Buffalos pull away late to down Fillies

LA CYGNE — A few costly missed assignments via Iola High’s defense gave Prairie View High girls all the boost they needed Tuesday.
The Fillies, who seconds earlier had trimmed a 12-point deficit to four early in the fourth quarter, lost track of Prairie View’s Madie Griffin on two straight possessions after that. The Buffalo senior converted on both, starting a 7-0 run, putting Prairie View’s lead out of reach.
The Buffalos kept Iola winless on the season with a 40-29 victory.
“We just don’t understand that every possession counts,” Iola coach Becky Carlson said, lamenting Prairie View’s easy scores after Iola had cut into the lead.
The Fillies occasionally saw a defender get out of position, so a teammate would slide over to help.
“Then they kick it to the open player,” Carlson said.
The ending spoiled what had been a sensational opening to the fourth quarter. Down 31-19, Iola’s Kyra Moore and Lexie Long sandwiched 3-pointers around an Emery Driskel bucket. The 8-0 run pulled the Fillies to within 31-27 with 5:40 left in the game.
But Prairie View’s subsequent 7-0 run put the Buffalos on top 38-27 with 1:41 left. Iola didn’t score again until Emma Piazza hit two free throws with 1:34 showing. Prairie View’s Emily Feldman scored on a layup with 50 seconds remaining to cap the scoring.
Prairie View took control midway through the second quarter with an 8-2 run to lead 17-10 going into halftime. Iola’s only baskets were a jumper from Moore and a field goal inside from Jo Lohman.
Moore heated up in the third quarter, connected on a pair of 3-pointers, the second of which pulled Iola to within seven, 23-16. Piazza’s trey with 1:23 left in the quarter sliced the deficit to 24-19. The Buffalos closed the quarter with a 7-0 run to lead 31-19.
The game was nip-and-tuck through the first quarter. Hannah Endicott and Driskel scored to give Iola a 4-2 lead before the Buffalos scored five straight points. Addie Haar’s basket with 1:35 left in the first pulled Iola to within 7-6.
“I saw lots of positive things, at least in the first half,” Carlson said. “We’re starting to see the open person more, and we were able to force them out of their press. We’re getting better at being able to find open spaces..
“I can’t fault the effort,” she continued. “Emery was a warrior. Kyra did a good job. Lexie (Long) did a great job of taking care of the ball.”
Moore led the way with 11 points, followed by Piazza with five and Driskel with four. Long scored three. Lohman, Endicott and Haar had two each.
Brittney Diehm led Prairie View with 12 points, followed by Griffin with 11 and Emily Feldman with 10.
Prairie View won the junior varsity contest 37-18. Shelby Reno led Iola with five points, followed by Cassie Delich, Olivia Bannister, Ashlie Shields, Haar, Taelyn Sutterby and McKaylie Cleaver with two apiece and Taylor Sell with one.
In C team action, Iola lost 39-25 in a three-quarter game. Shields led Iola with nine points, followed by Sell with six, Bannister with four, Cleaver with three and Sutterby with two.
Iola returns home Friday to host Wellsville for senior night.
Iola (6-4-9-10—29)
Prairie View (7-10-14-9—40)
Iola (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Long 0/1-0-3-3, Moore 1/3-0-2-11, Piazza 0/1-2-3-5, Lohman 1-0-0-2, Endicott 1-0-5-2, Haar 1-0-0-2, Platt 0-0-2-0, Driskel 2-0-3-4. TOTALS: 6/5-2-18-29.
Prairie View (FG-FT-F-TP): Max. Griffin 1-0-1-2, Mad. Griffin 4-3-3-11, Maltbie 0-1-2-1, Randall 1-0-2-2, Diehm 5-2-1-12, Feldman 3-4-0-10, Waterman 1-0-2-2. TOTALS: 15-10-11-40.