MANSON-NW WEBSTER 37, MFL-MAR-MAC 34

Ashley Markert got her hands on the ball at just the right time for Manson-Northwest Webster.

With her team clinging to a one-point lead, Markert stole the ball with 39 seconds left and her sister Morgan followed with two free throws, helping the second-ranked Cougars slip past No. 8 MFL-Mar-Mac 37-34 Monday night in the opening game of Class 2A play.

Manson-Northwest Webster built a nine-point lead early in the third quarter, then had to fight off the Bulldogs the rest of the way to advance to a semifinal game at noon on Thursday.

MFL-Mar-Mac cut the lead to 35-34 on Kellie Wagner's layup with 1:04 remaining, then got a chance to take the lead when the Cougars missed twice at the other end. But Ashley Markert knocked the ball loose and Morgan calmly swished the two free throws to make it a three-point game.

MFL-Mar-Mac missed a long 3-point shot just before the buzzer.

The Bulldogs did a good job keeping the ball away from Manson-Northwest Webster star Mika Rodewald with a collapsing zone, so her teammates had to rely on outside shots and they knocked down just enough to pull out the victory.

Lauren Christianson led the Cougars with 13 points, including two key buckets midway through the fourth quarter. Christianson hit a jumper from the left side to break a 29-29 tie, then picked off a pass and went in for a layup for a 33-29 lead, giving the Cougars the cushion they'd need to hold on.

Morgan Markert finished with eight points, while Ashley Markert had four points, six assists and two steals. Rodewald finished with four points and nine rebounds.

Wagner led MFL-Mar-Mac with 13 points and Chelsey Lamker scored nine.

Manson-Northwest Webster, in the tournament for the fourth straight year, moves on with a 23-1 record. MFL-Mar-Mac finishes 21-4.