News editor
It was the wrong night and wrong opponent for Marion’s shooting touch to disappear, as the Warriors ended their season with a disappointing 44-34 loss to Southeast of Saline in a substate seminfinal game Friday at Halstead.
Kourtney Hansen, who led the Warriors with 12 points, put Marion on top with a score on the Warriors’ first possession, 2-0.
It would be their only score of the quarter and only lead of the game, as the Warriors went ice cold from the field after that. Southeast led 9-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Two Hansen free throws at 6 minutes, 46 seconds in the second quarter were followed by an Erika Hess layup, pulling Marion to within 3, 9-6. Southeast stretched its lead to 9 points before a 3-point buzzer-beater by Kirsten Hansen pulled Marion to within 6 at the half, 19-13.
The third quarter was decisive, as the Trojans took advantage of cold shooting by the Warriors to build a 16-point lead, 33-17, with just under 3 minutes left in the period.
The Warriors rallied late, scoring 10 points in the final 4 minutes of the game, but never seriously threatened the Trojans.
Kirsten Hansen scored 11 to go along with sister Kourtney’s dozen, and Erika Hess hit for 6.
The Warriors ended with a record of 16-6, which equals the third-best season record for MHS girls’ basketball.