Playing close the entire game, Iola High’s Mustangs came up short in the final minutes on Thursday night, losing to Santa Fe Trail 67-58. THE JV MUSTANGS won 48-38. Joey Zimmerman led the team with 14 points, Isaiah Fawson followed with 12. Braden Plumlee scored eight points. Ben Cooper and Brice Aiello each scored four points. Mason Ingle added three points, Ethan Holloway scored two and Chase Regehr made a free throw. THE FRESHMEN Mustangs won 58-38. Caden Knavel and Ethan Tavarez each scored 11 points. Evan Sigg followed with 10 points and Matt Komma added nine. Isaac Vink scored seven points and Zach Cokely had six. Cale Barnhart scored two points. Santa Fe Trail 67, Iola 58
“We did a lot of things well. From an offensive standpoint, it was one of the better games we’ve had,” coach Bill Peeper said. “We were right at 50 percent from the field, which for us is a pretty spectacular shooting night. We weren’t great at the line, we were only about 50 percent there. When it came down to it, we didn’t get the stops we needed.”
The game started with a scoring blitzkrieg from each team. Kohl Endicott hit a 3-pointer with 5:25 left in the first quarter to give Iola a 7-5 lead. After a 5-0 Chargers run, Kaden Macha answered for Iola. He scored on two straight possessions — a turnaround and mid-range jumper — to get the 11-10 lead.
Tied at 13-13 in the final seconds. Shane Walden launched a pass to Macha from halfcourt, who turned and drove to the hoop to get the basket and the foul. Macha didn’t convert the free throw, but did give Iola a 15-13 lead after the first quarter.
With the score tied at 20-20 with 6:15 to play in the second, Iola went on a 5-0 run. Macha hit a deep jumper from the top of the key, Walden got a steal and passed the ball to an open Endicott for the easy layup and Peterson hit a free throw.
But, with every scoring run by the Mustangs, the Chargers were quick to answer. They went on an 8-0 run, led by Weston Gloss who earned a traditional three points to start it off. Gloss was one of the biggest differences in the game. He scored 25 points.
When Iola beat Santa Fe Trail the last time they played, Gloss sat out and Iola won by more than 20 points.
“He’s a good player. Last year he put it on us and the first game this year I think he had 28 points,” Peeper said. “He’s a really good player and makes a big difference for them. He’s just a scrappy dude, he finds a way to get involved in everything. He’s good on the glass, can shoot and is good at getting to the hoop. He puts you in a bind.”
The Mustangs trailed 35-29 at halftime.
“For those 50-50 balls that are up for grabs, it seems like it’s 80-20 — they get them 80 percent and we get them the other 20. For whatever reason, we just don’t have that little extra that earns those,” Peeper said. “Down the stretch tonight, we did. We got several loose balls and it made a difference. It got us back in the game and gave us a shot.”
Skipping ahead to the fourth quarter, Iola trailed 53-42 with 7:50 left to play. The Mustangs went on a 12-2 run to put the game at 55-54 in favor of Santa Fe Trail.
Endicott hit a 3-pointer and had five points during the run. Macha scored five points as well. Adam Peterson hit two free throws.
Free throws and a weird ended up doing the Mustangs in during the final minutes.
With 3:50 left to play, Santa Fe’s Cody Vandevord hit a 3-pointer. However, the ball hit the top of the backboard and miraculously bounced into the hoop. The top of the backboard is not out-of-play, only the structure holding the basket is. The shot gave the Chargers a 58-54 lead.
Down the stretch, Gloss hit 7-8 free throws to help the Chargers win 67-58.
There were some calls that didn’t go the Mustangs’ way down the stretch. On a rebound, the ball bounced in the air out of play, but Walden appeared to save the ball before it hit any part of out of bounds. A referee called it out of bounds. Also, a referee called Brett Taylor for a blocking foul. It should have been a push-off by Santa Fe Trail.
Regardless of the calls, it was a well played game by the Mustangs.
“Shane Walden keeps getting better and better. If he wasn’t injured last season and got to play, it would have made all the difference in the world,” Peeper said. “I’m proud of the progress he’s made. I thought Peterson had a great game, he attacked the basket and had a double-double. Kohl Endicott hit several nice shots and was pretty aggressive. Games like tonight when we have guys in addition to Kaden step up and produce, it certainly helps our chances when we have guys play all the way around. We still have to play defense though.”
The Mustangs (4-18) host Girard (18-2) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., for the first game of Sub-State. Iola lost to them in the first game of the season 60-44.
“I thought we played them really well, I haven’t seen them since in person,” Peeper said. “I know they’re getting better, they’ve only lost two. They’re 18-2 now. That’s a good year by anybody’s standards. Knowing that game will be at home certainly makes you feel a little better about yourself. It’s nice not to think about traveling especially on school nights. We have one more chance to leave an impression.”
Santa Fe Trail (13-22-16-16—67) (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Watkins 1-0-3-2, Gloss 4/1-14-2-25, Coltrane 1/4-0-0-14, Vandervord 5/1-4-4-17, Hasting 2-0-2-4, Boyd 1-3-2-5
Iola (15-14-13-16—58) (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Cooper 0-0-1-0, Endicott 4/2-4-14, Taylor 0-0-5-0, Hermstein 0/1-0-0-3, Walden 4-0-3-8, Bauer 1-0-1-2, Macha 8-2-4-18, Holloway 1-0-2-2, Peterson 4-3-2-11
Mustangs foiled by Chargers in season finale 68-57
