Championships cap a great school year for Norwin sports

by: Bill Beckner Jr.

Saturday, June 15, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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It started with a bang in the fall and ended with a surprise in the spring.

Norwin’s 2023-24 sports year has been filled with so much success that Athletic Director Mike Burrell has ordered championship banners, creating a need for more space on the gym’s walls.

autumn

Motivated by their No. 8 seed, the boys soccer team finished behind the favorites to win the championship, but then pulled off an upset to win their first WPIAL championship.

George Bunovich scored the winning goal in the shootout, and Norwin beat No. 2 North Allegheny 2-1 (5-2 on penalties) on a perfect November night along the river at Station Square.

“It says a lot about our character and who we are,” Knights goaltender Anthony Scalise said.

Owen Christopher, Alex Brown, Daniel Maddock and Chase Molinaro also scored in the shootout at Highmark Stadium.

Maddock scored a goal in regulation time.

Norwin (17-6-1) reached the PIAA semifinals. Three of their six postseason games have gone to shootouts, with the Kings winning half of them, including a 3-2 win over Seneca Valley in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Also in the fall, Norwin sophomore golfer Leah Gazy recorded a hole-in-one at the WPIAL Section 3-3A tournament at Indiana Country Club.

Quarterback Tristin Tavares led the Knights offense in a record-breaking season, setting single-season program records for passing yards (2,459) and touchdowns (25).

Hockey star Alex Thomas broke the program’s career records for goals, points and assists. He signed with the Colorado Grit of the North American Hockey League.

winter

The Norwin girls basketball team surprised no one, which is tough to do for a team that was a preseason favorite to win.

The Lady Knights defeated rival North Allegheny, 56-41, at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh to win the 6A title and advance to their third WPIAL championship.

Norwin, which posted the best defensive scoring average in 6A (37.6 ppg), dominated Seneca Valley and Chartiers Valley en route to the finals.

Forward Lauren Palanzio was the anchor of a balanced lineup that also included guards Kendall Berger, Ava Covas, Bailey Snowberger and Ava Christopher.

“Amazing was the word of the day,” Palanzio said after the win, where he was named MVP with 12 points and 15 rebounds.

The deep bench adds to an experienced team that finished with a 23-4 record.

Norwin’s run ended in the PIAA quarterfinals.

Freshman wrestling sensation Landon Sidoon had a breakthrough performance in his debut wrestling season, winning the PIAA Championship in his first try.

After a close loss to Butler’s Santino Sloboda in the WPIAL finals, Sidun defeated Ridley’s Curtis Nelson, 6-3, to win the gold medal in front of thousands of fans at Hershey’s Giant Center.

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment all year,” Sidun said.

spring

Luke Denny, a former wide receiver and defensive back at Norwin who will attend Lehigh University football, won the WPIAL 3A track and field title in the 400-meter dash.

Norwin’s boys and girls track and field teams finished second in the WPIAL.

The Norwin softball team advanced to the WPIAL 6A finals as the No. 5 seed in a field of six teams.

The team then made its first appearance in the finals but lost 4-3 in eight innings to No. 2 Seneca Valley High School.

Norwin standout Baylee Snowberger, who plans to attend the College of Holy Cross, had a double and a key putout in the loss.

The Knights boys volleyball team had a great season, reaching the WPIAL 3A quarterfinals but losing 3-1 to Seneca Valley.

The Knights finished the game with a 15-4 record.

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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