Norwin cruises through the regular season
February 8, 2023
The 2022-23 Norwin Lady Knights were on a roll all season long with an impressive 18-3 record. At one point in the season, Norwin was ranked the #1 team in the state (according to MaxPreps.com) and still stand at the top of the WPIAL 6A standings.
The Knights started the season on a tear starting 7-0 and rolled through their opponents. Sophomore guard Kendall Berger (2) started the season hot averaging 10.4 PPG through the first 7 games.
“We are always hyping each other up,” said Berger (grade 10) “Getting each other going after a bad play and helping each other when someone is down is always big. Good vibes right now.”
With this stretch, Norwin beat impressive teams to start the season with wins against Mt. Lebanon, (14-6) South Fayette, (18-2) and Penn-Trafford (13-5).
“ With big games, you have to treat them like any other game,” said assistant coach Mr. Oestrich. “We are constantly preparing and working hard in practice and that is seen in the games.”
The girls’ found themselves on the losing end of a tough battle against McKeesport, losing their first campaign of the year, 37-47.
This game led to another long win streak for the Knights, holding 5 of their next 7 opponents to under 40 points, and winning 7 in a row. This was an impressive stretch for the Girl’s as they continued their undefeated conference record.
“Staying focused and staying consistent for us has been huge,” said Oestrich. “The unique thing about our team is that everyone contributes, I think that’s what makes us great.”
Another highlight of the season is on Jan 3, Head Coach Mr. Brian Brozeski collected his 200th win, beating North Allegheny at home 53-32. The win against North Allegheny has shown to be more important as the season goes on. The 21-point home win has proven to be a saving grace for the knights as they cling on to 1st place in the section as of Feb 7th.
The Knights have had one of the toughest schedules of any teams in their conference and have fought tooth and nail to get where they are today. With sturdy defense and a dependable offense that can shoot from deep and make things happen in the post, Norwin is primed for a deep playoff run this postseason.
After an OT thriller with Blackhawk (16-2) which saw the Knights take care of business on the road 59-49, the Knights would drop the next 2 games against #5 USC and #8 North Allegheny.
The unfamiliar territory for the Knights was exactly the spark the girls needed. After losing back to back games for the first and only time this season, The Knights would end the season on a 4 game winning streak which saw the girl’s win by an average of 29 points per game.
In their final home game of the season, the girls put on a show for the home crowd, beating the Butler Golden Tornadoes (10-10) by a score of 60-22.
The Norwin Lady Knights deserve all of the praise and hype they have received this year. From senior leadership with Tori Sydeski, Kate Botti, and Savannah Schneck, to shooters with Bailey Snowberger, Kendall Berger, and Ava Kobus. With the always reliable Lauren Palangio to hold down the paint, this team is the real deal.
Be on the lookout for the Norwin Lady Knights when the WPIAL playoffs start on February 13th.
