While they’ve provided glimpses of brilliance, Iola High’s Mustangs also have shown the inconsistency expected of a team in the midst of a massive rebuilding year.
Six sophomores or freshmen play regularly for a Mustang squad that rolled through an undefeated 2013 season before falling in the state championship game a year ago.
“I’ve never had this many freshmen or sophomores playing on one team,” Iola head coach Mark Percy said.
The Mustangs wrapped up the regular season Tuesday by placing third in the Pioneer League Tournament.
They’ll have a tricky road to traverse if they hope to return to state.
Iola is the third seed in Tuesday’s Class 4A-II tournament in Burlington.
The Mustangs (12-8) will face second seed Santa Fe Trail (11-5) at about 4:30 p.m. at the Burlington High School field.
The winner advances to the substate championship game against either top seed Burlington (16-4) or fourth seed Anderson County (4-15).
The championship game will follow at about 7 p.m.
The winner advances to the Class 4A-II State Tournament May 29-30 in Pratt.
ELSEWHERE, Humboldt High’s Cubs remain undefeated and hopeful of a third consecutive trip to the state playoffs.
But like Iola, the Cubs must clear a couple of tall hurdles at regionals to advance.
The Cubs (18-0) are the top seed and will face either fourth seed Leon-Bluestem (13-7) or fifth seed Eureka (5-12) at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Caney, the host site for the Class 3A Regional.
Douglass (15-5) is the second seed and will face either third seed Caney Valley (12-6) or sixth seed Neodesha (1-16). The semifinal winners will face off at about 6 p.m. Wednesday. The winner advances to the state tournament in Topeka.
IN CLASS 2-1A, Yates Center High and Marmaton Valley High will vie for a berth in the state tournament the following week in Great Bend.
Yates Center (11-9) is the second seed at the West Elk regional and will face either Cedar Vale-Dexter (10-9) or Elk Valley (0-16) at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the West Elk field in Howard. Rosalia-Flinthills (16-3) is the top seed and will face either West Elk (8-11) or Sedan (8-11) on the other side of the bracket. Semifinal winners will play at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Howard.
