STATE CENTER — Tuesday might very well have been the biggest game of the West Marshall girls basketball team’s season. It was also a test to see if the Trojans could get over the hump in a playoff atmosphere.

It wasn’t a pretty game by any means, but the Trojans passed the test in their 36-23 win over Grundy Center — clinching a share of the NICL West Division title in the process.

Led once again by a senior-laden team with production from freshman wing player Katy Reyerson, West Marshall’s zone defense gave Grundy Center fits from the start of the game. The first quarter was low-scoring but gave the Trojans an advantage they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the night.

Coach Fred Zeller said the Trojans played disciplined basketball.

“I thought we did a good job of taking away their high post, which they like to use to start their offense,” Zeller said. “We found their shooters, for the most part, they didn’t get a lot of easy looks. I thought our zone was pretty tight for most of the game.”

The first half ended with West Marshall in front 16-11 after five-straight points from Grundy Center to end the second quarter. It happened just after the Trojans missed an opportunity to go up 19-6, instead giving up a three-point play and then another layup in consecutive defensive possessions. It took a comfortable lead into just a two-possession advantage. The Trojans had another opportunity to make their lead more comfortable in the third quarter, and a couple of fast-break layups from senior guard Karlyn Snider pushed the advantage to 26-18. That was how the third quarter would end, with the Trojans continuing their suffocating defense — not allowing Grundy Center to score in double-digits in any quarter.

It took a comfortable lead into just a two-possession advantage. The Trojans had another opportunity to make their lead more comfortable in the third quarter, and a couple of fast-break layups from senior guard Karlyn Snider pushed the advantage to 26-18. That was how the third quarter would end, with the Trojans continuing their suffocating defense — not allowing Grundy Center to score in double-digits in any quarter.

“We got some good senior leadership,” Zeller said. “I felt they held their composure.”

In the fourth, six straight points from West Marshall put the Trojans up 14, 32-18, and put the game out of reach for the struggling Spartans. From there, the Trojans ran the clock on offense and continued to target the Spartans’ shooters — Grundy Center hit two 3-pointers in the game and went to the free-throw line three times.

When the final whistle blew, and the Trojans had pulled out the victory, the celebrations began in earnest. Senior guard Avril Sinning ran across the court jumping and clapping as the team gathered into a circle to cheer. Sinning and Snider led the Trojans in scoring — Sinning had seven points and Snider led all scorers with 12 points. The Trojans had zero bench points.

After the game, the team could be heard screaming out “Sweet Caroline” from the locker room, reveling in their victory — made sweeter by beating the one team in the NICL West to defeat the Trojans in the conference this season. The Trojans are now 15-2 on the year and 10-1 in the division.

This shared title comes in the Trojans’ final season as a member of the NICL. For the 2020-21 athletic season, the school will participate in the Heart of Iowa Conference. And while the Trojans have a share of the title, it will take a win against rival East Marshall in the girls’ team’s final NICL West meeting with the Mustangs for West Marshall to clinch the title outright. The Mustangs host the Class 3A No. 13 Trojans Thursday night in Le Grand.

Zeller said his team can’t focus on what’s after the East Marshall game — districts, state tournament, any of it.

“We’re not taking anything for granted,” Zeller said. “We’ll get ready for East Marshall Thursday night. We’re just glad to have a day off, we’ve had a lot of games in a short span.”

West Marshall 36, Grundy Center 23

At State Center

GRUNDY CENTER (13-5, 8-2) — Lainy Thoren 3 2-2 8, Shelby Rivera 2 1-1 6, Frannie Brown 1 0-0 2, Leslie Homeister 0 0-0 0, Bailey Reding 3 0-0 7, Kyah Luhring 0 0-0 0, Dahlia Gardiner 0 0-0 0, Bella Dole 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 9 3-3 23.

WEST MARSHALL (15-2, 10-1) — Avril Sinning 3 0-0 7, Karlyn Snider 5 0-0 12, Teresa Disney 2 1-1 5, Katy Reyerson 3 0-0 6, Renae Schaper 2 2-2 6, Eliza Givard 0 0-0 0, Avery Randall 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 15 3-3 36.

GRUNDY CTR. 4 7 7 5 — 23

W. MARSHALL 9 7 10 10 — 36

3-Point Goals–WM 3 (Snider 2, Sinning), GC 2 (Rivera, Reding). Total Fouls–WM 9, GC 12. Fouled Out–Brown.