Sixth-place finish includes victory against Hillsboro
Sports reporter
This time, the Warriors didn't have to wait 11 years.
Marion High School used a 10-0 run mid-way through the third quarter Thursday to take the lead for good, and eventually defeat Hillsboro, 59-49.
It was the second victory in three games for Marion (2-1, 5-7) against their rival Hillsboro.
The Trojans defeated the Warriors in the first-round of sub-state a year ago.
The two will meet Friday in Hillsboro for the fourth league game of the season.
Thursday's victory was the only one for MHS in the Trojan Classic.
When asked if it was the best-played game of the year for the Warriors, head coach Rex Ostmeyer didn't hesitate in answering.
"Without a question," he said. "We played more opportunist than most of the year. We didn't play scared."
Eric Vogel led the way for MHS with 13 points on 6-for-6 shooting.
"I usually get excited when I play Hillsboro," the sophomore said.
It must have been an inner-excitement for Vogel who doesn't show a lot of emotion on the court.
In fact, none of the Warriors did.
"I felt we had a good, relaxed, calm about us," Ostmeyer said.
It helped in the first half as the game remained tight with neither team claiming more than a two-point lead.
There were plenty of times for the Warriors to get over-excited and lose concentration, starting with the final seconds of the first half.
Clinging to a 28-26 lead, the Warriors missed a shot with five seconds left.
Daniel Jost rebounded for Hillsboro and took it coast-to-coast for a three-point play and a 29-28 Trojan lead.
Clay Shewey then gave HHS a 39-32 lead with back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter.
Gavin Serene scored his only points of the night minutes later to make the score 44-37.
With the crowd louder than ever, it seemed it was time for the Trojans to pull away.
However, baskets by Vogel and Luke Gordon cut the lead to three, before Jost made a nice play to save the ball under his own basket.
The only problem was that it ended up in Isaac Hett's hands and the Warrior scored at the third-quarter buzzer to make the score 44-43.
Moments earlier Hillsboro's big-man David Loewen picked up his fourth foul and was relegated to the bench.
He scored the Trojans' first four points of the quarter, but only after Gordon and Elliot Hett capped off a 10-0 Warrior run with baskets to give Marion a 47-44 lead.
Loewen's two baskets put Hillsboro in front by one, and the close battle was back on.
Elliot Hett came right back with a basket to give MHS a 49-48 lead, one they would not relinquish.
By the time Marion had built a 53-49 lead, Loewen was whistled for his final foul on a charging call with one minute, 53 seconds remaining.
Most everyone knew the game was over at that point.
From then on the Trojans were forced to foul the Warriors, but never scored another point.
"Any time you get a win in this tournament, it's good," Ostmeyer said.
Warrior point guard Calvin Jeffrey had 12 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, setting up teammates for easy baskets.
As a team the Warriors shot 53.2 percent.
"That doesn't happen very often with us," Ostmeyer said.
Justin Heidebrecht was the third-leading scorer with 11 points, while Gordon had a workman-like nine points and nine rebounds while battling underneath.
Shewey finished with 18 points, and Loewen had 21 points and eight rebounds.
Gavin Serene, who had averaged around 10 points this season, scored just three for the Trojans.
Ostmeyer felt his team needed to hold the trio to 40 points or less to win.
They scored 42, but it was close enough.
"We have to do that again if we want to beat them again," he said. "Shewey is a phenomenal shooter. If he gets an open look, he doesn't miss."
The atmosphere will be extreme Friday when the two clash.
"It just sets up a huge game," Ostmeyer said of the victory. "[Hillsboro] is going to come out with both guns blazing."
Vogel can't wait.
"We're going to go out there and play with as much fire as we did tonight," he said.
Fifth-place game
The Warriors experienced a letdown Saturday after the victory against Hillsboro.
Wamego jumped all over MHS early in the fifth-place game and coasted to a 71-43 victory.
Gordon had his best game of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Vogel had 12 points and two rebounds.
Jeffrey had nine points and four assists.
