CARBONDALE — Iola High Fillies head coach Becky Carlson wasn’t sure if it was the barrage of postponements, or the approaching substate playoffs.
But for whatever reason, Iola’s girls came out Friday cold as ice.
The Fillies scored only six points in the first quarter and three in the second in their regular season finale.
Meanwhile, host Santa Fe Trail parlayed a 14-3 run into a lead it never relinquished.
Iola’s 48-37 defeat sends the Fillies into the Class 4A-II Substate Playoffs on a three-game losing streak.
Even so, Carlson is hopeful Iola found its footing in the second half, and can ride that momentum into next week’s tilt against Frontenac to open substate play. The date and time for tipoff have yet to be announced.
“Their record is the same as ours,” Carlson said (7-13), ‘We’re going to have to be ready to go. We can’t be flat-footed.”
A Kelsey Simmons 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the first half snapped a 6-6 deadline to give Santa Fe Trail for good.
“We just didn’t come out with any fire,” Carlson said. “We didn’t block out, and we had quite a few turnovers.”
Iola’s Chloe Gardner scored early in the second period to mark Iola’s only field goal of the quarter.
Santa Fe Trail’s lead swelled to 20-9 before Iola’s Ellie Carson scored in the opening minute of the third period.
A brief flurry a minute later — a Madisyn Holloway 3-pointer and Carson bucket off an inbound play cut the gap to 22-16.
But Carson went to the bench moments later with a twisted ankle. Her absence allowed Santa Fe Trail to reopen the double-digit lead.
The Chargers led by as many as 17 in the second half before Carson re-entered the game and scored eight points in the fourth quarter.
It was not enough. Iola pulled no closer than 10 points down the stretch.
