The third quarter erased any high hopes the Bobcats developed at halftime.

Jefferson outscored MHS 25-3 in the third period of an eventual 54-23 victory on Monday night at the Roundhouse, sending the Bobcat girls to their sixth-straight defeat.

Nine different players scored for the J-Hawks, who forced Marshalltown into 39 turnovers in all to collect the non-conference triumph and halt their own three-game slide.

“I have been very complementary of our team’s leadership and our cohesiveness as a group, and this is the first game this season I felt that was not true,” said MHS head coach Brian Murphy. “Whatever it was we did not come out ready and it never felt like we got ready.”

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - MHS sophomore post Frankie Long (44) fights through Cedar Rapids Jefferson defenders Lilli Ulrich (24) and Morgan Hewitt on her way to the hoop during Monday’s game at the Roundhouse.

The Bobcats (4-7) trailed 10-2 after the first quarter and 21-9 at the half, but the J-Hawks soared in the third. Jefferson (5-6) scored the first 12 points of the period and put Marshalltown behind by 34 going into the fourth.

MHS scored the first seven points of the final period to avoid the running clock but never threatened in this non-conference clash.

“Too many possessions we were hoping,” Murphy said. “I thought we made Jefferson’s defense look a lot better than it actually was. I was overall disappointed with how we presented ourselves as a team.”

Millie Heitmann led the Bobcats with 11 points, nine rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals. She made the team’s lone 3-pointer.

Frankie Long added eight points, going 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, but couldn’t fully capitalize on her height advantage. The Bobcats turned the ball over before they could get the ball to Long or in trying to make challenging entry passes into the post.

“We were getting the ball to the right spots, but it was our second and third decisions that just weren’t getting the ball to the right spot,” Murphy said. “We knew we had a size advantage down low, but I felt like everyone was trying to be the one to get the ball to Frankie. We were not nearly patient enough on offense.”

Angeline Troh scored 10 points off the bench to lead a balanced Jefferson attack. Ava Erger netted nine points, while Evie Creighton and Lexi Haller had eight points apiece.

The Bobcats are back at home Tuesday with an Iowa Alliance Conference matchup against Des Moines North.

“It’ll be tough, we’re not playing a lot of people right now … but the psychological advantage is that we have an opportunity to flush this game,” Murphy said. “Physically it will be a challenge but I would hope mentally everybody’s in a place where they’re wanting another game to get rid of this taste in their mouth.”

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 54, Marshalltown 23

CR JEFFERSON (5-6) — Ava Erger 3 1-2 9, Danielle Boche 2 1-2 5, Sophia Kevitt 0 4-6 4, Morgan Hewitt 2 0-0 6, Lilli Ulrich 0 2-2 2, Addyson Luvan 0 0-0 0, Mikah Duke 0 0-0 0, Angeline Troh 4 0-0 10, Lulu Ulrich 1 0-0 2, Evie Creighton 3 0-0 8, Lexi Haller 3 1-1 8, Keleigh Deming 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 18 9-13 54.

MARSHALLTOWN (4-7) — Kinsley Bowie 0 1-2 1, Millie Heitmann 5 0-0 11, Jorja Janssen 0 1-2 1, Ellie Hughes 1 0-0 2, Frankie Long 1 6-6 8, Niah Lott 0 0-0 0, Mallory Meyeraan 0 0-0 0, Morgan Hilderbrand 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 7 8-10 23.

CR JEFF 10 11 25 8 — 54

MHS 2 7 3 11 — 23

3-Point Goals–CRJ 9 (Erger 2, Troh 2, Hewitt 2, Creighton 2, Haller), MHS 1 (Heitmann). Team Fouls–CRJ 16, MHS 9. Fouled Out–none.