There wasn’t much to be surprised by with the All-Pioneer League basketball selections for the Iola High Fillies.
Forward Toni Macha earned a first-team nod after she led the Fillies in both points and rebounds during her junior campaign.
It is Macha’s first-time being an All-Pioneer honoree and the versatile scorer certainly earned it as she tormented opposing defenses all season with her relentless rebounding and ability to pick up key buckets for her squad.
“She’s just intense, every moment that she is on the court, whether it is in practice or in games,” Iola coach Becky Carlson said. “It just shows how well she plays. Her determination is amazing to me.”
Macha’s classmate and point guard Sydney Wade narrowly missed out on joining Macha on the first team. She was selected to the second-team.
Carlson was happy Wade earned that distinction despite missing three weeks near the end of the season with a high-ankle sprain.
“You can tell when Sydney plays that she is certainly the leader of our team. The girls look at her with a lot of trust and the coaches in the league look at her with a lot of respect,” Carlson said. “For someone who missed that many games and is only a junior, that is a big deal.”
Wade returned just prior to the playoffs and was able to drive her team within one late basket of qualifying for the state tournament.
The most exciting thing for Fillies’ fans is that both honorees have eligibility left and will return next season to lead a team that will not only feature them, but also include future seniors Riley Murry, Della Lohman and Jadyn Sigg along with junior-to-be Colbi Riley.
“The taste in our mouth after Burlington is not good,” Carlson said of her team after the narrow defeat to Burlington in the substate final. “All they want is to get better for next year, so I am really excited about the potential for next year.”
Carlson would have liked to have seen her two senior starters from this year’s Fillies honored as well, but that certainly doesn’t diminish the impact that Ashlie Shields and Mikaela Platt had.
“It is really hard because they ony pick (so many),” Carlson said. “I would have liked to see Mikaela and Ashlie get some honors.”
THE MUSTANGS also look forward to a bright future as both of their All-Pioneer honorees were also non-seniors.
Junior Isaiah Fawson and sophomore Ethan Holloway each were named to the conference’s second team.
With four of their five starters and all of their bench players returning from a year ago, the Mustangs look to take a big step forward next season.
HUMBOLDT AND YATES Center also saw their boys’ basketball players honored with All-Tri-Valley League selections.
