The Iola High boys and girls were outworked in their pair of losses to Burlington on Tuesday night.
The girls (1-4) fell behind early and were never able to scratch back into it in a 41-34 loss. The boys (2-3) got outmuscled and dominated on the boards in a 63-48 loss.
Girls Basketball
It was a quiet night for Iola’s offense, which scored nine in each of the first three quarters. Mustang interim head coach Ali Peters cited that her team will have to work on spacing and getting open before Prairie View.
It marks the Mustangs’ third straight loss after falling to Osage City at the Central Heights Tournament on Saturday, 51-29.
Aysha Houk was the Mustang of the night for the girls team. Houk drained a three-pointer in the opening minutes. Kaysin Crusinbery also hit a two-pointer and a free throw.
“Aysha stepped up for us and knocked down some big shots,” said Peters. “We’re trying to focus more on getting it into our posts. The girls work pretty hard down there so we’ve got to make sure we’re getting it into them. She’s (Houk) a competitor and she wants to make sure she’s doing what she can to help the team and get the win. We really trust her.”
The Wildcats were led by Josie Fejfar’s three-pointer and layup as well as a pair of three’s by Rachael Hernandez and Brenna Booker. Burlington led Iola heading to the second quarter, 17-8.
Iola was aided by Houk’s play again in the second quarter when the senior went underneath for a layup, stepped outside for a three and knocked down a free throw. Alana Mader also got on the scoreboard when she buried a two-pointer to bring the deficit closer.
Harlee Young hit a couple of two-pointers for Burlington in the second quarter. Wildcat Alivia Bangs went in for a layup and a free throw and Burlington led Iola heading to halftime, 25-17.
“Our turnovers were something that got us behind pretty quickly,” Peters said. “They forced our passes and rushed our offense. Once we slowed it down and got it together, things started to work out for us. As much as we want the win, there’s plenty of things we can learn from it.”
Mustangs Karington Hall and Keira Fawson joined Houk’s scoring parade in the third quarter when they each hit two-pointers. Houk knocked down a two and a three-pointer but the Iola defense wouldn’t be able to slow down Burlington.
Burlington’s Fejfar continued her run after halftime, dropping in a layup and scoring a three-pointer while Young went for a two-pointer and a pair of free throws to take a 34-26 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
Houk went for five points in the fourth quarter, a pair of two-pointers and a free throw, while Mader scored a layup and a free throw for the only Iola points of the final quarter. Young was fouled for Burlington and hit four free throws to seal the Wildcats’ 41-34 victory.
Iola was led by Houk’s 21 points and Mader’s six points. Crusinbery went for three points while Hall and Fawson each notched two.
