The Norsemen Look to Bounce Back

One of the most exciting times of the year is almost upon us. Basketball is about to start. This year both the girls and the boys’ teams will enter the association with high expectations. After coming off two disappointing exits in the regional finals last year, the teams this year will look to bounce back with a chip on their shoulders.

The Lady Norsemen will get started first this year, with practice beginning on November 3. After two weeks of practice, the varsity will be off to the Somonauk Break Out starting, on November 18, while the JV will compete at the Putnam County Invite, starting November 17. The first home game of the year for the Lady Norsemen will be against Fieldcrest on November 25.

Meghan Petges, a social studies and a RTI teacher at Newark, will again coach the Lady Norsemen JV. The Lady Norsemen will have a different head coach this year, however, but not a new one. Coming out of retirement, Dale Skelton, a former P.E. teacher at Newark, will once again lead the varsity girls after last year’s head coach, Brian Holman, left for a teaching and coaching position at Spring Valley Hall.

The Norsemen will get underway with practice on November 10. Rick Tollefson and Rob Scott return to coach the varsity and JV respectively. For the third year now, the varsity boys will return to the Sycamore Invite to open their season on November 24. The Norsemen then will travel to Somonauk to open conference play on December 5 and then on December 9 the first home game will be against Dwight.

When sophomore Steve McGrath was asked what he was looking forward to most this year, he replied, “I’m definitely most excited for the [Plano] Christmas Classic. I’ve always gone there every Christmas since I was little, so being able to play in it now is pretty sweet.” The Plano Christmas Classic for the Norsemen will take place in late December.

By Matt Eike