LINDEN &045; The season is still young, but the Marengo Academy Longhorns has won their first two games of the season. They silenced the South Choctaw Academy Rebels last night, 57-32. Marengo pounded the boards early and often, which created some easy shots. They played aggressively the entire game. &8220;We didn’t rebound well the other night,&8221; said Danny Stenz, Marengo head coach. &8220;Tonight we had folks getting after the ball.&8221;

The Longhorns scored the first seven points of the game in less than two minutes into the contest. The scoring pace slowed, but they ended the quarter with a 12-8 advantage.

Within the second eight minutes of the game Marengo pounded the ball inside and built a double-digit lead half way thru the quarter. It was the offensive rebounding that gave them extra opportunities to get shots to the basket. The defensive rebounding allowed the &8216;Horns’ fast break opportunities. Turnovers by South Choctaw contributed to some of the Marengo scoring as well. The half ended with the score 28-15.

The Rebels started the third quarter with a 7-2 run. They also held the Longhorns to one field goal in the first three minutes of the quarter. SCA’s aggressive play allowed them to cut the lead to six points, 30-24, with 4:54 showing on the clock. Marengo, however, regained its momentum towards the end of the quarter. They went up by 11 on Drew Stewart’s two free throws. The Longhorns found themselves up 42-29 at the end of three quarters of play.

Marengo continued to put pressure on the Rebels in the fourth quarter.

The defense displayed quick hands and made steal after steal, which all but to the sails out of the Rebels, who couldn’t get shots at the basket. South Choctaw made just one field goal in the fourth quarter, a three-pointer with 1:29 left in the game. &8220;There was a lot more intensity out there tonight,&8221; Stenz said.

Marengo senior Jacob Harris led all scorers with 14 points. Stewart recorded a double double, knocking down 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Thomas Fultz also grabbed 10 rebounds to go with his nine points.

Marengo, now 2-0 will host Pickens Academy on Monday

and will try to make it three in a row.