INDEPENDENCE — Playing for second place in the Southeast Kansas League, Iola High’s Fillies put a five-game win streak on the line against another “hot” team — Independence High’s Lady Bulldogs, winners of six in a row.
The Lady Bulldogs made their senior night and their final regular season game at historic Losey Gymnasium a memorable one. The Bulldogs drilled four first-quarter three-pointers to take the lead and never relinquished it.
Iola dropped its regular season finale, 50-34, Thursday. The Fillies finished 5-3 in SEK play, tied for third with Chanute, and 11-9 overall.
The Lady Bulldogs posted a 6-2 SEK mark and improved to 13-7. Independence closed out regular season play at Losey Gym, which is at the Independence Middle School. The Independence High teams move into a new gym at the high school next year.
Games have been played at Losey for 72 years. The Lady Bulldogs do have one more game in Losey when they host a 4A substate game next week.
The game’s turning point came with just over three minutes left in the third quarter. Seniors Kirstin McGuffin and Kayla Callahan had just scored to make it 32-31.
Down by one, Iola forced a turnover by the Lady Bulldogs. The Fillies had a chance to take the lead but didn’t get a shot to fall.
The Lady Bulldogs finished the third quarter on a 5-0 run, then scored the first five points of the fourth quarter. Iola scored only three points in the final 11 minutes of the contest.
“We just have to shake this off and get ready for substate,” said Becky Carlson, Fillies’ head coach. “Turnovers were key in the game but more than that we just ran out of gas.”
The Fillies host Fort Scott in a Kansas Class 4A Substate Tournament first-round game Tuesday. Tipoff is 7 p.m. in the IHS gym.
Carlson said the Fillies played hard but playing three games in four days took its toll on “our legs.”
The Lady Bulldogs finished with seven threes on the night. They outscored the Fillies 18-3 over the last 11 minutes.
Independence led 18-14 at the end of the first quarter. Fans saw six threes hit in the first period.
Kendra Taiclet hit back-to-back treys for Iola to put the Fillies up 6-4. Kelby McGrath did the same for Independence to put her team up 10-6
Callahan and senior Maggie Wilson scored baskets to tie the game at 10-10.
Kelsey Hignight nailed a three to open the second period. Iola got within one point several times in the game. The Fillies trailed 25-22 at halftime.
The Lady Bulldogs opened the third quarter with a three and pushed out to a 32-27 lead. The Fillies scored four straight but that was it.
“The girls played hard. It was frustrating because we couldn’t get shots to fall,” Carlson said.
Iola was 14 of 52, 27 percent, from the field. Independence shot 35 percent, 18 of 51. The Fillies sank 4 of 9 free throws as the Lady Bulldogs were 7 of 10.
Callahan paced the Fillies with 11 points and Taiclet had 10. Independence’s McGrath, who had four threes, scored 16 points.
Independence won the junior varsity and freshman games, 39-14 and 36-10, respectively. The Fillies’ junior varsity got four points each from Libby Shay and Kelsey Adams and Paige Miller led the Iola freshmen with four points.
Iola (14-8-9-3—34) (FG/3-pt): Larson 2-1-5-5, Taiclet 2/2-0-0-10, Taylor 1-0-1-2, Wilson 0-2-3-2, Callahan 5-1-5-11, Mulsow 0-0-1-0, McGuffin 2-0-1-4. TOTALS: 12/2-4-16-34.
Independence (18-10-12-10—50) FG/3-pt): McGrath 1/4-2-0-16, Steinle 1-1-3-3, Wilson 3-0-2-6, K. Hignight 1/2-0-0-8, Mundy 4-1-0-9, Flanigan 1-0-0-2, Vining 0-1-0-1, A. Hignight 0/1-0-2-3, Welch 0-2-0-2. TOTALS: 11/7-7-7-50.
Lady Bulldogs shoot over Fillies
