SIDNEY, Iowa - It was a tight, back-and-forth affair through the first quarter, but Stanton flexed its muscles on the road to come away with a big 59-43 victory over Sidney behind a monster game from senior Marleigh Johnson. 

Johnson scored a game-high 25 points, 12 of which came in the opening quarter. She was able to connect on a 3-pointer and seemingly get whatever she wanted at the rim as Sidney's 5-foot-11 shot-blocking center Kaden Payne was saddled with foul trouble. 

Stanton (10-1, 5-0) led 14-12 after one quarter, but the game turned in the second quarter when it ended the half on a 10-2 run after Sidney pulled within three points. Junior guard Leah Sandin hit her second 3-pointer of the first half, this one coming with just under two seconds remaining to give the Viqueens a 31-20 halftime advantage. 

Aunika Hayes kept Sidney in the game as she was virtually the only player able to put the ball in the basket in the first half, scoring 14 of the teams 20 points.

The Cowgirls (4-6, 1-4) leading scorer Avery Dowling came alive in the second half, though, scoring 11 points after managing just two in the first half. Dowling connected on three 3s, her last brought Sidney within six at 41-35 a possession into the fourth. 

But the Viqueens responded with an 18-point fourth quarter, saving their best play of the night for last. Post Jenna Stephens sat nearly the entire first half with foul trouble, but she scored nine points in the second half with Sidney double-teaming Johnson. 

Sandin would add two more 3-pointers as the Corner Conference leaders pulled away and improved to 5-0 in conference play. 

Hayes finished with 22 points for Sidney as she was one of just three Cowgirls to score. Johnson had 25 for the Viqueens, Sandin had 13 and Hannah Olson added eight off the bench while Stephens (nine points) was in foul trouble. 

Box Score:

Stanton (10-1, 5-0): 14, 17, 10, 18 - 59

Sidney (4-6, 1-4): 12, 8, 12, 11 - 43