As the consistency of that attack wavered, so did the lead.

Newton turned the tables on Marshalltown and was good enough at the free-throw line to make it stick, handing the Bobcats a 44-32 setback on their home court Thursday night.

MHS (1-4) led by as many as eight points in the opening quarter thanks to an aggressive full-court press and an offense determined to get to the basket, but Newton (3-2) capitalized when the Bobcats let up and pulled away for the win.

Marshalltown tried to stay within striking distance after falling behind by as many as 12 points in the third quarter, but two missing starters foiled the Bobcats’ chances in the fourth. Newton led 34-24 early in the final period before MHS went on a 7-0 surge sparked by a dribble-drive layup by Lily Roberts and a 3-pointer by Rachel Smith. Within just three, 34-31, the Bobcats had the Cardinals on their heels — right up until starting senior point guard Erica Johnson was whistled for her fifth personal foul.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - Marshalltown senior guard Erica Johnson (4) shoots over Newton’s Priscila Amador (12) during the first half of Thursday’s game.

Newton scored the next 10 points, Marshalltown made six-straight turnovers and the ballgame was suddenly a lopsided outcome.

“In general I think one of the things we struggled with tonight was the physicality of the game,” said MHS head coach Brian Murphy. “The two things that hurt us the most were turnovers that led to easy points and their offensive rebounds. Those are things in general that we can control.”

The Bobcats finished the night with 19 turnovers. They had just three miscues in taking a 12-6 lead through the first quarter but seven turnovers in a second quarter in which Newton outscored MHS 15-4 and turned control of the contest for good.

Chassidy Henwood had a game-high 16 points to pace the Cardinals, while Mackenzie Baker finished with nine points.

Gabby Himes had a team-high 11 points to go with four blocked shots and three steals for the Bobcats. Madi Finch finished with seven points, Roberts added six points, while Smith and Johnson both had three points.

Johnson had a team-high six rebounds to go with four assists, two steals and two blocked shots before fouling out, and Priscila Vergara added a first-half basket but was not on the bench for most of the second half because of an orchestra performance at the adjacent Marshalltown Community Auditorium.

Too many holes and too big of a deficit for the Bobcats to atone for.

“I thought Rachel Smith stepped up in the fourth quarter and made a big 3-point for us, and Lily Roberts did a nice job stepping into a ball-handling role,” Murphy said.

Marshalltown is back in action tonight, traveling to Pleasant Hill to take on Class 5A No. 2 Southeast Polk.

Newton 44, Marshalltown 32

At Marshalltown

NEWTON (3-2) — Brooklyn Cupples 2 1-3 5, Aurora Nehring 2 1-2 5, Victoria Reynolds 0 0-0 0, Chassidy Henwood 7 2-2 16, Mackenzie Baker 2 5-6 9, Audrey Rausch 1 0-0 2, Priscila Amador 0 0-0 0, Alivia Whitten 0 1-2 1, Jerrica McGuire 3 0-0 6. TOTALS 17 10-15 44.

MHS (1-4) — Erica Johnson 1 1-5 3, Lily Roberts 2 2-2 6, Madi Finch 2 3-6 7, Priscila Vergara 1 0-0 2, Gabby Himes 5 1-1 11, Rachel Smith 1 0-0 3, Sophie Younkin 0 0-0 0, Avygail Smith 0 0-0 0, Olivia Brintnall 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 12 6-13 32.

NEWTON 6 15 11 12 — 44

MHS 12 4 8 8 — 32

3-Point Goals–MHS 1 (Smith). Total Fouls–Newton 14, MHS 19. Fouled Out–Johnson.