Iola High School’s girls basketball team fought tooth and nail Tuesday against Prairie View, but after digging a hole, it was too little too late for the Mustangs. The Buffalos won 39-37.
Both teams struggled to get going. Iola’s three first quarter points came off two free throws from Josie Plumlee and one from Maci Miller.
The Mustang defense held serve, limiting Prairie View to three in the first. After two free throws from Aysha Houk to open the second, the Mustangs opened a 7-4 lead but Prairie View quickly tied the game. The lead changed hands back and forth until the break.
Iola and Prairie View were tied at 16-16 at the half.
Iola opened the second half on fire, jumping out to a four-point lead. Continued trips to the line for the Buffalos kept Prairie View in the game and allowed them to tie it at 23-23 early in the fourth.
Iola regained the lead when Reese Curry hit a jumper to put the Mustangs up 27-26 with 4:30 left but the Mustangs kept giving Prairie View chances and the Buffalos capitalized on them. Prairie View hit 25 of 39 free throws, ultimately giving them a four-point lead with less than two minutes left. Iola, on the other hand, made only nine of 21 free throws.
Iola allowed Prairie View to stretch the lead but fought back hard. In the end, turnovers and fouls cost the Mustangs a chance to win, one night after to Wellsville, in a similar fashion.
“Last night we shot free throws really well, but tonight we were 9-21,” said head coach Kelsey Johnson. “They were making everything free-throw wise and at the half we said it would come down to free throws and it did. We shouldn’t have put ourselves in that position. To bounce back after last night’s hard loss, I’m proud of the girls.”
Iola’s junior varsity team lost 28-25. Keira Fawson led with 10 points. Tatum Boyd had five. Alana Mader and Hallie McDermeit had three. Reese Curry had two. Jenna Fager and Kaysin Crusinbery had one.
IOLA (3-13-7-14—37) Houk 2-4-3-11 Miller 1-2-4-4 Plumlee 1-2-5-4 J. Curry 1-0-3-2 R. Curry 2-0-5-4 Boyd 2/1-0-1-5 Sturgeon 1-0-1-2 Shelby 2-1-0-5 TOTALS: 11/2-9-20-39
PRAIRIE VIEW (3-13-6-20—39) Kirkpatrick 2/1-4-2-9 Allen 0-2-0-2 Baker 0-2-2-2 Paisley 1/1-9–3-12 Bloodgood 0-0-2-0 Stroup 2-1-3-5 Stainbrook 0-3-4-3 Chambers 1-4-4-6 TOTALS: 4/1-25-20-39
