CANEY — Iola High’s girls had a tough task ahead of them when they returned to action for the 2024-25 season Thursday.
The Mustangs, who had been idle since Dec. 19, traveled to unbeaten Caney Valley.
Iola was strong early, forging an 11-6 lead into the second quarter before fouls and turnovers started piling up.
Caney Valley ended the half with a 14-2 run to take the lead for good.
Iola kept things interesting, paring an 11-point deficit to six in the waning moments, but could draw no closer in a 48-39 loss.
“Our girls played very hard,” Mustang head coach Kelsey Johnson said. “It was not an effort thing. It was the little things, too many turnovers, that hurt us.”
There were several positives, most notably Iola’s aggression on offense.
Senior Reese Curry was dominant coming out of intermission, scoring seven points as Iola climbed to within 22-19.
But back-to-back 3-pointers from Caney Valley’s Gracie Eden pushed the Bullpups back ahead, 28-21.
A 3-point play from Curry in the waning seconds of the period pulled Iola back to within 32-28, but Elyn Washburn hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter as part of a 7-2 Bullpup run to re-establish an 11-point lead.
Iola had one final charge. Alana Mader drilled her first 3-pointer of the season with 5 minutes left, Kaysin Crusinbery got loose inside for a bucket and Harper Desmarteau’s steal and layup pulled Iola to within 45-39 in the waning moments.
“Reese did a good job of creating offense and playing aggressive,” said Johnson, in her first game on the bench after missing the first six games of the year on maternity leave. “Elza (Clift) and Harper did a good job of pushing the ball up the court, and Kaysin did a good job off the bench.”
Mader and Curry’s outside shooting will give the Mustangs an added weapon going forward, Johnson predicted.
“Alana’s one of our best shooters,” Johnson said. “I’m not surprised she made it. That’s been our message to the girls. Unless I tell you to quit shooting, you should shoot.”
Iola (3-4) hosted Wellsville Friday— look for results at iolaregister.com and in Tuesday’s print edition — before hosting Crest on Tuesday to tip off the War on 54 Midseason Tournament.
