LA CYGNE — The Iola High Mustangs’ season came to an end after a late rally came up short in a 39-35 loss to the Prairie View Buffalos Thursday night in the opening round of the sub-state tournament.
With no shot clock in effect for the sub-state tournament, Thursday’s game seemed more like a chess match emphasizing the importance of every possession.
“Our fight was there, our effort was there, but in the last four games we struggled to score in the first 4 minutes,” Iola coach Kelsey Johnson said. “We just can’t get over that hump. I know they want it. I know they want to win. I hate this, but I have to remind myself only one person in 3A comes out without a loss. It sucks that we came so early.”
Iola senior forward Reese Curry accounted for all of the Mustangs’ points in the first quarter with a pair of buckets for four of her team-leading 15 points. Once Prairie View saw Curry’s success underneath, the Buffalos forced Iola to score their points from the free-throw line, which accounted for all of the Mustangs’ second quarter points save for a drive by senior guard Elza Clift.
“That’s what we expect out of her (Curry). That’s what we know she can do,” Johnson said. “She’s strong. She’s athletic. They were doubling her all night long, if not tripling her. It makes it hard on her, but she battles and she still scored in the fourth quarter.”
Iola held its own in the third quarter, but both teams pulled out all of the stops in the fourth. Down 23-17, the Mustangs unleashed a flurry of scores — surpassing all of their previous offensive production that night in 8 minutes. With Curry double-teamed, Clift and senior guard Kyndal Bycroft seemed to put the game on their shoulders. A successful Clift drive to the basket drew a foul. Clift missed the free throw, but senior forward Kaysin Crusinbery scooped up the rebound and pulled Iola within a possession with a jumper. 
However, similar to the “Curse of the Monkey’s Paw,” for every Mustang push forward there was a dramatic response from Prairie View. For every Mustang bucket, the Buffalos seemed to respond with a 3-pointer. Just as Iola’s offense was getting going, similar to their last encounter with the Buffalos a few weeks ago, Prairie View senior guard Kelly Stroup caught fire. Stroup scored nine of her team-leading 22 points in the final minutes of Thursday’s game.
“You could see their fight. That’s what stinks. You could see their leadership,” Johnson said. “Things weren’t falling for our normal girls, so Kyndal is going to take over. She’s someone I have to have on the court. She is such a leader for us. She controls our offense and our defense. Elza, she knows she can do that stuff all the time. It was so good to see her finish those plays.”
With the loss Iola ends the season 11-11. Although eying a rebuild next winter, Johnson said she does not plan to go back to the drawing board just yet. Instead, she wanted to enjoy her final moments with her six soon-to-be graduating seniors.
“It’s an emotional day. I always think, I wish I had one more year with these girls,” Johnson said. “The 12 girls I had this year, it was a special year. They are the 12 that stuck together and were a family all year long. Those six seniors I had for all four years. Not only do I care about them as basketball players, but I created relationships with them that I hope goes further than this.”
Iola (4-8-5-18—35)
FG/3pt FT F TP
Holloway 0 2 1 2
Bycroft 0/1 2 3 5
Clift 2 0 0 4
Mader 1 0 4 2
Desmarteau 0/1 2 5 5
Curry 5 5 2 15
Crusinbery 1 0 1 2
Totals 9/2 11 18 35
Prairie View (9-7-7-16—39)
Lueker 1 0 1 2
Allen 1/1 3 4 8
Stevens 0 0 3 0
Stroup 7/1 5 1 22
Walker 0 0 1 0
Stainbrook 3 1 2 7
Earnest 0 0 1 0
Gregg 0 0 1 0
Totals 12/2 9 15 39
