways, most notably their up-tempo style. Central DeWitt may actually play faster than the Warriors, Sigrist adds, looking for very quick threes and layups in transition. Sigrist expects a track meet at times, with turnovers and points off turnovers being key to the outcome.

“It’s going to be who can execute, make more shots in their offense,” he said. “They like to get out and run, too. It should be a really exciting, transition-type game… I think it truly has the making of being one of the more entertaining, exciting games down there at Wells Fargo Arena.”

Sigrist says that he likes the Warriors chances if they play their brand of basketball and continue to play with confidence. He credits the team’s incredible success to every player embracing their role and being the best at whatever helps the team.

“Our girls, individually and collectively, have really embodied that all season long,” he said. “That’s why we’re 22-1. That’s why we’re Little Hawkeye Conference champions. That’s why we punched our ticket to the Girls Basketball State Tournament for the first time in 18 years, in their lifetimes. I just can’t say enough good things about this group.”

Today’s winner advances to the 4A semifinal round on Thursday, taking on top-seeded Sioux City Bishop Heelan or Cedar Rapids Xavier at 5:00 p.m.