The first quarter ended with the Raiders holding the one-point edge.
“What a great start to what was a great game,” said Leighty. “We had a harder time scoring in the second quarter, and once we lost the lead we never got it back again, but we stayed right there giving ourselves a chance all the way to the end.”
Marion went on a 10-5 second quarter run that handed the Indians a 22-18 halftime advantage.
Vaughn scored a basket and added a free throw with 4:50 left in the stanza giving the Raiders a 16-15 lead, but when Paige answered for the Indians 14 seconds later with a hoop and a free throw, Marion led 17-16 and never lost the advantage.
“Marion might have stolen a bit of the momentum there in the second quarter, but we looked to try and get it back in the third,” said Leighty. “The game went back-and-forth again before a late run by Marion at the end of the third had them up by eight points.”
Sanborn scored the first basket of the second half cutting the Indians’ lead to 22-20 and after the two teams traded hoops over the next several minutes, Marion eight of the game’s final 10 points to take a 36-28 lead into the final frame.
“We knew we still had a chance,” said Sanborn. “I thought we had chances all the way until the end. We just kept trying and kept fighting and doing all we could to stay close.”
Sanborn scored the first two points of the fourth quarter swishing two free throws, but when the Indians scored four straight to answer, they had their first double-digit lead of the night.
“We knew at that point we had to make plays and had to get stops,” said Sanborn. “We cut it to a two-possession game and gave ourselves the chance there at the end.”
After back-to-back baskets by Nicole Sanborn and Lauren Buck, the Indian lead was sliced to 40-34 with 5:02 to play, but once again Marion answered.
“They made some big shots,” said Leighty. “They also got to the free throw line 22 times to our 11, and that made a big difference in the game too.”
Marion connected on 6-of-8 charity stripe shots in the game’s final minute to seal the class 3A regional title and state tournament berth.
“It was hard walking off the floor for the final time,” said Sanborn who was given a standing ovation going to the sideline with 12 seconds left. “It literally hurt. We tried so hard and played so well, to have it end here a game short of state was tough to take.”
Watching from the sideline since breaking her finger three weeks ago, senior Jackie Engelbart also found the final moments difficult.
“I had mixed emotions,” said Engelbart, the Raiders’ second leading scorer who led the cheers from the bench. “I really thought we were going to state. We played so well, it was hard for me not being able to be out there contributing on the court, but wow, was that a great game to watch with the way all our girls gave all they had. We have nothing to hang our heads about, we gave it all and left it all out on the court.”
Vaughn led Anamosa pouring in 12 points while Buck and Kayla Sanborn added 10 more each.
“Our defense kept us in it and I thought Kellie did a great job guarding Marion’s Morgan Paige,” said Leighty. “She still got her points in the end, but we made her, and the rest of her teammates work hard for every point they got.”
Nicole Sanborn added four points off the Raider bench.
“Basketball has been a big part of my life,” said Sanborn, who closes her career as one of the top Raider girls basketball players ever. “It’s been an honor for me playing at Anamosa and with my teammates here over the last four years. We accomplished some great things, I just wish we could have won one more game and made it to state.”
The 12-point loss closed the 2009-2010 Anamosa girls basketball campaign with a 16-8 record overall.
“It was a great run while it lasted,” said Engelbart. “Even from the sideline the girls always made me feel included and a part of this team. This was a special run, one I know we all will remember for a long time.”