The Marion basketball teams swept their games at Sedgwick Tuesday night. The Warrior girls opened with a 39-29 victory, and the Marion boys won, 40-30.
GIRLS?After a fairly even first half of play, Marion gained separation in the second half for a 10-point victory Tuesday night.
The first half was nearly even, scoring-wise, as neither team claimed more than a four-point lead. The teams traded scores to open the first quarter until Kaelyn Thierolf and Kirsten Hansen scored back-to-back baskets to give Marion its first lead, 7-6, at 3:31. Again, the teams traded scores, and the quarter ended with Sedgwick in front, 10-9.
Bailey Robson drained a three-pointer to start the second quarter, but Sedgwick sandwiched a Marion turnover with two baskets and, after both teams struggled getting shots to fall for more than three minutes, the Cardinals made a third basket for a 16-12 lead. Then it was back to give-and-take. The half ended when Megan Richmond lobbed the basketball from half-court and made a buzzer-beating basket for an 18-17 Cardinal lead at intermission.
Marion took the lead with three free throws out of the break and held the Cardinals to two points in the quarter. Robson gave the Warriors a spark when she followed a three-pointer with a basket for a 25-20 Marion lead by the end of the quarter.
When Katey Ehrlich scored an open layup and Thierolf followed with a three-pointer, Marion held a 30-20 advantage. The Cardinals cut it to six before Julia Hall scored. Sedgwick reduced the margin even more with five straight points for a 32-29 margin with 3:08 left in the game. Those were Sedgwick?s last points, as the Cardinals missed six free throws after that, including the front end of two one-and-ones. Marion, meanwhile, made seven of 10 free throws for the final, 39-29, score.
Robson led Marion with 10 points. 
BOYS?Despite a rough second quarter in which Marion scored no points, the Warriors limited the damage and came away with a 40-30 victory over Sedgwick Tuesday night.
Sedgwick scored first, then Marion burst to a 10-2 lead after Taylor Heidebrecht scored in transition at the 2:50 mark. The Cardinals added a free throw and basket before Zach Robson ended first-quarter scoring with a bucket that gave Marion a 12-5 lead at the first break.
The Warriors did not score at all in the second quarter. Sedgwick took advantage and claimed a 14-12 lead by halftime.
Robson scored off a steal to break the drought and tie the game at 14. The teams were locked at 16 and again at 18. Heidebrecht made a three-pointer, and after a Sedgwick basket, Jacob Baldwin added two free throws and Robson made a basket for a 25-20 score. Sedgwick added a free throw for a 25-21 score going into the final break.
Marion took a 28-21 lead, and the teams traded baskets. Timothy Knolla scored a three-point play for a 33-25 Warrior advantage with 3:16 to go, and the teams battled from the charity stripe from there on out. Marion was seven of the eight from the line in the final 2:50, while Sedgwick was five of six for the final, 40-30, margin.
Robson led Marion with 17 points.
COMING?Marion will host Bennington Friday.
