The Norwalk basketball teams celebrated Senior Night with a sweep of Oskaloosa on Friday, as heard live on the KNIA3 stream. The No. 3 in Class 4A Norwalk girls stormed out to a 40-3 halftime lead and won 73-24. The Warrior boys followed with their ninth consecutive victory, leading nearly wire to wire in defeating the Indians 66-52.

The girls game was never a contest as Norwalk took control from the opening tip using a swarming 1-2-2 defense and the scoring of Braylyn Birmingham. The sophomore standout made three 3-pointers and scored 19 of her game-high 24 points by the early stages of the second quarter. The Warriors extended their lead to 62-9 after three quarters, finishing the contest with nine three-point baskets and hitting 12-of-13 free throws. 

Hannah Overholser and Makenna Roeder both scored nine points for Norwalk, Olive DeRocher had eight points and Pearl Brown and Keragan VanZante added six apiece. Oskaloosa’s Naomi Cole finished strong to score a team-high 15 points.

The Norwalk boys also had a big night from beyond the arc, making 10 3-pointers and building a 20-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Junior Tillman Papcun paced the Warriors with 25 points while seniors Jameson Demaray and James Hatlevig tallied 15 and 11 points, respectively. Demaray and Hatlevig both drilled three treys in the first half, with Demaray adding a conventional three-point play as well and making another 3-pointer in the second half. 

Norwalk’s Audric Pelzer added nine points and Andrew Abbott scored six. The Warriors’ 35-26 halftime advantage was cut to four points early in the third, but they maintained a double-digit lead for much of the second half. Tommy North led Oskaloosa with 15 points.

The Norwalk girls improved to 11-1 overall and 6-0 in Little Hawkeye Conference play at the halfway point of the league schedule. Senior players honored on Friday night included Brown, Overholser, Ava Carlson and Kara Scandrett. The Warrior boys improved to 9-2 overall and 5-1 in the LHC, tied with Pella for first place. Demaray, Hatlevig and Henry Smith were recognized on Senior Night.

Both Norwalk squads return to action on Tuesday night for a girl-boy doubleheader at Ames.