Marion High School - Marion, Iowa

Semler, Albaugh all-Wamac 1st teamers

Marion seniors Kasey Semler and Dusty Albaugh have been named to the Wamac Conference West Division all-conference first team.

Semler was a unanimous selection. He was the top scorer in Class 3A for most of the season and is averaging 21.5 points per game. Albaugh averages 12.5 points per game. The pair guided the Indians to a West Division championship and a berth in next week's Class 3A state tournament.

Marion's Mike Manderscheid was named co-Coach of the Year with Williamsburg's Dave Schlabaugh.

The Indians did not have any second team selections. Dan Van Gorp and Dylan Cronk earned honorable mention.

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Best birthday present? A trip to state

Kasey Semler got the only present he wanted for his 18th birthday Monday night at the U.S. Cellular Center.

He can thank Dusty Albaugh and the rest of his buddies on the Marion High School basketball team for giving him a trip to the Class 3A state tournament in Des Moines.

Albaugh popped in 21 points and Semler netted 15 as the Indians trimmed Benton Community, 48-44, in the Class 3A substate finals before several thousand fans in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Marion (17-7) will face No.1 Waverly-Shell Rock (24-0) in the first round of the Class 3A state tournament on Tuesday, March 8 at 3:30 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Marion is seeded eighth in the eight-team tournament and Waverly-Shell Rock is seeded No.1, but the Indians embraced the challenge of facing the favorite club.

"We'll be ready to go," vowed Albaugh, who popped in four 3-pointers. "We want to see the best. We want to match ourselves up with them. It will be a good game."

It certainly was a good birthday for Semler, who played in the 2009 state tournament as a sophomore and was itching for icing on his cake Monday night.

"This is exactly what I wanted," he said.

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Indians chasing 4th state trip

The Marion Indians will be seeking their fourth trip to the boys state basketball tournament in school history Monday night when they face Benton in the Class 3A substate finals at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

This is the rubber match between the two Wamac Conference teams this season. The Indians (16-7) and Bobcats (16-7) split two games during the regular season, with each team winning at home.

Benton won the first game in a squeaker, 57-56, in early January. Marion prevailed in the second meeting in a lopsided game, 61-40, just three weeks ago.

Marion reached the state tournament in 1950 and 1952, then had to wait 57 years before making a return trip in 2009 when Kasey Semler, Dusty Albaugh and Tyler Fisher were sophomores. Semler leads the Indians at 21.8 points per game and Albaugh contributes 12.1 per contest.

Semler has dropped into second place in Class 3A scoring after holding the top spot for much of the season. Cole Darrow of Underwood is the new leader at 22.1 points.

Benton is led by seniors Zach Twedt (15.4 points) and Mitch Lester (12.6).

There is a Class 3A substate doubleheader at the U.S. Cellular Center tonight with fifth-ranked Solon (21-2) facing 10th-ranked Dubuque Wahlert (17-6) at 6:30.

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Indians squeeze past Mount Vernon

Dusty Albaugh and Kasey Semler got a taste of the Class 3A boys state basketball tournament in 2009 when they were sophomores. Now they want a full meal.

They could get it Monday night.

Albaugh scored 17 points Thursday night as Marion slipped by Mount Vernon, 38-37, in the Class 3A district finals on a neutral court at Kennedy High School.

Marion (16-7) will face Benton (16-7) in the substate finals Monday at 8 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center for the right to play in the state tournament in Des Moines from March 8-12.

"It's a goal of ours to get back to state," said Albaugh, who made five 3-pointers Thursday. "Kasey and I and Tyler (Fisher), we know what that was like. We want another taste of that."

The Indians lost to Carroll by one point in the first round of the 2009 state tournament.

Marion and Benton split two games in the Wamac Conference this season. Benton won the first meeting, 57-56, but the Indians drilled the Bobcats by 21 points, 61-40, when they met Feb. 8.

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