By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
HAYS – The TMP-Marian boys and girls picked up two more Mid-Continent League wins Tuesday night in a doubleheader sweep of Russell at Al Billinger Fieldhouse in Hays.
GIRLS: TMP 49, Russell 36
TMP (9-9, 5-2 MCL) outscored Russell 25-7 over the final 10
minutes and 15 second Tuesday as they rallied from down five to win their
fourth in-a-row 49-36 over the Broncos.
Neither team was able to gain an early advantage with four lead changes in the first quarter before they were tied at 11 through one quarter of action.
The Monarchs built their largest lead of the first half at six twice, the final time at 22-16 on the third three of the first half by Brooke Koenigsman.
But Russell (4-12, 1-5 MCL) closed the first half on a 9-3 run tying the game at 22 at halftime.
Russell opened the third quarter with a 7-2 run taking their largest lead of the game at five, 29-24 with 5:15 left in the third quarter.
But needing a spark TMP went to the junior Koenigsman who scored 19 straight points and 23 of the final 25 points in the game for the Monarchs as they outscored Russell 25-7 to close out the game with a 49-36 victory.
Koenigsman led all scorers with a career-high 32 points.
BOYS: TMP 38, Russell 35
The TMP boys used an 8-0 second half run to pull away from
the Russell Broncos Tuesday as they picked up their 12th straight over
their MCL rivals 38-35.
The Monarchs jumped out of the gate quickly, making three of their first four three pointers as they built a 13-4 first quarter lead.
But just as quickly as they built the lead it was gone in the second quarter when Russell held TMP to just four points, outscoring TMP 14-4 in the second for a 18-17 halftime lead.
In the second half neither team was able to gain separation until Logan Baalman made one of two of the free throw line with just under 1:40 to play in the third quarter putting TMP up 26-25 through three quarters.
TMP then proceeded to score seven straight to open the final frame taking a 33-25 lead with just over five minutes to play and they never trailed again on their way o the 38-35 victory.
All nine Monarchs who played scored and Ty Schmeidler scored a team-high seven for the Monarchs who have won three straight.
TMP will host Phillipsburg Friday night for their final home games of the regular season.