Norwin notebook: Knights runner makes Division I college choice

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, January 27, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Rosemary Gaydos became the latest Norwin track and field athlete to commit to a Division I college program.

Gaydos will continue her distance-running and cross-country career at St. Francis (Pa.) in Loretto.

Gaydos has lettered every year in cross country, track and field and swimming.

Her personal-best times are 19 minutes, 23 seconds in cross country, 5:18 in the 1,600-run and 11:36 in the 3,200.

She qualified for the PIAA meet last season in the 3,200 and made the state cross country meet.

A former WCCA individual 3,200-meter champion, Gaydos helped Norwin win back-to-back county team titles.

“Rosemary has been a rock for us in both cross country and track,” Norwin coach Brian Fleckenstein said. “She has anchored that senior class and has been a leader for the distance squad since middle school. Rosemary’s competitive fight, her sense of humor and work ethic set the bar for many future student athletes. It will be a bittersweet day when she goes on to college, but SFU is getting a good one for sure.”

True Grit

Late last month, Alex Thomas flew to Greeley, Colo. to get a close-up look at his future hockey team.

Thomas, Norwin’s all-time leader in goals and points, practiced for two days with the Colorado Grit of the North American Hockey League, then suited up for his first game against New Mexico.

Thomas then returned to rejoin Norwin in the PIHL.

The Knights broke a two-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over North Hills as Thomas scored two goals and added an assist for a three-point night.

Don Cerilli added a goal and an assist for the Knights (8-5-0-2).

Girls win

Norwin’s girls basketball continued to plug toward a Section 1-6A rematch with North Allegheny.

The Lady Knights (13-3, 5-0) ran their winning streak to four with a 55-37 victory over Mt. Lebanon.

Lauren Palangio had 14 points, Kendall Berger added 13, Ava Christopher 10 and Ava Kobus nine.

Norwin was ranked No. 2 in the WPIAL behind Peters Township but had yet to crack the state rankings.

Knights fall

The Norwin wrestling team had a chance to claim a share of the Section 3-3A title but was tripped up by undefeated Franklin Regional, 29-19, in a first-place clash.

Norwin came in ranked No. 6 while Franklin Regioanl was No. 3.

Landon Sidun (127 pounds) scored a major decision, while Gage Mamie (145), Nick Puskar (160) and Aiden Pham (215) won by decision.

“It came down to 50-50 matches, and they won two of them,” Norwin coach Kyle Martin said. “If we get them, we win.

“We’re close. I’m proud of how we wrestled. Maybe we’ll meet them in the playoffs. Our guys fought off their backs. They’re really good.”

Streak snapped

Don’t count Norwin out of the WPIAL boys basketball playoff chase just yet. At least not after a 56-50 win over Hempfield that snapped a five-game losing streak and gave the Knights their first win in Section 2-6A.

Alex Graney had 14 points, and Luke Denny came off the bench to score 13 for the Knights (6-8, 1-4).

“I was nice to get a win,” Norwin coach Lance Maha said. “We have a very young team. We had no returning starters, and the younger guys are starting to come on. We needed to get a win, especially against Hempfield. They are our rival, and Bill (Swan) does a nice job.”

College scene

Updates on Norwin athletes playing in college:

Women’s indoor track & field

Slippery Rock: Senior Kate Plassio won the 5,000-mter run at the Ashland Invitational, crossing the finish line in 18 minutes, 16.72 seconds. Her teammate, junior Aleks Brozeski, meantime, took second in the triple jump (10.70 meters).

Women’s basketball

Chatham: Sophomore Alyssa Laukus had 16 points and five rebounds, shooting 7 of 12 from the field, in a 94-76 victory at Geneva.

Marietta: Junior guard Olivia Gribble scored a team-high 14 points over 20 minutes in an 84-57 victory over Heidelberg.

Wrestling

Bucknell: Senior Kurt Phipps, ranked No. 17 at 133 pounds, was dominant in a 20-3 technical fall against Morgan State. He followed with a 5-3 win as the Bison defeated American, 31-9. He improved his season record to 16-2.

Thiel: Freshman 174-pounder Frank Gill (Norwin) registered a pin as the Tomcats defeated Pitt-Bradford, 42-12.

Women’s swimming

Clarion: Junior Jordan Kutchak swam the anchor leg of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay team that finished in 1 minute, 39.25 seconds, in a two-meet sweep of Cal (Pa.) and Edinboro at the PennWest Duals.

Men’s volleyball

Thiel: Sophomore Tyler Hussey contributed seven kills and two service aces in a 3-0 victory over Bethany.

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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