Sports editor
It was an up-and-down week for the Marion High School girls’ basketball team.
After a nearly three-week break between games, the Warriors opened the second half of the season Jan. 6 with a 72-57 road victory at Ellinwood.
Another victory came Friday at home against Lyons. Despite turning the ball over 18 times, the Warriors came away with a sloppy, 53-29 victory.
The weekend ended on a sour note Saturday at Hesston, as the Warriors fell behind 37-19 at the half en route to a 66-51 loss.
“I think there are things we have to overcome as a team to get focused,” said junior Warrior Kristen Steinborn. “Our mindset needs to be focused 100 percent.”
Classmate Lindsay Hett agreed with Steinborn. The guard said she could feel something was off before the start of the Hesston game.
“Our heads weren’t much in it,” Hett said.
It showed in the first half, but the Warriors came out in the second half and outscored the Swathers.
“We had a pretty good halftime talk,” Steinborn said.
It must have worked because Marion hit on six percent more of its fields goals than the first half, and shot 14 percent better from the free-throw line.
Some good points in the game included a double-double from freshman Whitney Gordon who had career-highs in points, 10, and rebounds, 13.
Junior Julia Zeiner had a team-high 14 points, while Hett added nine, Steinborn eight, and Kayley Heerey seven.
Both Steinborn and Hett said the team may have been a bit intimidated by the 4A Swathers, but it won’t happen again.
“I think the next time we play them, we are going to be ready,” Hett said. “I think we showed in the second half who we really are.”
Despite the fact Hesston and Marion are both in the MCAA, it did not count as a league game. The two will play Feb. 13 at Marion, and the game will count toward league standings.
With the victories against Ellinwood and Lyons, the Warriors are now 2-0 in the MCAA and 4-3 overall.
Marion 72, Ellinwood 57
After trailing 23-11 at one point in the second quarter, Marion used deep Heerey three-pointers to get back in the game and eventually lead 30-25 at halftime.
The Warriors cruised in the second half, 42-32.
Heerey had a season-high 21 points in the contest to go along with six rebounds and four assists.
Zeiner scored 20 points, grabbed five rebounds, and had four steals.
Hett had a season-high six steals to go along with 12 points.
Marion 53, Lyons 29
MHS played some of its best basketball of the season in the first quarter, leading Lyons 18-5.
However, Anna Nusser’s 20 points kept the Lions in the game, as LHS trimmed the lead down to 13 in the fourth quarter.
A steady diet of Hett, Heerey, and Zeiner was too much in the end, as Marion held on for the victory.
Zeiner led the team with 15 points and five assists, while Hett and Heerey each had 12 points.
Gordon continued to dominate underneath with 10 rebounds and 4-of-4 shooting from the foul line.