VINTON - The Marion girls’ Cinderella season ended early Tuesday night in the regional finals when a wicked first quarter against rugged Waverly–Shell Rock put them too far back to catch up.

Though the Indians scored the first basket of the game after a steal by Amanda Sahm and a sweet fast-break feed to fellow senior Michalyn Mohr, the Go-Hawks dominated from then on and won easily 46-32.

They led 15-3 after the first period. And while Marion cut the margin to seven at half, another drought in the third quarter pushed the deficit back to 13.

It was mostly fouls and free throws for the victors from that point on for the undefeated fifth-ranked team in Class 4A.

“We got off to a tough start,” said Marion Coach Corby Laube, whose team finished 17-6 and ranked No. 13 in Class 4A after going 6-16 last year in his first season back as a head coach. “We didn’t shoot the ball very well. And they’re a big, strong team and probably more physical than we’re used to.

“They got us in a hole, and we were playing from behind the rest of the way. They controlled the tempo of the game.”

Waverly-Shell Rock (23-0) will face Carlisle (21-2) in the quarterfinals of the state tournament on Tuesday in Des Moines.

With a formidable front line of burly girls, Waverly–Shell Rock completely cut off Marion’s driving game to the basket.

“They just kind of sunk back in the lane,” said Sahm, who played her usual all-out spunky game from start to finish. “They’re big, and we couldn’t get by them. They’re real solid.”

And when the Indians also came up dry from the outside (sinking just three 3-pointers all night), there wasn’t much offense.

The Go-Hawks didn’t have to rely on the perimeter, since they controlled the paint. Most of their field goals were made from layups or tip-ins. And they allowed Marion very few second-chance shots.

While disappointed with the loss a game away from the state tournament, Laube nevertheless praised his team’s efforts throughout the turnaround season. “We had a great year,” he said, “one of the best in Marion’s history.”

Freshman phenoms Chloe Rice, Caitlyn Smith and Mia Laube (the coach’s daughter) were added to the mix this year and gave the team quickness and finesse.

In the end, they just needed more bulk.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these girls,” said Laube. “And I couldn’t be happier that my own daughter was able to learn from our older group of girls.

“I love them all to death.”

Sahm, a four-year star in both basketball and volleyball, said it was sad to play her final game.

“I wanted to win this so much for my girls,” she said of her teammates. “But they were just bigger than us.”

She fought to the end, however, scoring four of her eight points on drives into the tall timbers even though way behind in the fourth quarter.

“I wasn’t going to quit,” she said. “I give my heart for these girls.”

MARION (32): Rice 3 2-3 9, Smith 1 0-0 2, Sahm 3 2-2 8, Mohr 2 0-0 4, Laube 1 1-2 3, Peyton 0 0-0 0, Dunne 0 0-0 0, Sade 0 0-0 0, Jordan 2 0-0 6. Totals 12 5-7 32.

WAVERLY–SHELL ROCK (46): Grawe 3 1-2 9, Draper 2 4-9 8, Phillips 1 5-7 7, Gray 0 0-0 0, Asplund 6 2-2 14, Harken 1 2-4 5, Pierson 1 1-2 3, Campbell 0 0-0 0, Marsh 0 0-0 0, Young 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0, Sassman 0 0-0 0, Tharp 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 15-26 46.

Halftime – Waverly-Shell Rock 22, Marion 15. 3-point goals Marion 3 (Jordan 2, Rice 1), Waverly–Shell Rock 3 (Grawe 2, Harken 1).