Marion sweeps Bennington for second time this season

Marion earned two wins over Bennington in the Warriors? last home games of the regular season Friday night. Katey Ehrlich scores to give Marion a 4-0 lead. Ehrlich scored the Warriors? first 11 points in Marion?s 42-25 win over Bennington.

GIRLS?Marion used a big first half to cruise to a 42-25 victory over Bennington.

Katey Ehrlich scored Marion?s first 11 points on her way to a team-high 18 on the night. The Warriors led, 11-2, when Ehrlich scored with 2:23 remaining in the opening quarter, but the Bulldogs closed the gap to 13-8 by the end of the period.

From there, Marion enjoyed a 10-0 run for a double-digit, 23-8, advantage after Megan Richmond scored with 4:12 left in the half. Julia Hall and Bailey Robson closed the half with consecutive baskets for a 29-11 Warrior advantage at the break.

Marion built up to its largest lead of the night, 35-13, after Ehrlich and Kirsten Hansen scored back-to-back baskets. Two Bulldog three-pointers ended the quarter for a 35-19 Warrior lead.

Bennington cut the lead to 35-23 before Kaelyn Thierolf made a basket and Kelli Hess added two free throws for a 39-23 score with 3:46 left in the game. After that, each team managed one more basket. Marion made only one of seven free throw attempts in the last 3:08 for the final, 42-25, margin. Zach Robson drives into the lane and draws a foul during the second quarter against Bennington. Robson led Marion with 17 points.

BOYS?It was a battle to the finish Friday night against Bennington. Regulation ended with the teams locked at 46 after Zach Robson tied the game with a deep three-pointer at the buzzer, and Marion held on for the win in overtime, 51-49.

Robson made the game?s first basket, but a Bennington three-pointer left Marion trailing early. The Warriors battled from behind the majority of the first quarter but took a 13-11 lead when Timothy Knolla and Grif Case drained back-to-back three-pointers. Bennington made the tying basket, and Robson made one of two free throws for a 14-13 Marion lead at the first break.

After Bennington tied the game with a free throw, Knolla made another three-pointer at the 6:10 mark. From there, it was Marion who enjoyed the lead. The Warriors extended it to 28-20 with seven unanswered points when Robson was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three charity shots, and then Robson and Case scored consecutive baskets. A Bennington three-pointer cut Marion?s lead to 28-23 by halftime.

The teams traded threes to open the second half, but the Bulldogs chipped away at the lead and eventually tied the game at 33 with a basket off a Marion turnover with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Bennington pulled ahead, 35-33, by the end of the period.

A basket by James Jones and free throw by Case gave Marion a 36-35 advantage, then the teams traded three-pointers on three straight possessions for a 41-39 Bulldog lead with 4:35 to play. Marion continued to trail, and when Jacob Baldwin scored at 1:32, Bennington led, 44-43. The Warriors missed a few shots, and Bennington extended the lead to 46-43 with 19.4 seconds to go after making the front ends of one-and-ones on two separate trips to the line.

After a Marion timeout with 13.1 seconds left, the Bulldogs committed their fifth and sixth team fouls and took a timeout with 8.3 seconds remaining. Robson then missed a three-point attempt, but the ball went out of bounds and was awarded to Marion. The Warriors took a timeout with 3.8 seconds left, and again at 2.4. Robson shot a deep three at the buzzer, and the ball bounced up off the rim and fell through to send the game into overtime with the teams tied at 46.

Baldwin made a free throw to open overtime, then BJ Glanton cashed in on a three-point play for a 49-47 Bennington lead. Robson made the tying basket, Bennington missed two free throws, then Heidebrecht made both ends of a one-and-one for the final, 51-49, margin. Bennington took a timeout with 9.4 seconds left but missed what would have been the tying jumper. Robson was fouled but missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Glanton?s last-second shot missed the mark.

Robson led Marion with 17 points. Case added 14 and Knolla 13.

COMING?Marion will play at Hutchinson Trinity Tuesday in the regular season finale.

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