By The Hays Daily News

The Thomas More Prep-Marian girls' basketball team couldn't have gotten off to much worse of a start in Trojan Classic at Hillsboro.

The Monarchs fell 57-9 to Holcomb, 10-1 and ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, in the consolation semifinals Thursday. It was by far TMP's lowest scoring output of the season and followed a 65-25 first-round loss to Hillsboro, 11-1 and ranked No. 4 in 3A.

"It just seemed to keep snowballing. Once they started scoring and we weren't, it just snowballed," said TMP coach Rose McFarland, whose squad dropped to 1-10.

TMP senior Heather Ruder, who has averaged scoring well into double figures this season and has scored as many as 30 points in a game, didn't score against Holcomb, going 0 for 6.

The Monarchs struggled to even get shot opportunities, committing 40 turnovers in the game. Senior forward Jenna Schuckman and senior guard Allison Pfeifer led the squad in turnovers with 10 and eight, respectively.

"They were quick defensively," McFarland said. "We had quite a few turnovers. They had quick hands. They intercepted quite a few passes."

But even when the Monarchs got shot opportunities, they didn't convert, making 4 of 34. TMP junior forward Samantha Younie led her squad in scoring with three points. Pfeifer, Schuckman and sophomore Kaylor Gottschalk each added two points.

Holcomb had four girls reach double figures. Haley Heydman scored 14, and Karissa Pena posted 12. Katie Pfeifer and Taylor Deniston each added 11.

"It seems like our team has a little adversity here this week, but sometimes, adversity will make you stronger," McFarland said.

The Monarchs will compete in the seventh-place game at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the middle school gym against the loser of Riley County/Goodland.

"Right now, we just feel like Saturday is the most important game," McFarland said. "We have to get ready for it and put these games behind us."