The Norwalk football season came to an end on Friday night as the Warriors were defeated 42-7 by Waukee Northwest in a game heard live on the KNIA3 stream.

Northwest finished with 42 unanswered points and 536 total yards, unofficially. The Wolves will take an 8-1 record and the number 2 RPI ranking into next week’s Class 5A playoffs. The Warriors, who entered Week 9 on a five-game winning streak, finished 5-4 in their first season of 5A football. They dropped to 18th in the final RPI rankings, missing the playoffs by two spots.

Norwalk coach Paul Patterson tells KNIA Sports that he is extremely proud of his team’s fight to the very end on Friday, as well as their effort all season long. Patterson adds that saying goodbye to the team’s seniors is the worst part of every season.

“This was a special group for us, as far as… not only were they the first group that put us in 5A and led us through a 5A football schedule, but they were the group that didn’t blink when we found out for sure in the spring that we were going to be 5A, and that’s a testament to what kind of kids they are,” Patterson said. “They were tremendous for our program and they’re tremendous human beings, and we’re going to miss them.”

Norwalk opened the game with an 80-yard touchdown drive that was capped by Eli Robbins’ 29-yard, one-handed touchdown reception from James Hatlevig. The Warriors would not score the rest of the night, however, as Northwest clamped down on Norwalk’s rushing attack and put consistent pressure on Hatlevig. The Wolves built a 28-7 halftime lead behind Paulo Tobongye’s two touchdown runs and a pair of Mack Heitland-to-Isaiah Oliver TD passes.

The Norwalk defense recovered two fumbles in the second half, but the offense came up empty on three red zone trips inside the Wolves’ 5-yard line. Heitland added two more touchdown throws of 76 and 73 yards to Jordon Green.

Norwalk will graduate 17 seniors off the 2025 football roster.