Let the winter games begin

Temperatures have dipped just in time to send crowds inside for the start of high school winter sports.
Tonight, it begins for area high schools. Iola High’s Mustang wrestling team hosts the first of three home double duals this season. Crest High’s Lady Lancers and Lancers drive straight west to Le Roy tonight for a non-league doubleheader with the Southern Coffey County High Lady Titans and Titans.
Friday Iola High’s Fillies and Mustangs tip off the 2011-2012 basketball season at home.  Marmaton Valley High’s Wildcat squads host Uniontown High’s Eagle teams Friday while Yates Center High’s Wildcats and Humboldt High’s Cub teams are on the road in Tri-Valley League play at Eureka and Neodesha, respectively.
That starts a whirlwind of action for the next three weeks until Christmas break.
Iola High’s wrestling team hosts Eureka and Anderson County tonight at the high school gym. Matches begin at 5:30 p.m. The Mustangs host two Southeast Kansas League double duals — one in January with Fort Scott and Pittsburg and one in February with Coffeyville and Independence.
The IHS basketball teams play their only home games of December Friday night. The Fillies and Mustangs host Osawatomie. The Fillies went 11-10 last year while the Mustangs were 1-20. Both teams are led by strong seniors — the Fillies have five on the roster and the Mustangs have nine.
Next week is “early season tournament” week for the Register’s seven area high schools. Iola is in the Wildcat/Bulldog Classic hosted by Louisburg High. They play Monday and Tuesday in the round-robin pool format against Burlington and Louisburg. Friday’s opponents are determined by where teams place in their pool play.
Marmaton Valley hosts its 13th annual MVHS Preseason Tournament, which is a round-robin event with varsity and junior varsity games. Marmaton Valley’s teams play Oswego Tuesday, Northeast-Arma on Thursday and conclude action Friday against West Elk.
Humboldt High hosts its second annual HHS tournament, which is also round-robin tournament with varsity and junior varsity divisions. Crest and Uniontown are in the tournament.
Play at Humboldt begins Tuesday with Crest’s teams play against Erie and Humboldt taking on Uniontown. The first games each night begin at 4 p.m. with three more games to follow. On Thursday, Uniontown plays Erie starting at 4 o’clock followed by the doubleheader of Humboldt against Crest teams. Then Friday, Uniontown and Crest play the early doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. with the girls then Humboldt’s teams play Erie.
Yates Center’s annual Wildcat Winter Classic goes Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in a round-robin format. On Tuesday, Yates Center’s girls and boys play Altoona-Midway in the late games then take on Sedan Thursday and Cherryvale on Friday.
Southern Coffey County High’s teams play Lyon County League games next week at Madison Tuesday and at home Friday against Lebo.
Iola is hosting the Fort Scott High Junior Varsity tournament Thursday and Saturday. Iola has two boys’ junior varsity teams in the tournament and one girls’ team.
Sprinkle in a few middle school basketball games and Allen County Community College basketball games and there’s plenty of action to watch.