PITTSBURG — Iola High’s Fillies and Mustangs were selected to finish seventh and eighth in their respective divisions of Southeast Kansas League basketball. The SEK coaches had their 2011-2012 basketball preseason polls released Monday after the annual media luncheon.
The media luncheon is sponsored by The Ticket — 99.1 ESPN Radio at Pittsburg.
The Parsons High boys and Labette County High girls were the top vote-getters in each of the polls. The Vikings return four starters from last year’s 20-4 squad, which made it to the Class 4A quarterfinals, and received seven first-place votes in the boys’ poll. The Grizzlies are the defending SEK girls’ champion (18-5) and got five of the possible eight first-place votes.
The Fillies were put in the seventh-place slot after going 5-3 in league last year and finishing 11-10 overall. Fort Scott was selected second followed by Independence, Parsons, Chanute and Pittsburg. Coffeyville was picked to finish eighth and Columbus ninth in the girls’ race.
After going 0-8 in league play and 1-20 overall a year ago, the Mustangs pulled the No. 8 spot in the poll with Columbus in ninth. Coffeyville was selected to finish second followed by Fort Scott, Independence, Pittsburg, Labette County and Chanute.
Iola’s teams open the basketball season Dec. 2 at home against Osawatomie, which is a member of the Pioneer League. This is the final year for the Fillies and Mustangs in the SEK. Iola moves to the Pioneer League next year.
Fillies, Mustangs are slotted low in SEK poll
