The Marion High School girls basketball team used an 18-5 first quarter to put the Lyons Lions on their heels, and the visiting cats all but turned tail in Friday's 53-29 Warriors win.
The MHS boys clawed their way to a 27-18 lead with two minutes left in the first half, but Lyons scored seven straight points to close the gap to 27-25 at intermission. The Warriors shredded Lyons in the third quarter, opening up a 39-31 lead on a basket by Isaac Hett. Elliot Hett all but sealed it with three consecutive baskets to start the fourth quarter: a left wing trey, an offensive rebound and putback, and a pull-up jumper from the right elbow forced a Lions timeout with 6:26 to go. Eric Vogel and Luke Gordon scored back-to-back 2-pointers to make it 49-35, and Vogel's layup effectively ended the contest with five minutes left in the fourth. A Lions rally made it 55-46 with 2:41 to go, but Vogel and Gordon again scored consecutively to finish the job.
Vogel scored 21 points; Gordon and Elliot Hett each scored 14. Gordon's 12 rebounds gave him a double-double, and Marion obliterated Lyons on the boards, 44-22. Isaac Hett had 10 boards, and Vogel had nine.
After missing their first shot of the game, the Marion girls ran off a 13-for-18 streak to build a 28-9 halftime advantage. Julia Zeiner scored 15 points, Linsay Hett and Kayley Heerey each scored 12, and Whitney Gordon posted 10 rebounds. But it was the Warrior defense that made all the difference, forcing 31 turnovers, blocking five shots, and limiting Lyons to just 11-for-38 from the field for the contest.
Marion hosts Haven Tuesday and visits Hoisington Friday.
