By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post Sports
SMITH CENTER – The TMP-Marian Monarchs fought through one of their worst shooting performances of the season. They used a lockdown defense in the second half on their way to a 52-49 victory over Stanton County on Saturday in the first sub-state championship game in Smith Center.
It’s Monarchs' first trip to the state tournament since 2023.
It took both teams time for their offenses to settle in. The Trojans were the first team to score, only to see TMP’s Jacob Seib score back-to-back field goals and give TMP the 4-2 lead with less than four and a half minutes to play in the first quarter.
Stanton County retook the lead at 6-4, but then the teams traded the lead back and forth three times before Stanton County built a 14-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
With the game tied again, this time at 14, the Trojans put together an 11-3 run for a 25-17 lead with two minutes remaining in the first half.
After trailing by as many as eight, twice in the final second of the first half, TMP closed within five, trailing 28-23 at halftime.
The Monarchs shot just 1-of-15 from three-point range in the first half.
Stanton County extended its lead to seven, 30-23, to open the third quarter.
The Monarchs answered with a 12-4 run, taking a 35-34 lead on a Ty Schmeidler three-pointer.
But the lead was short-lived, as Stanton County took the lead back on the next possession.
They then went on to build a 40-35 lead through three quarters.
The Trojans converted a three-pointer in the opening possession of the fourth quarter to lead by eight again, 43-35.
The Monarchs’ offense was finally able to break through with five minutes and six seconds remaining when Will Eck connected on his first of two fourth-quarter three-pointers.
That shot, and the TMP defense, spurred a 17-6 run to close the game with a 52-49 victory.
Schmeidler scored eight of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter while the Monarchs forced Stanton County into eight fourth-quarter turnovers.
Jacob Seib also scored in double-figures with 18 points.
After starting 1-for-15 for three, TMP finished the game 5-for-25.
The win moves TMP to 20-5 on the season and makes them the No. 4 seed in the 2A state tournament. They will open on Wednesday against the five-seed St. Mary's. The time and location will be announced on Sunday.