Staff writer
The Marion Warriors and Hillsboro Trojans wrapped up 2016 with a split Tuesday night in Marion.
In girls’ action, hot off a Friday night win against Bluestem, the Lady Warriors used a 14-0 second-half run to coast to a 44-25 victory.
Marion got a combined 26 points from the duo of Courtney Hansen and Taelyn Pagel with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Other than scoring the first basket of the contest, Hillsboro was never able to get over the hill, due in part to 25 percent shooting and turnovers.
Paegel picked off a Hillsboro pass and scored on a fast break nearly 3:00 into the game and Marion never looked back.
The win lifts the Warriors to 4-2 overall.
Hillsboro, who squares its record at 3-3, got a team-high 9 points from Callie Linnens.
The Trojans boys were slow to start, but quickly put the game out of reach, cruising to a 61-37 win.
After trailing by as many as 6 in the opening 4:05, Elias Werth drained a three for a 10-8 Hillsboro (6-1) lead, and Marion could get no closer than 13-12.
The bottom fell out on Marion in the first 3:00 of the second quarter as Preston Loewen sparked a 13-0 run that gave Hillsboro a commanding 26-12 lead.
The swarming Hillsboro defense held the Warriors without a field goal the entire second quarter en route to a 30-15 halftime lead.
Marion never posed a threat again, facing a 20-point deficit the final 10:00 with Hillsboro shooting 46 percent from the field.