Just call Marion 'basketball city'

MARION - For one school, it's a new thing. For one school, it's an old thing.

For their city, it's a great thing.

"They're going to have to shut down Marion, I guess," laughed Linn-Mar's Nate Hutcheson. "We're all going to the state tournament. It'll be fun. The community totally supports us. It's great to have that support."

For the first time, both Marion high schools have qualified for the boys' state basketball tournament - Marion in Class 3A and Linn-Mar in Class 4A.

It's Linn-Mar's sixth consecutive appearance in Des Moines. The Lions have won two state championships in that period, finished second once, third once and fourth once.

Marion, meanwhile, hasn't been to state since 1952. Those were the days of the great Hugh Leffingwell, the school's all-time leading scorer who played one year at the University of Iowa before leukemia claimed his young life.

"It's been a very long time, and it feels good to finally get this for our school," said Marion's Amry Shelby. "All the community has always come out and supported us. So this is for them."

When asked after his team's substate final win over Mount Pleasant last week, Shelby knew exactly who Leffingwell was. You're getting a lot of Indians fans reminiscing about him this week.

"We remember Hugh as a great player and a modest one for all his skills," said Dan Kellam, a 1954 Marion graduate who is writing a book on Marion coaching legend Les Hipple. "He led Marion to the quarterfinals of the state tournament at a time when only one team was crowned. Schools competed in their own class through the substate tournament, then were thrown together in what we called the Sweet 16 to determine a single champion."

There are some interesting parallels between these Marion and Linn-Mar teams that go beyond success and being located in the same city.

Shelby, Marion's leading scorer, went to school in the Linn-Mar district until his eighth-grade year. Linn-Mar freshman point guard Marcus Paige is the son of Marion girls' basketball coach Sherryl Gaffney-Paige and brother of outstanding Marion multisport athlete Morgan Paige.

"I think it's great," Marcus Paige said. "Marion's got a real good team. I used to go to Marion, so I'm very proud of them for getting to state. It's just a great thing for the whole city."

"In fact, we've talked about it," said Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson. "This is a great thing for our community ... Had it not been for some injuries, Marion's girls would have probably made it, and we'd have had all four teams at the state tournament. It's just been a great year for basketball in our community."

The coaching staffs of the two schools seem to get along well, as do the players. You get some good pickup games going at the Marion YMCA between them.

As Shelby and a couple of teammates walked in front of the Linn-Mar student section during the Lions' substate final game last week at the U.S. Cellular Center, the chant "Amry, Amry, Amry" arose. There is definitely some love there.

By the way, Marion (20-4) plays Carroll (20-3) in a 3A state tournament first-round game Tuesday night at 6:35 at Wells Fargo Arena. Linn-Mar (21-2) plays Cedar Falls (16-8) in a 4A first-rounder Wednesday night at 6:35.

As the old saying goes, the last person out of Marion please turn out the lights.

"This is great for the Marion community, not only the schools," said Marion Coach Mike Manderscheid. "I know we're rooting for Linn-Mar to represent well (this) week, and I'm sure they're hoping the same thing for us."