Wrestling, basketball in short time

“Short time.”
It’s a wrestling term meaning not much time left in a period.
There’s not much time left for high school winter sports teams in the 2010-2011 seasons.
Iola High wrestlers are in postseason as of today. The Mustangs compete in the two-day Kansas Class 4A Regional tournament at Chanute High School. The first round of action begins at 2 o’clock this afternoon.
There are eight wrestlers representing Iola High in the regional. Seniors Marcus Sullivan and Lee Berg are in their third regional in the three-year history of the IHS wrestling program. So are juniors Brent Clark and Devin Culler.
A year ago the Mustangs qualified two wrestlers to the Kansas Class 4A state tournament. Sullivan, who placed fourth in the 160-pound weight class at regional, has a good opportunity to return to the state meet.
“I learned that anything can happen here. I lost two straight matches and I’m disappointed but I’m coming back next year,” Sullivan said after the 2010 state tournament. “I’m looking forward to working hard in the off-season and getting back here and medaling.”
Sullivan is competing in the 160-pound class again this year. He was the top seed in his weight class for the Chanute regional. Sullivan has wrestled only three years.
Berg began wrestling with the Allen County Kids Wrestling Club before Iola had wrestling in middle school and high school. He is a “charter” member of the Mustang wrestling program. Berg is going for a state tourney berth in the 130-pound weight class.
 
BASKETBALL season has one week left in the regular portion. Substate tournaments open Feb. 28 with state tournament berths on the line.
This past week and next week has seen area schools cramming as many makeup games in as possible before Wednesday’s deadline. Games played by Tuesday are ones that will count toward substate seeding. Teams are working to get the best overall record possible as they jockey for better seeds.
The top four seeds — both girls and boys — get to host first-round games. It is what all teams are looking for, the opportunity to play one more home game.
Iola High’s Fillies and Mustangs play the first of three straight home games tonight. They have Southeast Kansas League doubleheaders with Pittsburg (tonight), Chanute on Monday and Labette County on Tuesday.
Those are the games which will count toward their Class 4A substate records going into the tournament hosted by Paola. Other schools in the substate are Fort Scott, Anderson County, Prairie View, Louisburg, Osawatomie and Ottawa.
Several of the area schools began a jam-packed two weeks with three doubleheaders this week and next.
Uniontown is in the Class 3A substate tournament hosted by Burlington. Joining the Eagles and Wildcats will be Northeast-Arma, Frontenac, West Franklin, Kansas City Christian, Central Heights and Wellsville.
Marmaton Valley is in the Class 2A substate hosted by Jayhawk-Linn, while Humboldt and Yates Center are in the 2A substate hosted by Sedan.
Southern Coffey County High is hosting a Class 1A, Division I substate at Allen County Community College in Iola. Crest is also in the substate.