A decisive 14-0 run late in the fourth quarter led to a 49-37 homecoming win over Wellsville for Iola High’s Fillies Friday. THE JUNIOR varsity Fillies won 35-24. Colbi Riley led the team with 11 points. Della Lohman followed with seven points and Riley Murray scored six. Taelyn Sutterby added five points. Taylor Sell, Toni Macha and Jayden Sigg scored two each. THE FRESHMEN girls won 13-10. Riley led the team with six points. Karly McGuffin followed with four and Katie Bauer added three. Iola 49, Wellsville 37
“We just needed to settle down. Once we settle down, we’re all right,” coach Becky Carlson said. “We didn’t get where we were supposed to be on defense. We were just out of control. Once we calmed down, we played well.”
Trailing 32-27 with 6:30 left in the game, the Fillies made their move. Over a two-minute period, Toni Macha hit 3-4 free throws to cut Iola’s deficit to 32-30. Emery Driskel stole the ball on the ensuing inbound and tossed the ball to a wide-open Sydney Wade for an easy layup to tie the game.
Mikaela Platt gave Iola its first lead since the first quarter with a 3-pointer. On the next possession Wade made the front end of a one-and-one. She missed the second free throw, but grabbed the rebound, which led to Lexie Long hitting a 3-pointer. Wade then scored on a steal and breakaway layup.
After each team failed to score for a couple possessions, Driskel ended the drought with a putback basket while being fouled. She didn’t make the free throw, but Iola led 43-32 with 1:30 left.
Wellsville didn’t go away, answering with their own quick run. Wellsville’s Brianna Erhart made a pair of free throws and Emily Newhouse connected with a 3-pointer. Iola led 43-37 with 1:07 left.
That’s when the Eagles resorted to fouling to try and extend the game. Fortunately, the Fillies responded by going 6 of 8 from the line in the final minute. Wade went 4-for-4, while Emma Piazza made both of her free attempts.
Before Iola’s decisive run, Ashlie Shields may have helped spark the team. With 6:30 left in the game, Shields was called for a technical foul. After catching the inbound pass, two Eagles’ defenders appeared to play very physical defense and the refs blew the whistle.
But, they called Shields for traveling, which drew howls of protest from the hometown crowd. Shields spiked the ball in frustration and was given a technical foul. After that, the Fillies went on the 14-0 run to take the lead.
Before the run, Iola only led once during the game. Trailing 8-4 in the first quarter, Wade scored a 3-pointer. On Iola’s next possession, Wade was fouled and hit both of her free throws to take a 9-8 lead with three minutes left in the quarter.
Wellsville responded with two 3-pointers to end the quarter and took the lead all the way to the fourth quarter.
Iola outscored the Eagles 24-8 in the fourth quarter. Wade led the team with 16 points, scoring nine in the fourth quarter. Coming off the bench, Toni Macha scored all nine of her points in the second half. Iola got contributions from everyone in the win.
Carlson was happy with everyone’s play on Friday. She noted the key 3-pointers that Long and Platt scored, as well as Driskel’s putback.
The Fillies (6-3) take on Labette County Tuesday to start the Burlington Invitational.
Iola (9-7-9-24) (3PT/FG-FT-F-TP): Wade 1/3-7-3-16, Long 1/1-0-1-5, Piazza 1/0-2-2-5, Shields 0-0-1-0, Haar 1-5-1-7, Platt 1/0-0-1-3, Driskel 2-0-2-4, Macha 2-5-5-9
Wellsville (14-7-8-8—37) (3PT/FG-FT-F-TP): McDaniel 0-0-3-0, Erhart 1/1-4-1-9, Geist 5-2-3-12, Newhouse 1/0-0-2-3, Dwyer 1/0-0-1-3, Patton 2-0-0-4-4, Sparks 1-0-4-2, Stringfield 2-0-5-4
Late surge lifts Fillies
