The Mount Vernon Mustangs once again proved their dominance over the Marion Wolves with a commanding 75-52 victory Friday night. This win came two and a half weeks after their last matchup with the Wolves, where the Mustangs won by a closer score of 67-58.

From the tip-off, Mount Vernon established control of the game. The Mustangs, led by senior guard Sydney Huber, raced to an early 21-4 lead. Huber was hot early, contributing multiple three pointers in the opening minutes, while her teammates quickly got into a rhythm. By the end of the first quarter, Mount Vernon’s lead went down to 21-11, largely because the high scorer for the Wolves, senior Madeline Pavelka, made a run.

Marion responded in the second quarter, with Pavelka leading the charge. Pavelka, who ended the night with 22 points, hit a few jump shots and free throws, helping the Wolves take the lead early in the second quarter 22-21. Despite the rally, Mount Vernon kept control of the game by shooting 47% from three and ending the half with a lead of 49-30.

“We came out with a lot of energy tonight,” junior Taylor Franck said after the game. “We knew Marion would make a run in the first quarter, but we stuck to our game plan and kept the pressure on.”

In the second half, the Mustangs’ offense continued to click. Huber scored 17 points with many threes in the second half. Mount Vernon’s defense also held Marion’s scorers, with junior guard twins Courtney and Taylor Franck playing a big role in limiting scoring opportunities and pressuring the ball. By the end of the third quarter, the Mustangs had extended their lead to 63-35, and Marion shortened the lead in the fourth but not enough to make the Mustangs worried.

“It was a great team win,” Courtney Franck said, “we had great tempo, moved the ball well, and got the shots that we wanted.”

With the game all but decided, Mount Vernon ended with a 75-52 victory, improving their record to 19-1. The Mustangs have now won 18 straight games and appear ready for a state tournament.