PHOTO: MATT SMITH
SHAYLEE MCKOWN SLAMS 17 KILLS TO GRAB MVP HONORS AS IOLA SLAMS CRAWFORD
BY CHUCK LICATA, GMSPORTSMEDIA INSIDER/CEO, BIG DADDY MEDIA
So much for the renewed “rivalry.”
Iola High School, coached by the legendary Jamie McDougald, took it to Crawford High School in every which way as the Lady Bulldogs swept the Lady Pirates for their second state title in three years.
Iola scored a 25-23, 25-16, 25-12 victory over Crawford, giving the Lady Bulldogs their fifth overall state title in 15 appearances at the UIL state tournament. Even more so, McPherson’s squad won the third straight state title matchup between the two teams.
The Lady Bulldogs won the first of the three in this “title series” back in 2023, the last year before the current Division I/Division I split. Crawford won last year’s championship matchup, the first-ever Class 2A, Division II title match.
This season, Iola (48-5) took it to Crawford (32-16) early and often.
“They were just amazing,” stated Jeff Coker, the Crawford head coach who has led the Lady Pirates to nine state tournament appearances since 2017. “Iola played a great game and was ‘on-point’ the entire match. Their offense was outstanding; they played their usual great defense as well.
“We had our hands full already going into the match; they were outstanding and we didn’t play as well.”
For the match, the Lady Bulldogs hit .215 (44 kills, 15 errors) while holding the Lady Pirates to .096 hitting (24 kills, 15 errors). In fact, the tell-tale sign for the match may have been Set 2, when Iola slammed 15 kills (on .205 hitting) and Crawford only tallied five kills (on .038 hitting). The Lady Bulldogs made four total blocks and also tallied six service aces to just one for Crawford.
“We knew they had some inexperience (Crawford has just one senior while rostering five sophomores and one freshman),” explained McPherson after the match. “They were a little short to our taller players (Iola has two players at 5-10; Crawford’s tallest player stands 5-9).
“Our offense was clicking tonight and things went very well. I’m so proud of these girls; they worked hard and played well.”
State title MVP Shaylee McKown, a senior, slammed 17 kills (.224 percentage) while adding one total block, seven kills and one assist. Junior Cami Hoyle tallied 10 kills and 12 digs for a double-double while adding an ace. Junior Shelbee McKown (sister to Shaylee) punched eight kills (at a .353 clip) and had one block.
Also hitting the tally sheet for Iola was senior Mckenzi Pruitt (four kills, one block and one assist), freshman Rylee Muchow (two kills, two digs and one block); senior Rylee Goodney (36 assists, seven digs and three kills); and senior Ava Bessette (11 digs, two assists and two aces).
Ending their careers with Crawford was senior Tatum Miller (team-high seven kills and one dig). She was joined on the scoring sheet by junior Camry Powers (six kills and seven digs); juniors Ella Connell (five kills and a team-high 17 digs) and Megan Ray (four kills and three digs); and sophomore Ainsley Anderson (a double-double with 20 assists and 12 digs along with one kill).
