SHAWNEE MISSION — It was going to be an uphill battle from the start.
After a late flurry propelled Iola High into the Class 4A playoffs — the Mustangs won four of their last five in the regular season to clinch the 15th seed — the reward was a trip to defending state champion Bishop Miege.
And while Miege is missing a couple of significant contributors from last year’s juggernaut, several others remain.
“They’re defending state champions for a reason,” Iola head coach Luke Bycroft said. “They’re good, long and athletic.”
And fast.
The hometown Stags forced 22 Iola turnovers, and led from the start in an 80-42 victory.
The loss, in the Class 4A Substate Semifinal, ends Iola’s season at 6-15.
“We just couldn’t stop their transition,” Bycroft said. “We turned it over too many times, and that let them get out and run.”
While the game was decided early — Miege blitzed its way to leads of 23-9 after one quarter and 44-21 at the break — Bycroft lauded his team’s effort to the final whistle.
“I was proud of the boys, and the way they fought,” he said. “They were still trying to get to the ball late. They fought hard and competed. That’s all we can ask of them.”
Seniors Sam Fager and Tyler Boeken gave Iola its early offense, scoring five and four, respectively, in the first quarter.
Junior Eli Adams and freshman Cortland Carson picked up the baton in the second period. Adams hit the Mustangs’ only 3-pointer of the game in the second period, scoring five, while Cortland Carson hit a pair of buckets.
But by then, Miege had things well in hand.
The Stags’ Christian Bowen-Webb and Kellan Boylan each scored 11 in the first half before Miege put the game away with a 24-11 third-quarter spurt to trigger a running clock down the stretch.
And it wasn’t all transition buckets. Miege drilled seven 3-pointers and was a scintillating 23 of 28 from the line.
Fager led Iola’s scoring attack with 10 points, while Boeken and Adams added eight apiece.
