Iola-Scandinavia overpowers Manawa on the road

The Iola-Scandinavia Thunderbirds used strong shooting and a balanced offense to earn a 79-56 road win over Manawa on Dec. 16.

Iola made 58% of their shots and hit 10 three-pointers at a 50% rate, pulling away from Manawa as the game went on.

Senior RJ Opperman led all scorers with 23 points, shooting nine-of-15 from the field and three-of-six from beyond the arc. Korz Loken added a strong interior presence, finishing with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Jaric Thulien provided a major spark from deep, hitting four of five three-pointers on his way to 14 points.

Though his scoring was limited, Charlie Tappa made a significant impact across the board. The senior finished with seven assists, four steals, and two blocks, anchoring Thunderbird’s defensive effort and setting the tone with his all-around play.

Thunderbird’s struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting 41.8% from the field and just 30.8% from three-point range. Despite those struggles, they dominated the rebounding battle 38–28, led by Brayden Zielke, who posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Logan Zirbel, who recorded 16 points and nine rebounds to pace his team.

Turnovers and missed opportunities at the free-throw line further hurt Manawa, as they converted only 6-of-17 free throws and were unable to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.