Norwin notebook: Girls wrestling wins 1st dual meet; girls basketball faces tough schedule

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, January 13, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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With an electric atmosphere to usher in a new era, the Norwin girls wrestling team won its inaugural dual match as WPIAL program by toppling visiting Southmoreland, 45-18, on Jan. 3.

Addison Elyes (112 pounds), Camden Reese (136), Avalin Barry (142), Jo Dollman (148), and Kavsyn Champion (155) all posted wins for Norwin.

Reese, Barry, Dollman, and Champion posted pins.

Lilian Chaney (130), Octavia Walker (170) and Abigail Hewitt (190) all won by forfeit for the Knights.

Girls basketball clipped

Playing a challenging schedule is bound to come with challenges, and even a few setbacks.

That is why the best teams stack high-caliber opponents.

The Norwin girls basketball team dropped its third game of the season, falling to 9-3 after a 52-51 loss to visiting West Virginia power Wheeling Park on Jan. 6.

Lauren Palangio had 19 points in the loss.

“We try to make sure we are able to select opponents that can help us identify what weaknesses we have and make them available to us early in the season,” Norwin coach Brian Brozeski said. “That way we can try to hone those in. … It helps us become a better team overall when you get these experiences and tight games over quality competition.”

All three losses have come against teams outside of the WPIAL.

The loss to Wheeling snapped a 14-game home winning streak.

Norwin opened Section 1 play with back-to-back wins, including a 47-42 win at then-No. 1 North Allegheny, the first time the current seniors had won in Wexford.

Norwin bounced back to thump Hempfield, 61-23, as Palangio scored 17 and Kendall Berger 14.

College scene

Updates on Norwin athletes playing at the next level.

Wrestling

Bucknell: Senior Kurt Phipps won all five of his matches on the way to championship in the 133-pound weight bracket at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. Phipps edged Dom Serrano of Northern Colorado, 2-0, in the finals. Serrano was ranked No. 27 in the nation my Intermat. Phipps’ escape early in the second period held up after he earned a riding-time point. Phipps also won the Navy Classic in November.

Women’s basketball

Bethany: Freshman forward Kate Botti was named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Week. She averagd 7.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over a pair of wins.

Carlow: Sophomore Alyssa Laukus (Norwin) produced back-to-back double-doubles for the Cougars. She had 13 points and 10 rebounds in a 78-74 over Elizabethtown, then added 10 points and 10 rebounds against Allegheny in a 72-65 win. Laukus added 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 58-49 win over Waynesburg in overtime.

Florida Tech: Junior guard Sarah Liberatore (Hempfield) had a season-high 11 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes in a 72-57 win against Clayton State.

Grove City: Junior guard Mara Polczynski scored 12 points but the Wolverines (6-7, 5-3 PAC) fell to Washington & Jefferson, 78-49.

Marietta: Senior guard Olivia Gribble scored 10 points and handed out four assists in a 64-63 win over Muskingum.

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

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