Norwood High School Sports, the Year in Review

When the school season ended in June of 2018, Norwood High School was saying goodbye to the Bay State League to join the Tri-Valley League (TVL) at the beginning of the new school year that fall. Now one year into their new league and Athletic Director Jon Longley is already pleased with the school committee’s decision to act upon his recommendation.
“I think that we really had a successful year in our first year in the Tri-Valley League,” the Mustang AD said. “The research we did prior in order to make our decision to move came to fruition and I’m very excited about the past year.”
The majority of the Norwood teams’ records seemed to improve during their initial year in the TVL as well as being much more competitive than they had been in the Bay State League.
“We wanted to be more competitive, but one of our biggest reasons for the move was so the sub varsity programs could develop and improve and I believe that we did just that,” Longley said. “Playing in the TVL this past year our win percentage more than doubled from the year prior when we played in the BSL. We still have work to be done and improvements to be made, but were moving in the right direction.”
It was the women of Norwood that lead the school to four TVL Championships this past season with the field hockey team going 10-5-3 en route to capturing the Mustangs first ever TVL Title. Following Alison Doliner’s field hockey team to raise a league championship banner were the girls basketball team (16-4 and made it to the quarter finals of the Division 2 South Tournament), the softball team (12-6 also made it to the quarter finals) and the cheerleading squad.
Although they did not capture a any title, the wrestling team improved significantly over the previous season where they finished fifth in the Division 2 Sectionals.
Other teams making it into the tournament in its first year participating in the TVL were the golf team that advanced into the Division 2 South tournament, the boys hockey team finished 11-3-6 and fell to Canton, the eventually champion, in the semi-finals; the girls hockey team went 8-8-4 earning themselves a spot in the tournament; the boys lacrosse team went 8-8 qualifying for the tournament after only picking up a single win a year earlier; the boys tennis team secured seven wins, the most the squad has recorded in a number of years and was one win away from moving onto the tournament and the baseball team went 9-11.
Two other Mustang teams that had very successful seasons were the gymnastics team and the boys 4x 400 relay team. The boys captured the Division 3 State Championship for the first time in 14 years, while the gymnastics team went 9-1 and earned their first ever trip into post-season.
“Although we captured a handful of TVL Championships, the girl’s gymnastics team was the highlight of the year for Norwood sports,” Longley said. “After qualifying for their first time they went on to place fifth at the south sectionals, just missing out at moving onto the State Tournament by one place.”
With the Mustangs performing at a higher level by numerous teams throughout the three seasons, the teams that were not quite up to those standards were taking notice. By seeing success at a close proximity, they too want to join in come next season. Success breeds success.
“Wins and loses aside, the games were much more competitive allowing the athletes to develop confidence in themselves,” the Norwood AD said. “I think over the next few years we should be able to see even more improvement amongst the teams. After taking part in the TVL this year, we now know a little more about the league and what it entails, which should be to our benefit going forward.”