HAYS – The TMP-Marian Lady Monarchs earned a share of the Mid-Continent League regular season title Tuesday as they picked up their seven straight win while the TMP boys earned their eighth win in-a-row as they closed out the regular season with a doubleheader sweep of Plainville.
Girls: TMP 75, Plainville 24
The Lady Monarchs opened the game on a 16-4 run and never trailed on their way to a 75-24 win over Plainville Tuesday at Al Billinger Fieldhouse.
TMP (17-3, 10-1 MCL) jumped out to an early 5-2 lead taking advantage of a Megan Hamel fast break layup and a Sophia Balthazor three-pointer.
After a pair of Plainville (2-18, 0-11 MCL) free throws cut the TMP lead to one the Monarchs finished the first quarter on a 15-2 run to lead 20-6 through one quarter of play.
It was much the same to start the second quarter as TMP opened the quarter on a 22-1 run capped off three straight Balthazor three-pointers to give TMP a 38-7 lead. TMP lead 47-13 at halftime.
Plainville scored the first two points of the second half only to see TMP outscored Plainville 20-3 the rest of the quarter giving the Monarchs a 67-18 lead through three quarters.
With the continuous clock in the fourth quarter TMP went on to the 75-24 win.
Sophia Balthazor hit five three pointers and finished with a career-high 20 points. Megan Hamel recorded a season-high 16 points and Emilee Lane added 18 points. Kassidi Yost pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.
TMP and Phillipsburg finish the second co-MCL regular season champions.
The Panthers have clinched the top spot in next week’s 3A sub-state in Norton. Both TMP and Goodland finished 17-3 so it will come down to a tiebraker to determine who is the two and three-seeds.
The 3A girls sub-state is Monday.
Boys: TMP 64, Plainville 30
The TMP boys opened the game on an 8-0 and never trailed on their way to a 64-30 win over Plainville Tuesday.
A Bryce Seib three-pointer and a Dylan Werth three-point play helped TMP take an early 8-0 lead.
Plainville briefly closed within three and four twice before TMP finished the first quarter on a 6-2 run taking a 19-11 lead through the first quarter.
Dylan Werth and Gavin Unrein combined to start the second quarter on an 8-0 run take put TMP up 27-11.
Schulte followed that with back-to-back three pointers to put TMP up 33-16. With the second three-pointer Schulte her surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career.
TMP led 35-17 at halftime.
The Cardinals closed within 13 points, at 35-22 to open the third quarter but TMP answered with a 18-2 run giving the Monarchs a 53-24 lead through three quarters.
TMP quickly build a 30-point lead in the fourth quarter and with the running clock the Monarchs picked up the 64-30 lead.
Jackson Schulte lead all three scorers with 17 points. Kade Harris matched his career-high of 11 points for the second straight game. Dylan Werth finished with 10 points.
The Monarchs earned the top-seed in the Norton 3A sub-state and will take on Beloit Tuesday.