Wins have been few and far between for the Iola-Scandinavia girls’ basketball team lately.

So far this season, the Thunderbirds are one for one after opening the season Nov. 26 with a 38-33 nonconference win over Port Edwards.

The T-Birds trailed 7-6 after one quarter, but outscored the Blackhawks 17-7 over the next eight minutes to take a 23-14 halftime lead.

“It was an interesting game,” coach Mark Wester said. “We couldn’t get anything to go in the first quarter with missed shots and missed free throws. We bounced back nicely in the second quarter. We got into a flow, hit some shots and got some steals.”

The Blackhawks’ 1-3-1 zone defense shut down the T-Birds offensively in the third quarter, as I-S didn’t make a basket and was held to a single free throw. That allowed Port Edwards to get back into the game and the teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 24-24.

“Their 1-3-1 zone slowed us down a little and everything kind of snowballed,” Wester said. “It was a good opportunity to see how we’d respond to that. We needed to make some plays at the end and made just enough free throws.”

The T-Birds outscored the Blackhawks 14-9 in the fourth quarter.

Brooke Phillips led I-S with a game-high 15 points, while Jane Oligney added six.

Phillips and Kylie Johnson started for Wester last season as freshmen and are two of the most experienced players on a team that doesn’t have a senior on its roster.

“What would be our senior class disappeared after their JV season,” Wester said. “It’s nice to be able to turn to a senior who’s experienced lots of different things. Our kids haven’t experienced those things, but everybody can be a leader no matter what grade level they’re at.”

The T-Birds compete in the Central Wisconsin 8 Conference, which Wester expects to come down to Wittenberg-Birnamwood, Amherst and Weyauwega-Fremont.

“Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s going to be very strong, Amherst’s going to be solid and there’s Weyauwega-Fremont,” he said. “All three of those teams are going to be very good. Bonduel lost four seniors, but they have one of the best players in the conference who was a freshman last year in Jenny Dowden. Hopefully, we can give those teams a run for their money. When you look at ourselves, (Stevens Point) Pacelli, Manawa and Shiocton, it’s who can get things down a little better.”

The T-Birds will host Wild Rose at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, in another nonconference matchup before opening CWC-8 play Friday, Dec. 7, at Pacelli.

Iola-Scandinavia

Girls’ Basketball

2012-13 Schedule

Varsity

Friday, Nov. 16 – scrimmage at Almond-Bancroft, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 20 – at Stratford (canceled).

Monday, Nov. 26 – vs. Port Edwards, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 30 – vs. Wild Rose, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 7 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 – vs. Shiocton, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 14 – at Amherst, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 18 – vs. Wisconsin Valley Lutheran (Rock the Gym), 6 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 20 – at Marion (Rock the Gym), 4:50 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 27 – at Tigerton (Rock the Gym), 4 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 4 – vs. Manawa, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 8 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 10 – vs. Bonduel, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 15 – vs. Auburndale, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 18 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 22 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 25 – at Shiocton, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29 – at Rosholt (Rock the Gym), 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 1 – vs. Amherst, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 – at Manawa, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 15 – at Bonduel, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 21 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7:30 p.m.

Junior Varsity

Friday, Nov. 16 – scrimmage at Almond-Bancroft, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 20 – at Stratford (canceled).

Monday, Nov. 26 – vs. Port Edwards, 6 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 30 – vs. Wild Rose, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 7 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 – vs. Shiocton, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 14 – at Amherst, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 18 – vs. Wisconsin Valley Lutheran (Rock the Gym), 6 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 20 – at Marion (Rock the Gym), 4:50 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 27 – at Tigerton (Rock the Gym), 4 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 4 – vs. Manawa, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 8 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 10 – vs. Bonduel, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 15 – vs. Auburndale, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 18 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 22 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 25 – at Shiocton, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29 – at Rosholt (Rock the Gym), 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 1 – vs. Amherst, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 – at Manawa, 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 15 – at Bonduel, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 21 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 6 p.m.

Middle School

Monday, Jan. 7 – vs. Manawa, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 10 – at Port Edwards, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 14 – vs. Almond-Bancroft, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 17 – vs. St. Peter’s, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 21 – at Rosholt, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 24 – vs. Wild Rose, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 28 – at Plainfield Tri-County, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 31 – vs. Amherst, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 4 – vs. Port Edwards, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 5 – at Manawa, 4 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 7 – at Almond-Bancroft, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 11 – at St. Peter’s, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 15 – vs. Rosholt, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 18 – at Wild Rose, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 21 – vs. Plainfield Tri-County, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 25 – at Amherst, 5:30 p.m.