From the sidelines
While Marion High School athletes take a break to visit family, open presents, and eat 'til they're out of shape, it's time to recognize some impressive performances.
Here is a list of the top five individual performances during the fall and winter sports seasons.
5. Dec. 11: Nelson wins Hesston Invitational: Junior wrestler Casey Nelson took home his first varsity wrestling medal with a 3-0 performance at the Hesston Invitational.
Nelson took his SATs in the morning at Hesston High School, then suited up and five minutes later was on the mat pinning his first opponent in the 152-pound weight class. Nelson currently stands at 6-1 on the season.
4. Dec. 17: Williams records double-double: Senior basketball player Sarah Williams played well in the first five games of the season, but nothing like Friday night. She scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help Marion defeat Haven, 60-51.
Williams scored eight points in the middle of a 16-3 third-quarter run to ignite the comeback victory.
3. Oct. 8: Smith hauls in three TDs: Marion Warriors football team had thrown just one touchdown all season heading into a league showdown with Hoisington. Senior receiver Josh Smith didn't care as he caught three touchdowns, two diving in the back of the endzone, en route to a 25-7 victory against the Cardinals. Smith led the team with four touchdowns on the season.
2. Oct. 1: Kelsey shows he can run too: Warrior quarterback Josh Kelsey showed he had more than just a good arm with a 244-yard, three-touchdown rushing performance against the Ellinwood Eagles.
The junior ran 80 yards for a score on the first play of the game, as Marion defeated the Eagles, 32-14. The next week Kelsey decided to throw and torched Hoisington for 124 yards and three touchdowns in the air.
1. Dec. 17: Hett steals game from Haven: Sophomore basketball player Travis Hett sat the whole second quarter with ice on his elbow wondering if he would play the rest of the game. He did. Hett still had enough time to score 19 points, 16 in the second half, including the game-winning layup with six seconds left.
The play before, Hett stole the ball from a Haven player with 10 seconds left in a tie game leading to the layup. His performance helped Marion overcome a 16-point halftime deficit.
