After a low-scoring first half, Iola High’s Fillies were able to pull away in the second to beat Central Heights 38-32 in Tuesday’s home opener. THE JUNIOR VARSITY Fillies beat Central Heights 34-20 earlier in the night. Della Lohman led the team in scoring with seven points. Overall, nine players scored for the Fillies. McKayli Cleaver scored six points, Jayden Sigg scored five, Toni Macha scored four, Taelyn Sutterby scored three, Taylor Sell scored three, Ashlie Shields scored two and Colbi Riley scored two. Iola 38, Central Heights 32
The first quarter finished with a 4-2 Iola lead. After trailing 2-0, Emery Driskel stole the ball and went in for an uncontested layup to tie the game with 5:50 left in the quarter. Five minutes later, Sydney Wade pulled off the same play to take the lead.
Iola outscored the Vikings 11-7 in the second quarter. Central Heights started the quarter on a 4-0 run to take the lead 6-4. Jo Lohman gave Iola the lead for good. After making a shot from under the basket while being fouled, she hit the free throw to give the Fillies a 7-6 advantage.
Mikaela Platt made two jump shots from opposite baselines for four points in the quarter. Driskel connected with a shot under the hoop and Wade made two free throws to give the Fillies a 15-9 lead at halftime.
Iola didn’t have an overpowering offense in the second half, but did hit more shots from inside the paint. The Fillies’ defense also remained strong.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well, even though we had great looks,” coach Becky Carlson said. “The execution was great, we just couldn’t finish our shots. But, the second half we got some good looks inside.”
Iola held the Vikings to seven points again in the third quarter. Emma Piazza had a strong showing, scoring six of Iola’s 10 points in the quarter. She scored on a putback and jumper on consecutive Iola scoring possessions. Later in the quarter, she pulled a doppelganger by doing an impression of both Driskel and Wade with a steal and breakaway layup. Iola led 25-16.
The Fillies were outscored in the fourth quarter 16-13. The team’s free throw shooting didn’t contribute much to the effort. Iola made 5 of 13 shots from the line. Toni Macha led Iola with four points from the field in the quarter.
Although the team’s offense didn’t click, its relentless defense kept them in the game long enough to hold the lead.
“We were aggressive and had a lot of good stops,” Carlson said. “Toward the end it got kind of ugly and (Central Heights) got some sloppy shots. But, they had to work for every basket they got.”
Iola (3-2) will play at Prairie View on Thursday.
Iola (4-11-10-13—38) (FG/3ptr-FT-F-TP): Wade 3-4-1-10, Long 1-0-1-2, Piazza 3-0-2-6, Lohman 1-1-0-3, Shields 0-1-1-1, Haar 0-0-3-0, Platt 2-1-3-5, Driskel 2-1-3-5, Macha 3-0-2-6
Central Heights (2-7-7-16—32) (FG/3ptr-FT-F-TP) Bell 1-0-5-2, Sheldon 0-1-4-1, Schaefer 0-0-2-0, Markley 4-4-5-12, Meyer 5-5-4-15, Hale 1-0-2-2
Girls win with strong defense
