Warrior boys end season with loss to Halstead
By ERIC CLARK
Sports editor
A season that has seen its share of twists and turns and ups and downs finally came crashing down Monday night at home. The storybook ending that Marion fans had hoped for ended abruptly Monday night when the MHS boys' basketball team fell to the Halstead Dragons 55-43.
"It's been a turbulent season," Warrior coach Rex Ostmeyer said of his second year at the Marion helm. "It's tough to see such a great bunch of seniors end their careers, but the time that we had with them was great. We'll take what we've learned from this season and try to improve on it next year."
In the first quarter, the Warriors and Dragons struggled to get going offensively. It wasn't until midway through the period that both teams started to find their rhythm. Senior Jared Hett electrified the Warrior faithful rattling off 10 of his team's 12 points. At the end of the first quarter, Marion trailed 13-12.
In the second quarter, the Halstead defense stifled the Warrior offensive attack. HHS outscored Marion 14-10 prior to intermission. At halftime, Marion trailed 27-22.
After breaking out of the locker room, the Dragons started to heat up from behind the arc. Halstead hot-hand Jordan Regehr drilled two three's in the third quarter for six of his game-high 21 points to lift the Dragons to a 45-34 lead heading into the last frame.
The creeping lead by the Dragons was closed to as little as five points in the fourth quarter, but Marion's attempt to score was thwarted by the Halstead defense and the Dragons meandered their way to a 55-43 victory.
Hett paced the Warriors with 14 points, while senior counterpart Clayton Chamberland finished with seven. Playing their last basketball games for the Warriors were Nickolas Hett and Tyler Stubenhofer, who each had five points, Joe Svitak, who finished with four, and Tyler Smith, who added a deuce.
Ostmeyer and his team were hit with a variety of "roller coaster-like" incidents this season, many in the form of weather-related postponements. But there were no bigger set-backs than the loss of starting senior forward Calvin Riggs, who died in a car accident in January. Despite the loss of a close friend, teammate, and classmate, the Warriors pressed on and found their way to the final Cottonwood Valley League crown. Marion and Wichita Independent combined to share the title with equal league records of 10-2.
"It feels good to win a share of the league title," Ostmeyer said. "It was one of many goals that we set for ourselves this season, and we accomplished it."
Chase County
The Marion Warriors made quick work of the Chase County Bulldogs last Thursday night with a 77-51 victory, which sealed a share of the CVL crown.
The Warriors took a commanding 28-10 lead in the early frame of their contest with the Bulldogs, and never looked back. In the second quarter, Marion extended their lead to 21 and held off the Bulldog front to take the 26-point win.
