For two glorious minutes, Iola High’s girls were ringing in 2013 like gangbusters. THE TROJAN junior varsity squad emerged with a 35-29 win.
The Fillies were hitting from inside and outside, zipping out to a quick 7-0 lead over the visiting Osawatomie High Trojans.
Alas, Osawatomie gathered its senses — thanks in no small part to senior standout Tayler Soucie — and quickly gained control.
The Trojans scored 13 straight points to take the lead. Then after Iola closed the gap to two points late in the half, Osawatomie took control with another eight-point run to lead 21-11.
The Trojans never looked back in a 50-30 win.
The loss keeps Iola winless during the 2012-13 season, but again leaves coach Becky Carlson encouraged about her team’s progress.
“We’re definitely stepping forward,” Carlson said. “We were more aggressive to the ball tonight.”
Still, Iola had no answer for the 6-foot Soucie, who played her first game of the season Friday. The Kansas University volleyball signee had declined to play basketball until reconsidering over the Christmas break.
“I thought we did a good job of stopping her from getting the ball,” Carlson said. “But we couldn’t stop her from getting rebounds and second-chance baskets. That’s what killed us tonight.”
The Fillies were hot early. Jo Lohman drained a 3-pointer, followed 30 seconds later by a steal and layup by Emma Piazza. Emery Driskel scored inside moments later to give Iola a 7-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the game.
The lead was at 7-3 when Soucie scored six straight points for the Trojans to give Osawatomie the lead for good at 9-7.
Iola’s Hannah Endicott and Driskel scored on consecutive baskets midway through the second quarter to cut the Trojan lead to 13-11.
Soucie followed with two more buckets to help push the lead back to 19-11 at intermission.
Iola’s offense began to click after halftime.
Hannah Endicott scored twice, Reagan Ford drained a 3-pointer for the Fillies and Lohman’s bucket with 1:26 left in the period closed Iola’s scoring.
Problem was, Osawatomie’s offense was hitting on all cylinders by that point. The Trojans scored 17 points in the quarter, and 14 points in the final eight minutes.
The Trojans led 44-20 before Kyra Moore and Libby Shay got into the act for Iola, each scoring four points in a two-minute span.
Endicott’s bucket with two minutes left gave her a team-high eight points for the Fillies to go with three rebounds. Lohman had five points, while Shay and Moore had four each. Piazza and Driskel each had two steals.
Soucie wound up with 20 points for the Trojans, the only player on either team to score in double figures.
Shelby Reno and Driskel scored six points each to lead Iola. Cassie Delich and Mikaela Platt had four points apiece. Piazza had three points, while Paige Miller scored two, as did Moore. Emma Sigg and Lohman each had a point.
Iola’s C team won 21-17. Ashlie Shields scored six points. Taylor Sell had five and Platt had four. Taelyn Sutterby, Taylor Heslop and Delich scored two each.
Iola (0-7) returns to action Tuesday on the road at Central Heights.
Osawatomie (11-8-17-14—50)
Iola (7-4-9-10—30)
Osawatomie (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Wright 2-0-1-4, Klein 2-0-2-4, Guilfoyle 2/1-0-2-7, Soucie 9-2-2-20, Fenoughty 1-5-1-7, Kilbourn 1-0-4-2, McReynolds 2-2-1-6. TOTALS: 19/1-9-13-50.
Iola (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Moore 2-0-1-4, Piazza 1-0-1-2, Lohman 1/1-0-1-5, Shay 1-2-3-4, Ford 0/1-0-1-3, Endicott 4-0-3-8,m Platt 0-0-2-0, Driskel 1-0-3-2, Sigg 1-0-0-2. TOTALS: 11/2-2-15-30.
Trojans down Iola
