Erica Johnson

NEWTON — Erica Johnson poured in a career-high 24 points and the Marshalltown girls’ basketball team got its first win since last year’s season opener by convincingly defeating Newton, 51-30, on Thursday night.

The Bobcats (1-4) ended the program’s 24-game losing streak dating back to last winter’s opener in decisive fashion, using a second-quarter surge to overtake the host Cardinals (1-3) for good. Marshalltown trailed 9-8 after the first period but outscored Newton 17-4 in the second and never trailed the rest of the way.

Johnson’s career-high scoring night included eight rebounds and four steals, while Madi Finch pitched in with 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Alyvia Chadderdon put up seven points in her return to the lineup after sustaining a concussion in the Bobcats’ season-opening loss to Des Moines Hoover.

This win marks Marshalltown’s first since Nov. 28, 2017, while the 51-point output is the first time the Bobcat girls have exceeded the 50-point plateau since Jan. 19, 2016.

The Bobcats have scored exactly 51 points in three of their last four wins dating back to Jan. 22, 2015, and hadn’t scored more than 51 points in a game since Feb. 6, 2015, in a 66-58 loss at Fort Dodge.

Shakeiya Taylor contributed three points for Marshalltown and Gabby Himes added the final two for MHS, which hosts Class 5A No. 8 Southeast Polk tonight at 6:15 p.m. at the Roundhouse.

Mackenzie Brown scored nine points to lead Newton and Peyton Maher added eight points.

Marshalltown 51, Newton 30

At Newton

MARSHALLTOWN (1-4) — Alyvia Chadderdon 3 0-0 7, Erica Johnson 7 7-12 24, Kyra Feldman 0 0-0 0, Madi Finch 4 7-9 15, Gabby Himes 1 0-0 2, Shakeiya Taylor 1 1-2 3, Olivia Brintnall 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 16 15-24 51.

NEWTON (1-3) — Brooklyn Cupples 1 0-0 3, Abbie Barr 1 0-0 3, Mackenzie Brown 4 0-2 9, Mackenzie Baker 0 0-2 0, Peyton Maher 3 1-4 8, Aurora Nehring 0 0-0 0, Kameron Nehring 2 0-0 2, Victoria Reynolds 1 2-5 5, Chassidy Henwood 0 0-0 0, Liv Whitten 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 11 3-13 30.

MHS 8 17 13 13 — 51

NEWTON 9 4 8 5 — 30

3-Point Goals–MHS 4 (Johnson 3, Chadderdon), Newton 5 (Cupples, Barr, Reynolds, Brown, Maher). Total Fouls–MHS 17, Newton 18. Fouled Out–none.