Norwin notebook: Girls basketball team starts on right foot

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, December 9, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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The Norwin girls basketball team opened the season with a victory, which could be one of many for the Lady Knights.

Bella Furno had 15 points, Ava Christopher added 12, and Lauren Palangio and Kendall Berger chipped in 10 apiece in a 66-27 win over Cameron (W.Va.) at the Wheeling Park Tournament at “The Palace.”

Norwin is coming off a 24-5 season where it reached the WPIAL and PIAA Class 6A semifinals.

The Norwin boys basketball team went 1-1 in its home tip-off tournament.

Chris McKnight and Luke Denny scored in double figures with 10 points apiece in a 60-30 win over Steel Valley.

On the second day of the round-robin event, McKnight had 15 points but the Knights fell to Seton LaSalle, 48-45.

Thomas recovering

Norwin hockey dropped three straight games, a rarity in recent years, but there is a reason it happened.

Senior forward Alex Thomas missed two games, and was not at 100% for a third, with an oblique strain.

With Thomas out, Norwin (4-3-0-2) dropped PIHL Class 2A games to Franklin Regional (12-0) and Hempfield (3-2), before falling to Latrobe (3-2) in Thomas’ return.

Thomas leads 2A in scoring with 25 points.

All-star weekend

There was a strong Norwin presence at the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association All-Star Game between the Class 4A and 3A teams.

Knights coach Scott Schuchert and his staff led the 4A all-stars to a 5-1 win.

Norwin seniors Owen Christopher and Anthony Scalise were part of the 4A team.

Cole Kamarec of Seneca Valley had a hat trick in the victory, while Ryan Galicic of Canon-McMillan and Blake Gabelhart of Peters Township had one goal apiece on Nov. 25 at Pine-Richland.

“It was an amazing experience and honor,” Schuchert said. “Hearing about their experiences and learning about the specifics of their schools was truly fascinating. It was a joy to witness these elite players perform without the immense pressure they typically face.

“Coaching Anthony and Owen one last time was the best part.”

Denny drawing offers

After a highlight-filled senior football season, Norwin’s Luke Denny is beginning to attract college attention from Division II programs.

Denny, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver and safety, has five offers so far, with most of them coming from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

Mercyhurst, West Liberty, IUP, Clarion and Lock Haven have offered Denny, who set a school record this year with 1,060 receiving yards. He had 45 receptions and 12 touchdowns.

He had 60 tackles and an interception on defense.

Finish line

The Norwin cross country teams capped the fall season at the Nike Cross Cross Regionals at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, N.Y.

Freshman Emily Dansak finished 15th in 21 minutes, 40.1 seconds in the Open Division, while sophomore Anna Czajkowski was 39th.

The boys finished 11th in the team standings of the Open Northeast Race, while the girls took 12th.

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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