By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
HAYS – The TMP-Marian basketball teams showed little rust after more than 25 days off. Both teams took down the Ellis Railers in their home openers Thursday at Al Billinger Fieldhouse.
GIRLS: TMP 66, Ellis 33
The Lady Monarchs (3-4, 2-1 MCL) opened the game on a 16-4 run and never
trailed. Brooke Koenigsman scored a season-high 25 points in a 66-33 victory over
the Railers.
Koenigsman scored nine points in the first quarter while the
Monarchs built a 20-7 lead.
Already leading by double figures to open the second quarter, the Monarchs put together a 14-5 run, taking their largest lead of the first half at 34-12 on a Shyanne Yost layup. Yost scored a season-high 10 points with a little more than two minutes left in the first half.
Ellis (5-4, 2-2 MCL)was able to close within two at halftime but TMP still held the 36-17 lead at the break.
Koenigsman led all scorers with 24 points, and Shyanne Yost scored 10 points.
The Monarchs will take on Hill City in the first round of the MCL tournament Saturday at approximately 4:00 p.m.
BOYS: TMP 56, Ellis 45
The TMP boys used a pair of 9-0 first-half runs and then
needed a big second half on their way to a double-digit win over the Railers.
Caden Dinkel closed out the second quarter with a three-pointer and added his second on the first possession of the second half, putting TMP up 29-19.
In the third quarter, Ellis erased the 10-point deficit thanks to five straight turnovers and an empty possession by the Monarchs.
Ellis then briefly led 36-34 but TMP’s Carson Liles got a field goal to close out the third quarter at 36 each.
TMP’s Jabob Seib and Schmeidler took control of the game, combining to score 14 points to open the fourth quarter and the Monarchs never trailed again in a 56-45 victory.
Ty Schmeidler led TMP with 16 points. Cade Dinkel added 15 points and Jacob Seib scored 14 points.
TMP will take on Russell in the third game of the day at the MCL tournament at Al Billinger Fieldhouse in Hays.