The Iola High boys and girls took it to Osawatomie, each winning by 30 points or greater in their home matchups on Tuesday night.
The Mustangs (8-10) used a dominant offensive performance and forced a number of steals to score baskets in transition in a 70-32 blowout victory. The Iola girls (5-14) played stellar defense and held the Trojans to single digit scoring each quarter in a 47-17 drubbing.
Iola girls
Iola’s defense was on point in the first half against Osawatomie as they allowed only one point in the opening quarter, a Hailey Pope free throw. The Mustangs jumped a number of Trojan passes for steals and were strong on the glass, out-rebounding Osawatomie.
“I think it helps the girls playing them again because it’s almost like we know how we match up. We know how we can score on them so we almost come in with a little bit more confidence,” said Iola head coach Kelsey Johnson.
Aysha Houk paced Iola through the first half to help Iola jump out to a 7-0 lead through the opening minutes by knocking down a couple of three’s.
Keira Fawson then scored four points including a layup to help put Iola ahead 13-1 midway through the second quarter. Kaysin Crusinbery hit a two-point jumper and Harper Desmarteau nailed a three right before the buzzer to take a 19-4 lead at half.
“We put some pressure on them so they were either rushing shots, turning it over or traveling a ton in that first half,” Johnson said. “They didn’t take great shots either. We played great defense all game long.”
Karingten Hall went the length of the floor for a layup a couple minutes into the second half to start a 4-0 run. Houk was good on a couple of three’s and Reese Curry and Fawson each banked in layups in the third.
Iola led Osawatomie heading to the fourth quarter, 37-12.
The Mustangs outscored the Trojans 28-13 in the second half as Houk and Fawson each went for four more points in the fourth quarter to cap a 47-17 victory for the home team.
Houk led Iola’s scoring with 16 points, followed by Fawson’s 11 points. Hall also had six.
Iola (11/5-9-14—47) (FG/3pt-FT-F—TP): Houk 2/4-0-3-16, Hall 2-2-2-6, Bycroft 0-2-0-2, Fager 0-1-4-1, Fawson 4-3-0-11, Desmarteau 1-0-1-3, Crusinbery 1-2-3-4, Curry 2-0-0-4, McDermeit 0-0-1-0.
Iola boys
The Mustangs began by getting out to a 6-0 lead after Eli Adams took a steal to the other end for a full court layup. Adams banked in four layups as part of a nine-point first quarter to put Iola in the lead heading to the second, 16-12.
