Nowhere near pretty, but Marion tops Grinnell in a 4A regional quarterfinal

MARION — Grace Whalen sat through four older brothers’ worth of basketball games in this gym.

“A lot of popcorn, a lot of candy,” she said.

She played her last game here Wednesday night, and went out in triumph.

“We stayed the course,” she said. “Survive and advance.”

It wasn’t in the same area code as “pretty,” but Marion got past Grinnell, 34-26, in a Class 4A girls basketball regional quarterfinal at Marion High School.

“It was my last game here, and I wanted to leave on an exciting note,” Whalen said.

The Wolves (8-14) march into Saturday’s regional semifinal at No. 11 Solon (14-7).

The Spartans swept the Wolves in the regular season, 60-53 (in overtime) and 56-37.

“We usually play better against the better teams,” Marion Coach Henry Martinson said. “We know it’s going to be a fight. We’ve just got to find ways to score.”

And if not, then defend like bandits. That’s what won this one.

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Marion prevailed despite shooting 9-of-43 from the field (20.9 percent) and committing 20 turnovers.

On the other hand, eight of those shots were 3-pointers, including four from Kendyl Aarhus, who led all scorers with 12 points.

Marion went without a field goal through the final 6:15. But Addison Eiben’s shot at that mark gave the Wolves a 28-14 lead, and that was enough to get them to the finish line.

Grinnell (7-15) got within six points on three occasions in the final 3 minutes to make it mildly interesting.

The Tigers were 9-of-38 from the field (23.7 percent). They had only five baskets — and 11 points — in the first three quarters.

Ellie Morris added six points and snagged six rebounds for the Wolves.

Track and field star Aiden Gosselink paced Grinnell with seven points.

Marion 34, Grinnell 26

Class 4A Regional Quarterfinal, at Marion

GRINNELL (26): Hope Dana 1-6 1-2 3, Elle Seney 2-10 0-0 4, Isabel Kenkel 0-0 1-2 1, Ava Sevey 0-4 3-4 3, Aiden Gosselink 3-10 1-4 7, Lainie Eitel 0-1 0-0 0, Terriyah Certer 2-6 1-2 6, Haydlee Harter 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 9-38 7-14 26.

MARION (34): Kendyl Aarhus 4-14 0-0 12, Addison Eiben 1-6 1-2 3, Grace Whalen 0-2 4-10 4, Dado Gassama 0-4 2-6 2, Ellie Morris 2-9 0-0 6, Braelin Wieseler 1-2 1-2 4, Rylee Boggess 1-4 0-0 3, Taylor Kriegel 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 9-43 8-20 34.

Grinnell 2 5 4 15 — 26

Marion 10 6 10 8 — 34

3-point goals: Grinnell 1-11 (Dana 0-2, E. Sevey 0-5, A. Sevey 0-1, Gosselink 0-1, Carter 1-2), Marion 8-34 (Aarhus 4-14, Eiben 0-2, Whalen 0-1, Gassama 0-3, Morris 2-9, Wieseler 1-1, Boggess 1-3, Kriegel 0-1). Team fouls: Grinnell 16, Marion 16. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Grinnell 34 (Kenkel 8), Marion 39 (Gassama 7). Assists: Grinnell 3 (three with 1), Marion 8 (Boggess 4). Steals: Grinnell 11 (Kenkel, Gosselink 3), Marion 9 (Whalen 3). Turnovers: Grinnell 17, Marion 20.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com