NORTON – The TMP-Marian Monarchs went on the road Thursday night for a pair of key Mid-Continent League games with the Bluejays but came up short, dropping both games of the doubleheader.
GIRLS: Norton 47, TMP 33
The TMP girls were held without a field goal for more than 12 minutes as Norton rushed out to a double-digit lead on their way to a 47-33 win over the Lady Monarchs.
TMP (9-11, 5-4) struggled offensively to start the game, missing their first 18 shots and it wasn’t until Brynn Rebel pulled down an offensive rebound and found Raegan Allen inside for a layup with less than four minutes left in the first half, that the Monarchs got on the scoreboard. It was 14-2 with 3:50 to play in the first half.
Despite shooting just 13% from the floor in the first half, and 0-9 from three, TMP found themselves down just 12 at the break.
Early in the third quarter TMP cut the lead to nine and then cut it to eight at 26-18 on a Claire Schippers field goal but Norton (15-4, 7-2) answered with a 14-3 run to end the third quarter and open the fourth quarter for a 40-21 lead.
In the final frame TMP briefly cut the lead to 11 after a 10-2 run to make it 42-31 but they got no closer and suffered the 47-33 loss.
TMP’s Brooke Koenigsman tied for the game-high with 12 points.
BOYS: Norton 49, TMP 34
The Norton Bluejays used a 21-5 second-half run to erase a halftime deficit and beat the Monarchs 49-34 Thursday.
Norton (16-3, 9-0) jumped out to the early 8-0 lead before TMP’s Will Eck converted on a three-point play that sparked a 14-1 Monarchs run to end the first quarter. During that run Ian Nehls scored eight points for TMP helping the Monarchs to a 14-9 first quarter lead.
Norton outscored TMP (9-11, 7-2) 8-6 in the second quarter with TMP’s field goals coming on three-pointers from Ty Schmeidler and Caden Dinkel as the Monarchs built a 20-17 halftime lead.
Coming out of the halftime break though proved to be the difference in the game. Norton outscored TMP 21-5 in the third quarter and into the fourth quarter as they built a double-digit lead and they never trailed again in a 49-34 Norton victory.
Ty Schmeidler led TMP with 11 points and Ian Nehls added 10 points.
The Monarchs will travel to Plainville on Tuesday to wrap up the regular season.