The Marion basketball teams split two games at Council Grove Friday night. The girls lost, 44-42, and the boys earned a 47-44 victory.
Girls?Marion led by as many as nine in its two-point loss.
The Warriors took a 6-2 lead out of the gate and maintained the advantage. Kourtney Hansen scored a traditional three-point play to give Marion a 13-8 lead at the first break.
Marshelle Mermis and Kirsten Hansen scored in succession to extend Marion?s lead to 17-8 at the 7:02 mark, but the Warriors did not score again until more than three minutes had passed. Council Grove managed just one basket during that time, though, and when Kirsten Hansen scored at 3:55, Marion led, 19-10. The Braves outscored Marion 9-1 after that, leaving the Warriors clinging to a narrow, 20-19, margin at halftime.
Erika Hess made a three to start the third quarter, but from there, the Braves took the lead with a 10-0 run. Marion responded with an 8-2 burst to end the third period with the teams locked at 31.
The Braves led by as many as six in the final quarter. With Marion trailing, 42-37, Bailey Robson drained a three and Kirsten Hansen made a pair of free throws that tied the game with just 43.4 seconds remaining. But after a Brave miss, Marion turned the ball over, allowing Council Grove to make a basket with just 4 seconds left. Hess had a look at a potential game-winning three, but the shot fell short.
Hess led with 12 points. Kirsten Hansen added 11 and Robson 10. 
Boys?Both teams led by four in a battle that came down to the wire Friday.
After Marion took an early 4-0 lead, the teams battled to a 12-12 tie by the end of the first quarter. Bret Voth contributed seven points to the effort.
Council Grove built a 23-19 lead with 2:45 left before halftime, but Mason Pedersen and Voth each scored two points from the charity stripe, tying the game at 23 by halftime.
The Braves gained a slight edge in the third quarter and took a 34-33 lead into the final period. Nicholas Stuchlik scored six of Marion?s 10 points in the third quarter.
Marion scored five unanswered points to start the fourth quarter, but Council Grove retook the lead, 40-38, with a 6-0 run. The teams traded scores, and Council Grove led, 44-41, after scoring at the 3:20 mark. Those were the Braves? final points, however. Pippin closed the gap to 44-43 with a basket at 2:35, and no one scored again until Voth made two free throws with 32.1 seconds left to push Marion in front, 45-44. The Braves missed a three-point shot with less than 10 seconds left and were forced to foul, allowing Jacob Baldwin to seal Marion?s win with two free throws.
Coming?Marion will host Remington for homecoming Tuesday.
For scores and updates during games, follow Janae on Twitter @janaerem13
