Norwin notebook: Alex Thomas shines at PIHL all-star game

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Alex Thomas delivered two goals and two assists as the Blue team tied the Gold team, 6-6, in the PIHL Class 2A all-star game on Jan. 28 at the Robert Morris Island Sports Center.

Norwin’s Aaron Varrati added two assists for the Blue.

Thomas recently returned to Norwin’s team after playing in a game with the Colorado Grit of the North American Hockey League, the team with which he signed a tender.

Thomas was leading 2A in goals (28) and points (46). He had a goal and two assists, while Madon Hohman erupted for a hat trick when Norwin skated past Bishop McCort, 6-3, to move to 9-5-0-2.

The Knights were tied with Franklin Regional for fourth place with four regular-season games remaining.

County swimming

Norwin participated in the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Swimming and Diving Championships on Jan. 26-27 at Derry.

Norwin boys finishers were Connor Lydon (sixth 50 freestyle, 22.88; fourth 100 freestyle, 50.83), Tyler Turgeon (fourth 100 backstroke, 53.92; fourth 100 butterfly, 53.66), Cole Kubistek (third, 100 breaststroke, 1:05.31; third 200 IM, 2:06.57), Noah Mulac (fifth 200 freestyle, 1:53.30; fifth 500 freestyle, 5:05.84), 200 medley relay (fourth, 1:42.61), 400 free relay (fifth, 3:37.44).

The team finished fifth out of 13 teams.

Norwin girls finishers were Allison Arendas (fourth 50 freestyle, 25.21), Chloe Black (third, 100 backstroke, 1:01.82; Rosemary Gaydos (fourth, 200 IM, 2:19.69; fifth 500 freestyle, 5:32.23), 200 freestyle relay (fifth, 1:44.15), 200 medley relay (third, 1:55.12),

The team was sixth overall.

Knights sweep NA

Norwin’s girls basketball team roughed up rival North Allegheny to the tune of a 66-44 win to earn their first sweep of the Tigers, a Section 1-6A opponent and regular playoff foe since 2018-19.

Junior Kendall Berger had a game-high 21 points, including 11 of 12 free throws, while sophomore Ava Christopher scored 10, and senior forward Lauren Palangio had nine and four blocks for No. 2-ranked Norwin, which moved to 14-3 overall and 6-0 in section.

North Allegheny, ranked No. 3, fell to 14-2, 4-2.

Sophomore Averi Brozeski also scored nine, while senior Ava Kobus chipped in eight in the win.

The home game was Norwin’s annual charity night. Norwin (and North Allegheny) wore powder-blue T-shirts to recognize Marge and Mabel, the grandmothers of Berger and senior Bailey Snowberger, who are battling dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Proceeds from raffles and a halftime contest will go to the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at UPMC Montifiore.

Stately honor

SBLive Pennsylvania let a fan vote decide who are the 15 best girls basketball players in the state so far this season.

Two of them are from Westmoreland County.

Norwin senior Lauren Palangio was the leading vote-getter for post player, and senior Mya Morgan of Greensburg Central Catholic got the most votes for combo-guard.

The others selected were point guards Meghan Murray of Hampton, Lainey Yater of South Fayette and Bella Bacani of Perkiomen Valley; combo-guards Haylie Adamski of Garnet Valley and Ava Persichetti of River Valley; wing players Savannah Curry of Westtown, Alena Fusetti of Blackhawk and Rylee Kalocay of Upper St. Clair; forwards Zariyah Whigham of Lebanon, Erica Hall of South Fayette and Sam Blumenthal of Bishop Shanahan; and post players Rachael Manfredo of McKeesport and Ava Darvassy of Perkiomen.

Wrestlers take down P-T

Norwin won 10 of 13 matchs, including four pins and two technical falls, to topple Penn-Trafford, 53-11, in Section 3-3A wrestling.

“I thought we came out strong,” Norwin coach Kyle Martin said. “We rebounded well from last week’s loss (to Franklin Regional), and I feel we’re ready to make some noise in team tournament.

“I think we can match up with anyone in the top eight. I’m eager to see what happens.”

The team tournament was set to start Jan. 29 with preliminary round matches.

Nate Klingensmith (114 pounds) and Landon Sidum (121) won via technical fall, and Gage Mamie (139), Nate Campbell (189), Bill Petko (215) and Aiden Pham (285) won by fall for the Knights.

Pons all-state

Jackson Pons, Norwin’s star football receiver and safety who enrolled early at Miami of Ohio, was named to the Pennsylvania Football News Class 5A All-State Team.

Pons, who joined teammate Luke Denny as an all-state pick, had 34 receptions for 588 yards and eight touchdowns for Norwin, adding 84 tackles, 11 for loss, two interceptions and seven defended passes.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin