The Marion High School girls basketball team capped off a season that will not be soon forgotten with a 70-44 loss to SE of Saline in Hillsboro Saturday.

The game, for the first half at least, was considerably more competitive than the score would indicate. The Warriors trailed 17-14 after the first frame and were down only three at halftime. Marion was unable to bounce back after a 24-point third quarter by the Trojans and was outscored 20-8 in the fourth.

Lindsay Hett got Marion out of the gate in a flash, burying two 3-pointers and a long 2-pointer to change a 5-2 deficit into a 10-5 lead in a 55-second span early in the first quarter. Julia Zeiner got on the board with a short-range shot at the 4:30 mark.

Zeiner notched a fast break layup for a 14-7 lead, then swatted Sadie Roesner's shot at the other end, and everything was rolling Marion's way. But as quickly as it had materialized, the Warrior lead evaporated. SE of Saline ended the period on a 10-0 run. 

Kimber Hardey had scored the Warriors first basket of the game, and broke through with Marion's first basket of the second quarter, a dribble-drive layup at 6:25. A steal by Kayley Heerey followed immediately, but points did not. Marion closed within a point twice in the frame, never led, and also trailed by six twice. After Kristen Steinborn made a foul shot with 1:01 left until halftime, Zeiner added two more free throws, making it 26-23 at intermission.

Zeiner added 11 points after the half, finishing with 17. Heerey scored four in the third quarter, finishing with six. No other Warrior had more than two after the intermission, as the Trojans limited their own mistakes while forcing 10 Marion turnovers. SE of Saline also outrebounded Marion 37-21 overall and 16-4 at the offensive end.

The loss marks the end of Marion's most successful girls basketball season in recent history, but with a young roster, also points to a very bright future.