GARNETT — For everything that went right for Iola High’s girls in the third quarter, the opposite held true in the fourth.
The Fillies had utilized a stifling defense and attacking offense to forge ahead by 8, 35-27.
But host Anderson County turned the tables as the fourth quarter started, putting together a 13-2 run.
The Lady Bulldogs’ Emily Fritz converted a 3-point play with 3:43 left in the game to take the lead for good, 40-37.
Iola misfired on a handful of scoring opportunities down the stretch to fall 49-42.
The loss drops the Fillies to 2-5
“We were so focused on No. 23, and then No. 11 really took over the game,” Fillies head coach Becky Carlson said. “We needed to help out on her and we just didn’t get it done.”
No. 23 is Anderson County senior standout Paige Scheckel, who started Anderson County’s pivotal run with a pair of driving layups at the onset of the fourth quarter, the second of which pulled the Lady Bulldogs to within 35-33.
Ashlie Shields knocked down a baseline jumper to push the Fillies back on top, 37-33.
Anderson County responded with a 7-0 run, capped by Fritz’s 3-point play.
Toni Macha scored on a putback with 3:20 left to pull Iola to within 40-39, but the Fillies saw a pair of 3-point attempts rim out on their next two possessions. Fritz hit a free throw and an inside basket on Anderson County’s subsequent possessions to push the lead to 43-39.
Two inside misses and a turnover ended the Fillies next two possessions.
Shields drilled a 3-pointer with just under a minute left, but by then, Anderson County led 46-42.
Wade came up just short on a 3-point attempt that would have cut the deficit to 2 with about 20 seconds left.
“We’ll get better,” Carlson said. “We know what to expect now. We’ll come back. Sydney did a good job. Mikaela (Platt) played well at times.”
Macha, who exited the game briefly with an ankle injury in the first half, came back to make plays inside, Carlson aid. “And Colbi Riley came in and did a good job off the bench.”
Wade’s 3-point play late in the first quarter gave Iola a 10-9 advantage. The Fillies mustered only a single field goal in the second quarter as Anderson County took a 22-19 lead into the break.
Macha hit a free throw midway through the third quarter to knot the score, 24-24. Her driving basket minutes later pushed Iola ahead, 26-24. Wade converted another 3-point play to lead, 29-24.
Riley hit a pair of free throws and a long jumper to cap Iola’s 16-5 run.
Wade wound up with 12 points to lead the way. Shields scored 8, Macha 7 and Riley 6.
Fritz wound up with 16 points to lead Anderson County. Scheckel added 10.
Iola (10-9-16-7—42) (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Wade 3/1-3-4-12, Riley 1-4-0-6, Bannister 0-1-1-1, Shields 2/1-1-4-8, Lohman 0-2-2-2, Sell 0-0-1-0, Platt 1-2-5-4, Macha 3-1-3-7. TOTALS: 11/2-14-22-42.
Anderson Co. (9-13-7-20) (FG-FT-F-TP): Pedrow 2-1-4-5, Rockers 0-2-3-2, Madison Ratliff 1-0-1-2, S. Scheckel 1-2-1-4, Fritz 6-4-3-16, Maycee Ratliff 0-2-1-2, P. Scheckel 4-2-2-10, Lickteig 2-4-3-8. TOTALS: 16-17-17-49.
Fillies’ 4th quarter woes end in defeat
