4A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: Norwalk

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taking a look at teams that could compete for the state championship in their respective classes in the 2026-27 season, starting with 4A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/04/4a-way-too-early-title-contenders-johnston/">4A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: Johnston</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/04/4a-way-too-early-title-contenders-des-moines-roosevelt/">4A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: Des Moines Roosevelt</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/04/4a-way-too-early-title-contenders-north-scott/">4A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: North Scott<br></a><br>Led by one of the elite shooters in 4A, [player_tooltip player_id='2419755' first='Tillman' last='Papcun'], Norwalk will be on resurgence watch, as they try to reach the state tournament once again in 2026-27. Falling shy with a defeat at the hands of Dowling Catholic and a tough end to the season, the Warriors, were a team to be reckoned with throughout the year, with Papcun leading the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An uber-efficient scorer that put up 20.1 points per game this season for Norwalk. The eighth-ranked combo guard in the class had his stock skyrocket during his junior campaign after multiplying his scoring output by nearly six times this fall. All the while, Papcun did it as efficiently as anyone else in 4A, shooting 50.8% from the field, 42.1% from three and 85.9% from the free throw line. With numbers like that, Papcun is just a flat-out elite scorer. Standing at 6-foot-1, he'll be a heavily coveted off-the-bench scorer to start his college career, and inevitably work his way into a starting lineup. A sniper from deep that takes good shots, is sneaky good off-the-bounce when getting down hill and creating opportunities to score at the rim, possesses soft touch and can finish with either hand. He also grabbed 5.1 rebounds and led the Warriors in steals, with 1.5 per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Helping out Papcun in the backcourt this season and returning next winter is [player_tooltip player_id='2420802' first='Audric' last='Pelzer'], a 5-foot-10 guard also in the class of 2027. Pelzer was the only other player on the Norwalk roster to average double-figures in scoring, putting up 10.9 points per game. He also did it at an efficient rate, shooting 38.1% from three and 76.9% from the free throw line. One could tell that when Papcun was getting particularly hounded by opposing defenses that Pelzer felt the need to step up and generate some offense. Luckily for the Warriors, Pelzer is a quick guard that can create space to get shots off the perimeter and blow by defenders off the dribble. His 5-foot-11 height limits him as a scorer, but Pelzer is an excellent complement to Papcun's skillset with his quickness as a dribbler and in his shot release. The team leader in assists, Pelzer dished out 3.9 per game with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.43. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last but not least is Norwalk big, [player_tooltip player_id='2898192' first='Andrew' last='Abbott'] a sophomore this last season. The 2028 post stands at 6-foot-7, providing a much-needed rim protector and interior offensive presence for the Warriors. Protecting the rim by staying straight up and not getting in unnecessary foul trouble by swatting down, Abbot effectively deterred shots on the defensive end of the floor. A big screener on the other end, Abbott keeps the ball high and looks to distribute if he's not open as a roller to the basket for a layup. His size will be critical when it comes to protecting the basket against the other talent in 4A next season. If he's more aggressive on the boards and adds some strength to fight for rebounds, Abbott will provide a major boost to next year's Norwalk squad. This season, he put up 6.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 52.8% from the field and 69.7% from the free throw line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->