Fillies win foul-fest at Columbus

COLUMBUS — Finding a way to win on the road in the Southeast Kansas League is never easy. Iola High’s Fillies did just that Tuesday night.
The Fillies spoiled senior night for Columbus High’s Lady Titans. It came down to the wire as the Fillies pulled out a 57-55 victory. That is a season-high in scoring for Iola.
Kelsey Larson sank one of two free throws with 16 seconds left to give Iola a 56-54 lead. Kate Overman was fouled on a drive inside with 6.6 seconds.
Overman could tie the game up for Columbus but missed the first free throw attempt. She hit the second. Columbus put Larson back on the line with  three seconds left. She sank one of two for the final margin.
It was a game filled with free throws and fouls. The teams combined for 47 fouls. The game was tied 11 times, nine coming in the first half.
The Lady Titans cashed in 18 of 34 free throw attempts. The Fillies downed 12 of 23 foul shots.
“We didn’t adjust to the officiating. We weren’t moving our feet, especially playing man-to-man and we were reaching,” said Becky Carlson, Fillies’ head coach.
“Columbus played very aggressively and played well. It took us a long time to get going.”
Junior Kendra Taiclet powered the Fillies early, scoring 16 of her career-high 26 points in the first half. She hit two three-pointers in the first quarter to keep pace with the Lady Titans.
Iola came back from a 5-2 deficit to lead 12-8 then Reagan Soper nailed a trey for Columbus. Iola held a 12-11 margin at the end of the period.
Maeleigh Soper ripped a three to put Columbus 14-12 as fouls piled up for the Fillies. By halftime, three Iola starters — Kayla Callahan, Kirstin McGuffin and Maggie Wilson — were saddled with three fouls.
Taiclet scored five straight points to give Iola back the lead 17-14. Columbus pushed back with a four-point run.
Lauren Toney came off the bench to drill a three-pointer for the Fillies. Taiclet sank a free throw for a 21-18 lead.
Overman netted her second trey of the half to tie the game again. Iola fell behind by three but Toni Taylor connected from outside the arc for  a 26-26 tie.
Columbus was ahead 28-26 when Larson stole the basketball. She scored and was fouled but missed the free throw. It seemed appropriate because it left the teams tied, 28-all, at halftime.
In a back-and-forth third quarter, Larson paced the Fillies with seven points. Taiclet  and McGuffin each had a basket. Larson’s trey put Iola up 40-38.
Back came the Lady Titans and on the 10th three-pointer of the game — five for each team — R. Soper put her team up 42-40.
Then something unusual happened.
With 26 seconds on the clock in the third quarter, Carlson was assessed a technical foul. Overman made one of two free throws  then Jordan Ivey scored. Columbus led 45-40 heading into the fourth quarter.
Taiclet opened the final eight minutes with a basket. Then it happened again.
Carlson received her second technical of the game and had to leave the game.
Following the contest, Carlson said she had never been ejected from a game in her 26-year coaching career. She’s has only one technical in the six years as Fillies’ head coach.
This time Overman missed both free throws with just under seven minutes left in the game.
Callahan, who hadn’t been much of a factor because of early  foul trouble, scored.  Then Taiclet converted a steal to put Iola up 46-45.
Overman and Taiclet traded a pair of foul shots. Sitting on a one-point lead, Iola forced a turnover. Taylor scored for the Fillies with about three minutes left.
“We made enough free throws at the end to win the game,” said Mark Percy, IHS assistant coach. “The girls did an excellent job after Becky left and played well defensively.”
Callahan had a basket to counter free throws by the Lady Titans. She also joined Taiclet and Larson in hitting foul shots in the final minute and a half.
“The girls came around and played well down the stretch,” Carlson said. “We got good play and good points off the bench. Lauren and Toni each hit big threes in the first half for us.
 “Kendra had a great game. We had people step up and we found a way to win this one.”
The victory evened up the Fillies’ record — 2-2 in SEK play and 8-8 overall. They host Pittsburg for homecoming Friday.
Then Iola finishes with three games next week. It is at home Monday with Chanute and Tuesday with Labette County. The Fillies go to Independence Feb. 24.
Iola shot 39 percent, 20 of 51, from the field while Columbus hit at a 42-percent clip, 16 of 38.
Taiclet had seven rebounds and two steals for the Fillies along with 26 points. Larson finished with 12 points and five steals.
Columbus got 15 points from Overman.
Columbus won the junior varsity game 52-30. Libby Shay had eight points for Iola.
Iola (12-16-12-17—57) (FG/3-pt): Larson 3/1-3-3-12, Taiclet 6/2-8-3-26, Toney 0/1-0-0-3, Taylor 1/1-0-1-5, Wilson 1-0-5-2, Callahan 3-1-5-7, Mulsow 0-0-3-0, McGuffin 1-0-5-2. TOTALS: 15/5-12-25-57.
Columbus (11-17-17-10—55) (FG/3-pt): M. Soper 0/1-3-2-6, Vanatta 0-1-1-1, R. Soper 0/2-1-1-7, Hamilton 3-2-3-8, Ivey 2-5-1-9, Overman 2/2-5-4-15, Jones 1-0-4-2, Roberts 3-1-3-7, Evans 0-0-2-0, Froebe 0-0-1-0. TOTALS: 11/5-18-22-55.