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Dragons put skids on Warriors' season

Sports reporter

For about a five-minute stretch in the third quarter, Nick Carlson couldn't miss.

Floating jumper — swish. Pull up 15-footer — swish. Steal at mid-court — layup.

Trailing 36-29 mid-way through the third quarter, the senior Warrior scored 12 straight Marion points. His final point, a free throw with 10 seconds left, gave Marion its first lead since the second quarter.

It was short-lived.

Halstead's Robbie Knapp hit a three-pointer right before the third-quarter buzzer to give the Dragons a 43-41 lead heading into the final quarter.

Carlson had energized his team after the Warriors posted just five points in the second quarter.

"That's just a senior wanting to win," coach Rex Ostmeyer said. "Nick's got a lot of ability and if people don't get him stopped he can score."

Carlson was averaging just 5.0 points per game coming in, and usually contributed in other statistical categories.

After Carlson's 12-point third quarter, Knapp opened up the fourth with two more three's and increased the lead to 49-41.

Sophomore Jason Hett answered with a three of his own, and the lead was back down to five.

The teams traded points back and forth.

A basket by senior Dale Vogel cut the lead to seven after Halstead had gone up by nine, and two free throws from sophomore Travis Hett trimmed it to five.

A Jason Hett putback two possessions later made the score 55-50, and Carlson woke up again.

As Halstead's point guard brought the ball up the court, Carlson fronted him and poked the ball out with his left hand and soared toward the basket untouched for a layup.

As the Marion crowd and bench erupted, the Warriors defense forced a steal, and Travis Hett scored on a layup and the lead was just 55-54.

Halstead answered with two baskets, to quiet the Marion crowd. But Travis Hett scored again, and Vogel answered a Halstead miss with two free throws, and again it was a two-point game with 41 seconds remaining.

Carlson then fouled out on the next possession, and as it seemed the Dragons did all game, made good on two free throws for a four-point lead.

The Warriors came down for once last chance, but a turnover with 19 seconds gave the ball back to Halstead.

Travis Hett had a look from the left wing for three trailing by five on the next possession, but it rimmed out, officially ending the Warrior season, 65-58.

"We played really well," Ostmeyer said. "It just didn't seem like in the last three or four minutes anything went right for us."

Ostmeyer had a point.

Loose balls rarely went his team's way. Numerous close shots rimmed out. For the game Marion was called for 23 fouls compared to 13 for Halstead.

Early on it didn't seem like the Warriors would need any breaks.

A three-pointer by senior guard Adam Heerey in the first quarter gave Marion a 20-9 lead.

A 13-1 Dragon run made the score 22-21 in favor of Halstead, and both crowds knew this game could come down to the end.

The Warriors ended their first season in the Mid-Central Activities Association 4-7 in the league and 8-13 overall.

Ostmeyer expected the team's new league opponents to be tough.

"I knew you couldn't take a night off in this league," he said. "I also knew our kids would rise to the level of what they needed to do. Our biggest problem this year was inconsistency."

Carlson led the team with his 17 points, while Vogel was second with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Travis Hett finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and six assists.

Carlson, Vogel, Heerey, and Tyson Heidebrecht concluded their careers as Marion Warriors.

The four combined for 42 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

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