Haven’t we met before?

PRATT — Iola will see some familiar faces at the AA American Legion State Baseball Tournament this week.
As one of five teams to make it to state in both 2012 and 2013, the Post 15 Indians will open the tournament Wednesday afternoon against Hays TMP.
Sound familiar?
It should. Iola defeated the Monarchs 6-2 to win the 2012 state title.
Other 2013 qualifying squads also making it to the state last year are Ellis, Sabetha and host Pratt.
The defending state champion Indians carry the same record (37-3) they held going into the 2012 tournament, even after replacing half of their starters, and much of their pitching staff.
Iola has a number of reasons for optimism, head coach Roland Weir said, not the least of which is experience.
With several holdovers from last year’s state title team, even more of this year’s Indians club is comprised of players fresh off Iola High’s Class 4A state runner-up campaign, with one notable addition.
In fact, three Indian players, Levi Ashmore, Mason Coons and Jarred Latta, are starters on three stright state qualifing American Legion teams.
Each of the squad’s 11 players has a solid grasp of baseball fundamentals, Weir said. While not immune to an occasional fielding error, mental miscues are few and far between for Iola’s nine.
Secondly, the team has quite a competitive streak.
After falling to Fort Scott in the KABA League Tournament to end the regular season, Iola’s focus headed into last week’s rematch was one to behold. The Indians scored four runs before the first out was recorded in a 29-5 whitewash of Fort Scott in the Zone 3 championship.
“We have 11 guys who all want to play,” Weir said. “They all bring something different to the table, and they all know they have different things they need to work on.
“They’re an easy team to coach.”
The proverbial cherry on top is the Indian pitching staff.
Iola’s four front-line starters, Trent Latta, Mason Coons, Nathan Whitcomb and Aaron Barclay, have combined to go 26-2, while allowing only 104 hits in nearly 150 innings with 194 strikeouts. Their cumulative ERA: 1.73.
Latta, Coons and Barclay were starters for the Mustangs in high school. Whitcomb, meanwhile, was a standout for Humboldt High’s two-time state qualifying team.
“Getting Nathan on board really solidified our pitching staff,” Weir said. “When we’re hitting like we’re capable of,  with our pitching staff, we can be tough to beat.”
Jarred Latta, one of three Indian players to have made it to three straight state tournaments, summed it up nicely: “We have three pitchers who could be the best pitcher our opponents have seen all season.”

IOLA TAKES on Hays TMP (18-13) at about 3 p.m. Wednesday at Pratt’s Green Sports Complex. If the Indians win, they’ll play again Thursday afternoon against either Condordia or Wellington. If they lose, they’ll play the early game Thursday, also against either Concordia or Wellington, in the double-elimination tournament.
In other action Wednesday, Concordia plays Wellington at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Ellis plays Westmoreland-Rock Creek at 6:30, and host Pratt takes on Sabetha at about 8:30.
Times for later round games have not been announced.