MASON CITY — The Mason City girls’ basketball team scored as many points in the third quarter as it had up unitl then, pulling away from Marshalltown for a 44-10 triumph in Friday’s Iowa Alliance Conference contest.

Mason City (4-1, 2-0), ranked sixth in Class 4A, led 22-2 at the half, but the deficit doubled when the host Riverhawks won the third quarter 22-2.

Marshalltown (2-4, 0-1) outscored Mason City 6-0 in the fourth quarter as the Riverhawks racked up their 28th straight in the series.

“Defensively, one of our best games of the year,” said MHS head coach Brian Murphy. “Offensively, we couldn’t get that first shot to fall to finally break the ice.”

Kelsey McDonough scored 13 points to lead Mason City, which held the Bobcats scoreless in the first quarter. Reggi Spotts added 11 points and Machaela Trask nine for the Riverhawks.

Frankie Long had four points and 11 rebounds to lead Marshalltown, which couldn’t overcome 32 turnovers.

“I thought we did a solid job of handling their full-court pressure for most of the game,” Murphy said. “I was also pleased with our patience against the 1-3-1 half-court. We wanted long possessions to shorten their time with the ball, and I thought we executed that for most of the game.”

Kinsley Bowie and Ellie Hughes both made a basket for two points, while Amairra Johnson and Sydney Kapayou each went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line.

“We played most of the game without Millie Heitmann,” Murphy said. “She had been battling knee soreness all year and realized about two minutes in that she couldn’t go. Her absence, along with some early foul trouble, also made the offensive end a little more complicated.”

Mason City’s 44 points is the fewest the team has scored in a game since a 71-26 loss to Waterloo West on Dec. 3, 2022. Marshalltown’s 10 points is its fewest points since a 59-6 loss to Ankeny Centennial on Feb. 8, 2022.

The Riverhawks entered the game leading 4A in scoring average (67.5), while Marshalltown went in ranked seventh in 5A in scoring defense (39.8).

The Bobcats are back at home next week with games Tuesday against Des Moines Lincoln and Friday versus Fort Dodge.

Mason City 44, Marshalltown 10

At Mason City

MARSHALLTOWN (2-4, 0-1) — Kinsley Bowie 1 0-0 2, Millie Heitmann 0 0-0 0, Sydney Kapayou 0 1-2 1, Ellie Hughes 1 0-0 2, Frankie Long 2 0-0 4, Amairra Johnson 0 1-2 1, Aubrie Tejada 0 0-0 0, Tania Mora 0 0-0 0, Jorja Janssen 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 4 2-4 10.

MASON CITY (4-1, 2-0) — Reggi Spotts 4 1-2 11, Kelsey McDonough 5 1-2 13, Machaela Trask 4 1-4 9, Grace Berding 1 0-0 2, Jaelyn Falls 2 1-4 5, Caylee Kincade 0 0-0 0, Kylie Bergman 0 0-0 0, Maggie Berding 0 0-0 0, Abigail Latham 0 1-2 1, Isabelle Harty 0 1-2 1, Gracyn Braun 0 0-2 0, Savannah Davis 0 0-0 0, Brogan Evans 0 0-0 0, Anna Latham 1 0-2 2. TOTALS 17 6-14 44.

MHS 0 2 2 6 — 10

MASON CITY 9 13 22 0 — 44

3-Point Goals–Mason City 4 (Spotts 2, McDonough 2). Team Fouls–MHS 15, Mason City 12. Fouled Out–Bowie.