Central Heights High’s hot shooting throughout, coupled with Iola High’s inability to get defensive stops, were key in extending the Mustangs’ losing streak Friday to five games.
The Vikings took the lead for good with a 9-0 run to end the first quarter and never looked back. Iola pulled to within six points late in the contest, but could get no closer in a 53-45 defeat.
The loss drops Iola to 7-9 on the season and 3-3 in Pioneer League action.
“We never put together any kind of consistent run, and we pretty much let them do whatever they wanted,” Mustang coach Bill Peeper said. “They really took it to us. They were willing do whatever it took, and we didn’t match it.”
The game started curiously enough. Iola scored all eight of its first quarter points in a 50-second span, turning a 5-0 deficit into an 8-5 lead with just under six minutes left.
But the Mustang went scoreless for the rest of the quarter. The Vikings led 14-8 after one period and pushed their lead to double digits with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second period.
A free throw by Adam Kauth, followed by a steal and layup by Trent Latta closed the margin to 27-19. Latta added another 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining to cut the gap to 30-22. But the Vikings’ Tristan Davis responded with a buzzer-beating trey to send Central Heights into the locker room with a 33-22 cushion.
The Viking lead briefly reached 13 points on two occasions in the second half, the second time on a Drew Beckwith 3-pointer seconds into the fourth quarter. But Latta responded with four straight points to pull Iola within 44-35. Powelson converted a 3-point play with 1:31 remaining to cut the deficit to six, 49-43, then Latta scored on the Mustangs’ next possession after Central Heights had pushed back out to an eight-point lead.
Iola came up empty on its last three possessions of the game, erasing any hope for a comeback.
Latta and Powelson shared high-scoring honors with 13 points apiece. Powelson also had 10 rebounds.
Latta pulled in seven steals. Levi Ashmore had four assists, “while the rest of the team had four combined, two of which came from Tyler Powelson.”
Coons added eight points for the Mustangs
“Trent wasn’t feeling well, but he battled his tail off tonight,” Peeper continued. “He’s a scrapper. I wish all of our guys fought like he did. He and Powelson were by far our most productive players.”
Peeper wasn’t as kind on his thoughts for the rest of the team.
“It’s frustrating. We have guys who want to be successful, but we’re not doing the things we need to in order to be successful,” he said. “We’re not laying it out on the line consistently.”
Beckwith scored 14 to lead the Vikings, followed by Zach McAfee with 12 and Jordan Horstick with 11.
The Mustang junior varsity dropped a 45-31 decision. Kaden Macha led Iola with 14 points, followed by Fryendz Wallace with seven, Shane Walden with six, Kohl Endicott with two and Travis Hermstein and Jesse Zimmerman with one each.
Iola’s C team fell 43-28. Adam Peterson paced the Mustangs with eight points.
Iola travels to Prairie View Tuesday.
Central Heights (14-19-8-12—53)
Iola (8-14-9-14—45)
Central Heights (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Davis 0/1-0-0-3, McAfee 1/2-4-0-12, Burkdoll 0/1-0-0-3, Beckwith 1/4-0-0-14, Horstick 2/1-4-3-11, Erhart 3-2-2-8, Hendron 0-2-0-2. TOTALS: 7/9-12-5-53.
Iola (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Latta 5/1-0-1-13, Ashmore 2-0-2-4, Coons 1/2-0-4-8, McIntosh 2-1-1-5, Kauth 0-2-1-2, Powelson 6-1-3-13. TOTALS: 16/3-4-12-45.
Vikings extend Mustang streak to five
