Fort Scott High’s Tigers helped Iola High’s Mustangs Thursday night. After splitting with then league-leading Columbus High’s Titans Monday, the Mustangs were still in the hunt for the Southeast Kansas League baseball championship.
The Mustangs had handed the Titans their first league loss of the season. Fort Scott swept its SEK doubleheader with Columbus Thursday.
So the Mustangs are sitting in third place in the standings with SEK doubleheaders tonight, Monday and next Thursday ahead of them. Next week’s action is against Fort Scott, which is second, and SEK-leader Pittsburg.
Iola is 8-2 in league play and 12-2 overall. Not bad for a team that was picked to finish seventh in the SEK by coaches in a preseason poll.
The Mustangs cannot look past tonight’s opponent, Labette County. This was scheduled as the season-opener for both teams in March but wet conditions at Altamont postponed the games. Labette County (3-7, 4-8) is in a role of a spoiler.
No peeking ahead, Mustangs.
Iola’s players have to stay focused on one game at a time. The Mustangs have to take care of business tonight at Altamont or next week’s games won’t mean as much.
I can look ahead. Fort Scott is 10-2 in league play and will be playing on its home field Monday. Both Iola and Fort Scott play games tonight although the Tigers are at Girard in non-league contests.
Then, defending SEK champion Pittsburg High’s Purple Dragons come to town on Thursday. But the Dragons have to get past Columbus at home Saturday. Pittsburg is 9-1 in SEK play.
The stage is set for a great week of baseball for IHS. It will be long week playing today, Monday, Thursday and getting ready for 4A regional play the following Monday.
Iola High’s Fillies have struggled this season as the younger players learn under fire in varsity play. The Fillies don’t have enough players to compete in junior varsity games.
The Fillies, 2-10 in SEK play and 3-14, will go to Fort Scott Monday, then host Pittsburg Thursday. Iola’s girls got their doubleheader in at Labette County in March so they don’t have to play tonight.
THANKS IOLA HIGH track athletes and coaches. You guys really showed what Iola does well at Thursday’s Crest High Invitational track meet. You guys jumped in and took charge of moving hurdles on and off the track even though Iola was not hosting the meet at the Iola track facility in Riverside Park. Job well done.
