LINDEN — The Marengo Academy varsity girls came up on the short end of a 47-33 loss to Southern Academy Monday night.

“I liked the way they hustled,” head coach Danny Stenz said of a young Longhorn squad that starts two freshmen, one eighth-grader and a seventh-grader. “They never gave up. They never quit trying.”

The MA ladies trailed 24-8 at halftime before outscoring Southern 21-18 in the third period of play.

“Overall, I was proud of them,” Stenz said. “The girls are getting after it. The varsity girls, they have improved tremendously from day one.”

Marengo continued to fight its way back into the game, pulling to within 10 at one point before fatigue appeared to set in.

“We’re looking to build down the road and I think we are,” Stenz said.

Freshmen Maleah Digmon and Destiny Huckabee along with eighth-grader Katie Tucker and seventh-grader Chandler Stenz serve as starters on both the junior high and varsity teams for MA, playing significant minutes in two games each night.

“I’m very proud of all them,” Stenz said of the quartet. “It’d be easy for them to get tired and want to give up.”

Digmon led MA with 12 points Monday night. Abbey Huckabee added nine while Stenz finished with six. Destiny scored two as did Shonna Hammond and Donelle Hale.

Southern’s Allison Woods led all scorers with 16 points.

MA travels to Clarke Prep tonight.