For all of the havoc Mother Nature has played on the high school winter sports schedule ? postponements and cancellations galore ? one head coach doesn?t mind.
In fact?
?I kind of like it,? Iola High girls head coach Becky Carlson admitted, even though her Fillies squad had to play on three straight nights a week ago, and two straight nights on Thursday and Friday. Friday?s contest at Wellsville, originally set for Tuesday, had been postponed due to snow.
?I think it?s more fun for the kids than practicing,? she elaborated. ?It gives you a lot of game-like situations. (Thursday) our opponent had some talented big girls. (Friday), they?re more guard-oriented. It helps you in all avenues.?
On Friday, the Fillies wrapped up the regular season with a 50-31 loss at Wellsville, one night after wrapping up their home slate with a 46-39 win over Santa Fe Trail.
The contests put Iola?s record at 9-11 as they open the Class 4A Substate Tournament at 7 p.m. Thursday at Eudora (14-4).
?I don?t know a lot about them yet,? Carlson said. ?We?re going to focus on them now.?
THURSDAY
The Fillies rode some hot shooting early, with Claudia Castellanos-Rodrigo, Kelsey Morrison and Madisyn Holloway each hitting 3-pointers, to take the early advantage. Ellie Carson?s bucket in the waning moments of the half pushed Iola on top, 20-13, before Santa Fe Trail trimmed the margin to 20-17 at intermission.
The second half became the Piper Moore show.
Moore scored 12 of her team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter, most coming on drives to the hoop against a decidedly taller, and thicker, batch of Charger players.
?She really stepped up, made shots and made free throws,? Carlson said. ?Our big girls had a hard time defending tonight. They have some big, strong girls. Luckily, we helped out enough on defense, and we did a good job of blocking out. Madisyn and Kelsey hit some big 3?s, and I can?t say enough about Claudia.?
Santa Fe Trail was within a point on two occasions in the third quarter. Moore hit from the lane on the first occasion; Holloway?s second trey quelled Santa Fe Trail on the second. Moore?s bucket early in the fourth quarter pushed the lead up to 38-30.
Santa Fe Trail could draw no closer than five the rest of the way.
Castellanos-Rodrigo followed with 10 points; Carson had nine for the victors.
Santa Fe Trail sophomore Courtney Stone proved she was the Chargers? main catalyst, pouring in 22 of her team?s 39 points.
Iola High?s Shaylee Sutterby (15) defends Santa Fe Trail?s Tessa Turner Thursday on Senior Night in the IHS gymnasium. Others in on the action are Santa Fe Trail?s Roslyn Sisson (34) and Iola?s Piper Moore (11). The Fillies won, 46-39, before dropping their regular season finale Friday night at Wellsville. Iola travels to Eudora Thursday to open Class 4A substate action.
FRIDAY
Wellsville?s Demi Arnold put the Fillies in a hole they couldn?t escape. The Eagles junior point guard erupted for 18 of her 20 first-half points.
Iola was within 18-14 in the second quarter before Arnold connected three times from downtown. By the time the dust cleared, the had closed the half with an 11-0 run to lead 29-14.
