MHS girls slip past Bennington for second time

For the second time in seven days, Marion found success against the Bennington Bulldogs, this time defeating them, 34-25, on the road.

The Warriors took the lead at the start and led by four after one quarter.

But Bennington rallied in the last few minutes of the first half, tying the game, 13-13, with 2:13 to go. But Marion shut the Bulldogs down and went into halftime with a 17-13 lead.

The Warriors gradually extended their lead in the second half, helped by a six-point run in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs never really challenged for the lead in the second half, but they also did not allow the Warriors to pull ahead by double digits.

Marion led at the end of the third quarter, 27-18, then duplicated that nine-point margin at the end.

?We did some things pretty well defensively,? coach Randy Savage said. ?We made a couple of adjustments during the game. They responded very well.?

Savage said he had been happy with his team?s defensive effort the past few games, and that Whitney Gordon played well despite being ill the previous two days.

?We pressed pretty well,? he said. ?It would be nice to see that slide into our half-court man-to-man and not miss a beat. They have to communicate to get that done.?

No Warriors broke double digits, but Katey Ehrlich and Emily Hett led the team with eight points each. Gordon reached double digits for rebounds.

Kimberly Garrett led the Bulldogs with seven points.

Inman?Marion started sluggish and, except for a few bursts of energetic play, maintained that look on the way to a 36-31 loss to Inman Tuesday at home.

The Teutons started slowly on the scoring end, too, but managed to build an 8-5 lead by the first break.

A nine-point scoring run put Inman ahead, 17-7, with two minutes left before the half. The Warriors slipped into a scoring groove a moment later, launching a 10-point scoring run that put the Warriors behind by four, 17-13, at the half, and ultimately tied the game at 17 with 4:18 left in the third quarter.

The Warriors? comeback would not last, though.

The Teutons regained control of the game, building their largest lead of the game, 30-19, before the Warriors rallied one more time. Marion scored five straight points with around five minutes left in the game, then a minute later went on another five-point run to pull within two points, 31-29.

But the Warriors were unable to take the lead, enabling the Teutons to walk away with the five-point victory.

The Warriors shot 30.4 percent from the floor, and Inman held an advantage with fewer turnovers and more points (11 to three) from the free-throw line.

?We just didn?t get enough free throws,? coach Randy Savage said. ?Twenty-three turnovers is too many, and we made some silly baskets.?

He said Whitney Gordon played a pretty good game, having to work hard for her team-high 12 points.

?I just felt like we were sluggish and a little disjointed,? Savage said.

Kaitlynn Goalden led the Teutons with 10 points.

Coming?The Warriors were scheduled to play at home versus Sedgwick Feb. 21 before playing Canton-Galva at home in a make-up game Thursday and then going on the road Friday against Ell-Saline.

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