For only the 2nd time in program history, the Norwell Lady Knights (23-4) will play in the IHSAA Girls’ Basketball State Finals.
However, this time Norwell will be playing in the state championship game for the very first time. Norwell’s wins over Hamilton Heights and Bremen at the Huntington North Semistate last Saturday are a testimony of many years invested into this program in Coach Eric Thornton’s 27-year tenure at Norwell.
To discuss Norwell’s run to the 3A State Finals, we must first rewind to its history. The 1976-77 Norwell Lady Knights dominated with a 20-4 record and won both ACAC titles. Back then, the girls’ basketball state tournament was only in its second year where it was a single-class tournament with every school (big or small) competing for a state championship. Norwell beat Adams Central, Bluffton, and South Adams to win the Bellmont Sectional. They followed that with wins over Marion and Northfield to win their second straight Huntington North Regional and followed that with close wins over Plymouth and Leo at the Northrop Semistate.
While Norwell’s magical run in 1977 ended in the Final Four at the hands of Mount Vernon (Fortville), it further influenced the growth of girls’ basketball in Northeast Indiana. Norwell’s star player in 1977 was none other than Teri Rosinski, a 5’5 guard, who won the Mental Attitude Award and was named Miss Basketball. At the time of her illustrious career, she ended her high school career with 1,210 career points, and later pursued a college basketball career at Illinois State and later coached Bishop Luers to a 2A state championship in 2002. Rosinski was inducted to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.
It is amazing how history seems to repeat itself. When Thornton was named the head girls’ basketball coach at Norwell in 1997, Norwell had a rebuilding season where they had won just 4 games. In just two seasons, Norwell instantly found confidence and a winning culture was slowly born. Fast forward to 27 years and 452 wins later, Norwell is a perennial powerhouse in the 260.
During Thornton’s tenure at Norwell, the Lady Knights have claimed 12 conference championships, 12 sectional championships, 3 regional championships, and now a trip to the state finals. Fans across the state already know that Norwell can play basketball. As mentioned earlier, Norwell has built an era of championship caliber basketball including sectional titles in 11 of their last 14 years and advanced to semistate just 3 years ago when this year’s seniors were just freshmen.
The 2020-21 season was a year filled with adversity due to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, but at the same time was a special year for that team. Maiah Shelton and Kaylee Fuelling were the star players of what was a talented and hard-working group of kids. The freshmen played a small role in that run to semistate, including Kennedy Fuelling.
Fuelling, the Marian commit senior is just the latest player in a rich history of a talented family of athletes that has embedded into the history of Bellmont and Norwell athletics. Kip Jones was the runner-up for Mr. Basketball in 1985 scoring 1,628 points which is still 2nd at Bellmont. Jones ended up playing collegiately at Purdue followed by successful coaching stints at South Adams and IPFW (as an assistant to Chris Paul). Lindy (Fuelling) Jones, a 1992 Bellmont graduate, recorded 1,081 points who had a legendary career at IPFW scoring 2,107 points, 2nd all-time at IPFW. Emily Fuelling also had a great athletic career at Bellmont as a basketball and cross-country standout. At Norwell, fans have come to know the Fuelling family because of basketball primarily with Kaylee and now Kennedy Fuelling.
Kennedy enters this weekend’s state finals already becoming the program’s career scoring leader at 1,635 career points and a strong candidate at being named an Indiana All-Star at season’s end. Fuelling’s 30 points helped Norwell eliminate top-ranked Hamilton Heights in the semistate semifinals, but this team is not a one-player show. They are still playing today because of the great players around her.
Senior Makenzie Fuess, a Saint Francis commit for basketball, who we do not talk nearly enough about. Fuess also has over 1,000 points heading into this big game who has had big performances in key stretches highlighted by her efforts against Columbia City, Bellmont, and most recently Bremen (Semistate). Fuess is tremendously poised but also a leader by example, which compliments the competitive nature of Kennedy Fuelling.
Senior Dekota Hubble, a Huntington commit, provides the strong track record of aggression, effort, and energy around the paint. That type of size along with her athleticism makes Norwell’s defense formidable. Senior Annabelle Johnson, who sometimes gets overlooked, provides tough, defense, and giving Norwell that framework of blue-collar basketball. Sophomore Vanessa Rosswurm is a promising player not just for this season in the years to follow as she is Norwell’s 3rd leading scorer averaging 12 points per game and a huge part to their 1-3-1 defense.
The best part about this team is the selflessness that this group brings every day. Players like Addi and Lilly Norris, Haley Green, Ali Riley, and Ryland Graft that among this group makeup for a special team that does not come around very often.
Norwell came into the season with the highest expectations they have ever experienced with this program, a lot of noise between them and Columbia City to win the NE8, and the hardest scheduled ever created. Coach Thornton knew this team had the potential to do something special. He had all the trust in his players to battle through all obstacles and come out of it as a better team.
Norwell exceeded those expectations, winning the NE8 outright and going undefeated against 3A competition. Their only losses came against state ranked 4A programs. This team got tougher from last year’s defeat to Hamilton Heights in regionals, and they certainly found confidence to win every game possible. This team has reached the ultimate goal, one win away from championship glory.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, WNBA’s Indiana Fever and NBA G League’s Indiana Mad Ants, will be the site of this historic event for Norwell. The brightest lights of them all will see the two highest scoring teams left standing in the state. Both Norwell and Gibson Southern (25-4) average over 65 points per game. 3 of Gibson Southern’s losses came against 4A competition, and much like Norwell, this is also only their second ever state finals berth (previous appearance came in 2002). Gabby Spink leads a balanced Gibson Southern offense at 19.5 points per game.
These two teams play at a similar pace with a lot of talent on display. Fans will get to see a first-time state champion between two traditional powers in Class 3A. Both schools have a rich history of winning state championships in other sports. All 3 Norwell state championships came in baseball with the last one coming in 2013. Gibson Southern has 4 combined state championships, 3 of which came in softball. Gibson Southern’s most recent state championship came in the 2021 football season.
No matter how things pan out this weekend, both teams have earned their way to play for the ultimate trophy. Memories that will last a lifetime. Two traditionally strong programs that previously struggled to get to the big stage. All that matters now is one game. One game that will crown a state champion. Win or lose, Norwell basketball should be proud of what the players have accomplished. A standard of basketball excellence and life.
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