Yet it wasn’t a complete loss for the Bobcats (6-11, 1-6).

MHS sophomore Amairra Johnson returned to the lineup for the first time this winter after suffering an offseason injury that seemingly had sidelined her for the year. Instead, she was cleared to compete on Monday and made her way back onto the court in Friday’s league loss.

Johnson drained a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter of the contest, bringing the Bobcat fans to their feet.

“I think the entire team was happy to see her out there,” said MHS head coach Brian Murphy. “The loudest cheer we had was when she knocked down a 3-pointer.

“We came into the season assuming we wouldn’t have her and she got cleared early this week and she looked good enough in practice that we thought we could give it a go.”

Marshalltown’s fourth-leading scorer and primary point guard played in short spurts throughout the game after Waterloo East (6-9, 3-4) pulled away in the opening quarter. The Trojans took control in the second quarter and put the game away from there.

“The thing that we failed to do consistently in the first half was respond to their runs,” Murphy said. “We didn’t go on a run until the third quarter, and as it often does I thought it started on defense. We finally got some defense that converted to offense and it’s amazing what seeing the ball to through the hoop will do to your energy.”

Freshman Morgan Hilderbrand led MHS with six points off the bench, sinking a pair of 3-pointers, and Jorja Janssen added five points and six rebounds. Ellie Hughes and Frankie Long added four points apiece, Johnson and Millie Heitmann both scored three, and Kinsley Bowie added two.

Graysyn Downing led Waterloo East with 11 points and Ka’Jhira Mhoon added nine.

Marshalltown plays its first of three-straight road games on Tuesday at Ames.

Waterloo East 43, Marshalltown 27

WATERLOO EAST (6-9, 3-4) — Graysyn Downing 4 1-2 11, Ka’Jhira Mhoon 4 0-4 9, Siyanna Cody 0 3-4 3, Ja’Miah Ceaser 2 2-4 6, Ja’Dajh Latiker 3 0-1 7, Taliyah Matthews-Martin 1 0-0 2, Neomi Listo 0 0-0 0, Kaelin Knipp 2 1-2 5. TOTALS 16 7-17 43.

MARSHALLTOWN (6-11, 1-6) — Kinsley Bowie 1 0-2 2, Millie Heitmann 1 1-3 3, Mia Aguinaga 0 0-0 0, Ellie Hughes 2 0-0 4, Rubi Buenrostro 0 0-0 0, Amairra Johnson 1 0-0 3, Morgan Hilderbrand 2 0-2 6, Jorja Janssen 1 3-4 5, Frankie Long 2 0-0 4. TOTALS 10 4-11 27

W’LOO EAST 12 14 10 7 — 43

MHS 4 5 10 8 — 27

3-Point Goals–WE 4 (Downing 2, Mhoon, Latiker), MHS 3 (Hilderbrand 2, Johnson). Team Fouls–WE 16, MHS 15. Fouled Out–Long, Janssen.