Play Beloit in first round
Staff writers
In a rematch of the first game of the season, Marion High School girls basketball team defeated Eureka, 52-41, to win sub-state and advance to the state tournament.
Marion won the season opener, 59-33, but the Tornadoes improved dramatically since that time, Warriors coach Randy Savage said.
“We just didn’t want to overlook Eureka,” Savage said.
The Warriors showed no signs of overlooking the Tornadoes, playing with intensity from the start of the game. One spectator remarked at halftime that the Warriors played the entire first half like it was the final minute of a tied game.
Marion established a quick tempo in the early going, scoring their first points on a fast break following a defensive rebound. The Warriors led, 11-7, after the first quarter.
Eureka claimed a 22-21 lead briefly in the second quarter, but the Warriors retook the lead for good when Julia Zeiner converted an old-fashioned 3-point play.
Marion pressured Eureka throughout the first half, forcing three tie-ups in the half.
“I thought we did a pretty good job going after loose balls,” Savage said.
The Warriors led at halftime, 26-22. In the second half, Marion turned missed shots into second and third chances, as the team corralled multiple offensive rebounds.
Eureka created small runs throughout the third quarter, but the Warriors always answered with a run of their own. Throughout the game, Marion’s post players blocked and altered shots.
Marion led 41-34 at the end of the third quarter.
The Warriors pushed the lead to 12 early in the final period before slowing the tempo of the game. With about two minutes left, Eureka began fouling to stop the clock.
Marion struggled from the free-throw line in the closing minutes, making two of seven free throws in the quarter, but the defense stepped up, forcing turnovers and missed shots. The Warriors held on to win 52-41.
Savage was especially happy for the senior class, who set a goal when they were freshmen of competing in the state tournament.
“Now we’d like to go out and stay a while,” Savage said.
MHS will play against Beloit in the first round of the 3A state tournament, starting at 4:45 p.m. Thursday in Hutchinson.
Burlington
The Warriors defeated the No. 1 team in their substate, 20-1 Burlington, 54-52 Friday at Eureka.
Marion led the Wildcats, 43-29, at the end of the third quarter, but Burlington scratched away at the lead eventually tying the score at 50.
Marion shot 18-of-38 from the charity stripe for the game but it became their salvation in the closing minutes of the game. After a Burlington foul, Julia Zeiner swished her first free-throw opportunity.
During the second free throw, The ball clanged off the front iron, took an unusual bounce, and ended up in the hands of Lindsay Hett on the side of the key near the Burlington faithful. Quickly, Hett stepped back along the baseline and hoisted a fade away shot that found the bottom of the net, giving the Warriors the lead, 53-52.
“I did tell her I didn’t care if she missed it,” Savage said.
Hett then forced a steal at the other end of the floor, ended up with the ball, and was fouled. She hit the second of her two free throws to give Marion the final lead of 54-52 with 1.2 seconds left on the clock.
All Burlington could do was to launch a prayer from half court that landed off the mark.
Marion Girls Box Scores
Marion.....................................................52
Eureka......................................................41
Name FG FT PTS PF R S A
*Lundy 1/4 0/0 3 1 4 3 3
Cady 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 1 0
*Zeiner 7/15 3/3 17 0 6 2 1
*L. Hett 7/16 0/4 14 2 7 3 3
Gordon 2/4 0/0 5 1 5 0 0
*Heerey 5/14 1/2 12 1 6 0 3
*Steinborn 0/1 1/2 1 3 3 0 0
Marion.....................................................54
Burlington...............................................52
Name FG FT PTS PF R S A
*Lundy 1/2 0/0 2 4 2 1 1
Cady 1/1 0/0 2 3 1 1 1
*Zeiner 6/11 3/4 15 3 4 3 1
*L. Hett 6/8 8/19 20 3 12 6 3
Gordon 1/6 3/5 5 2 8 2 0
*Heerey 3/11 4/10 10 2 3 1 3
*Steinborn 0/2 0/0 0 4 4 2 0