Norwell scores 90, ties 10th-highest IHSAA regional mark, beats Snider

Norwell overwhelmed Fort Wayne Snider 90-56 in the Class 4A Bellmont Regional at Bellmont High School, a game played Feb. 14, 2026, that showcased Vanessa Rosswurm and the Knights’ long-range touch. Vanessa Rosswurm led all scorers with 36 points and Macie Saalfrank added 25 for Norwell, which sank 13 three-pointers en route to a 23-4 season mark.

The narrative of the game followed a familiar script for Norwell: a close first quarter followed by decisive stretches in the middle quarters. "The game was competitive after the first quarter, but Norwell overwhelmed Snider in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to open up a 33-point lead by the start of the 4th," WFFT reported, and that surge erased the memory of a Dec. 27 regular-season loss to Snider, when the Knights fell 73-61.

Norwell’s offensive profile against Snider leaned on perimeter production and high-volume scoring from its stars. Journal Gazette noted that "the IBCA/ICGSA No. 6 Knights (23-4) sank 13 3-pointers as they claimed a regional title for the third year in a row and the fourth time in six years." Journal Gazette also described Rosswurm as a "Miss Basketball candidate" whose 36-point masterclass led the Knights to the Bellmont Regional crown.

The win punctuated Norwell’s transition into a higher classification. WFFT wrote that "Norwell’s inaugural 4A season lives on after a dominant win over the Panthers tonight," and the regional title was the program’s third straight. MaxPreps’ autogenerated recap added that the victory raised Norwell’s record to 23-4 and, in MaxPreps’ data snapshot, represented the Knights’ tenth win in a row; Fort Wayne Snider’s record fell to 18-7 after the loss.

A historical note accompanying the coverage adds perspective: "Norwell's 90-56 victory matches 10th highest in IHSAA girls regional history." That mark, reported in the original recap, highlights how rare a 90-point regional output is in Indiana postseason play.

Norwell will move on to semistate action in LaPorte, where Journal Gazette reports the Knights will face Crown Point (23-4) in the LaPorte Semistate semifinal at 1 p.m. Saturday; the winner would meet the winner of Northridge (20-7) vs. McCutcheon (22-5) in the semistate championship at 9 p.m. MaxPreps’ team page, however, listed "As of now, neither Fort Wayne Snider nor the Knights have any future games scheduled," a snapshot that conflicts with the Journal Gazette semistate schedule.

Scenes from Bellmont captured the local stakes: Norwell poses with their 2026 4A Regional Championship trophy at Bellmont High School, Vanessa Rosswurm cut down a piece of the net after the win, Norwell coach Eric Thornton was shown giving direction in the first half, Janaya Cooper of Snider drove against Norwell’s Alivia Green and Addison Norris, and Snider’s Madison White and Norwell’s Isabella Swineford battled for rebounds in the first half.

Statewide context underscored the depth of the tournament: WISHTV’s roundup listed Norwell’s result under Bellmont among other regional finals, while WISHTV confirmed the IHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships would be held Saturday, Feb. 28, with Classes 1A and 2A tipping at 10:30 a.m. Eastern and the Class 3A and 4A title games scheduled in the evening sessions. Norwell’s 90-point outburst and rapid ascent in 4A sharpen the program’s profile as it chases another deep postseason run.