CARBONDALE — Iola High’s girls opened 2026 on a blistering pace, roaring to a 14-2 lead over host Santa Fe Trail Tuesday.
But the Mustang offense stalled from there as the Chargers seized momentum with a late first-half run.
A banked-in 3-pointer to cap the first half, and another trey to start the second gave Santa Fe Trail the lead for good.
Iola, meanwhile, was held to a pair of field goals across the third and fourth quarters in what became 51-34 defeat.
The loss drops Iola to 2-6 on the season, with a special home game against Osawatomie set for Friday. Iola’s 2006 girls state basketball champions will be inducted into the Don Bain Hall of Fame during Friday’s activities.
Former head coach Becky Carlson and essentially the entire roster will be on hand.
They’re certain to offer words of encouragement for the rebuilding 2025-26 squad, which blasted out of the gates with a pair of field goals from juniors Zoie Hesse and a pair of 3-pointers from Brooklyn Holloway.
Freshman Haidyn Desmarteau’s steal and layup pushed the lead to 14-2.
Santa Fe Trail responded with a 9-0 run to cut the gap to three, before Iola’s Cameron Wille, another freshman, scored six of the team’s next eight points as Iola stretched its lead to 23-15 late in the period.
But Santa Fe Trail’s Camee Whitaker banked in a 3 from a step inside the half court line to cut Iola’s lead to 23-21.
Addalyn Sleichter then connected on a long trey to start the second half, pushing the Chargers in front.
Hesse and Wille both scored later in the period for IHS, but Wille’s putback was Iola’s final field goal.
Santa Fe Trail took control from there with a 15-0 run.
Wille and Hesse shared scoring honors for the Mustangs with 10 points each. Holloway followed with seven and Desmarteau had six. Breighlynn Rutherford added a free throw.
In addition to Friday’s Hall of Fame ceremony, the 2006 champs will dine with the current IHS squad for lunch Friday. They’ll also be at a pep rally at the end of the school day.
