Sustaining the energy and intensity levels needed to win for a full game has been a problem for Iola Middle School’s girls since basketball season began.
Thursday at home, the Ponies again had trouble maintaining those levels and lost three of four games to the visting Royster Middle School Rockets of Chanute.
The Rockets outscored the Pony eighth-grade A-team 7-4 in the first quarter of their game. The Ponies played even in the second quarter to make it 11-8 at halftime.
Then Royster took control of the game with a 10-0 run in the third quarter. The Rockets defeated the Ponies 29-12.
“We played a very good first half but our concentration and intensity didn’t follow us out of the locker room,” said Marty Taylor, IMS head coach.
Jo Lohman led the Ponies with seven points. Torrie Lewis and Lexie Long each had two points. Shelby Reno added one.
The eighth-grade B team led 8-2 at halftime but lost 13-12 in overtime. Lewis had six points for Iola. Scoring two points each were Chelsea Lea, Addie Haar and Sarah Gonzales.
Iola’s seventh-grade A-team didn’t score in the first or fourth quarters. Royster won the game 35-6.
“We came out with pretty good energy but we just couldn’t keep it up,” Taylor said. “Hopefully we’ll learn a lesson and get back after it on Saturday.”
Makaela Platt, Taylor Sell and Hannah Ingle each had two points for Iola.
The seventh-grade B-team posted the only win of the day for Iola, 15-6. Ingle fired in nine points. Emily McKarnin added four points. Cassie Delich and Taylor Heslop each had two points.
Iola hosts the 7th Grade Pony Stampede Saturday. The Ponies play Parsons at 9 a.m. and Pittsburg at 11:30 a.m at the middle school gym.
Royster, another Pittsburg team and Independence play a round-robin at Iola High School at the same times.
Medals are given out for all three places at both sites.
