The Hesston boys showed why they are one of the top-ranked teams in Class 3A, overwhelming visiting Marion in a sub-state quarterfinal matchup Tuesday, 62-17.
A well-oiled machine on both sides of the ball, top-seeded Hesston gave No. 8 Marion few open looks at the basket, and the Warriors struggled to hit much of anything all night.
However, Marion matched the Swathers blow for blow in the game?s first four minutes. Hesston?s Tyler McCartney scored first, but Nicholas Stuchlik made a tying basket. Then Grant Raleigh scored the first two of his game-high 15 points, but Mason Pedersen responded with a jumper that tied it at 4. Levi Caffrey put up two points, then Peyton Heidebrecht tied the game at 6 at the 4:07 mark.
But from there, Raleigh hit a three-pointer, and Hesston ended the first quarter on an 8-0 run to lead, 14-6, at the first break.
The mighty Swathers kicked it into high gear in the second quarter, scoring 19 consecutive points before Zachary Stuchlik drew a foul and made one of two free throws at the 1:29 mark. That was Marion?s only point of the quarter, and the Swathers ended the half with three more baskets?the final two off of turnovers?to lead, 39-7, at intermission. 
Nicholas Stuchlik scored first after halftime, and Pedersen drained a three 23 seconds later, but from there, Hesston added 15 points to the board before Jacob Baldwin scored to bring the margin to 56-14 by the end of the third quarter.
With a running clock in place to start the fourth quarter, Hesston built its lead to 62-14 before Heidebrecht made a pair of free throws with around 2:42 to play. Dylan Pippin scored the game?s final point from the charity stripe, bringing it to the final 45-point spread.
Ten Swathers got their name in the scoring column, led by Raleigh with 15 and McCartney with 14.
Pedersen led Marion with five points.
The Warriors conclude the season with an overall record of 4-17.
