Baldwin ? The Class 4A boys basketball sub-state championship game came down a final shot by Santa Fe Trail’s top scorer, Jake Carter.

The shot only drew iron, and the Chargers’ season ended after a 55-53 loss to Spring Hill.

“I couldn’t ask anything more of our kids in the way that they competed and played tonight,” Santa Fe Trail coach Jason Schaffer said. “We had the look that we wanted, but sometimes those kinds of things happen.”

Though Carter had a team-high 19 points, a game-high 17 rebounds and seven blocks, it was his shot from just inside the three-point arc with 1.2 seconds remaining that may stick with him.

“It’s a tough shot – I should have made it,” Carter said. “If that’s what it comes down to, I’ll take it.”

The runner-up trophy apparently wasn’t what the 6-foot-9 senior had expected to be holding after the game; Carter promptly handed it to a teammate after it was presented to him.

Baldwin High's Kelsey Verhaeghe (34) dribbles around an Iola defender. The Bulldogs hit just two field goals and lost, 56-21, Saturday in their sub-state championship at Baldwin.

“I’m at a loss for words – we were hoping,” Chargers’ senior Brian Shively said. “We figured we would have been ahead because we had height advantage … but I’m at a loss for words right now. It’s just bad.”

Iola 56, Baldwin girls 21

The Baldwin High girls did lead Iola in their championship game. Ellie Meinen scored the game’s first basket.

After that, the Bulldogs didn’t make a field goal until there was 24 seconds remaining – in the game. The rest of their points came on 16 of 20 free throws.

“Their size was a problem. We had trouble shooting over them,” said Baldwin coach Bob Martin, whose squad was 2-for-50 from the field.

The Fillies shut down Baldwin’s Denise Orloff, who had no points and three rebounds. Orloff, Baldwin’s main post threat, didn’t attempt her first shot until the 1:01 mark in the third quarter.

“We were hoping we could do a little better job setting things up inside,” Martin said. “We ended up getting shots, but they’re a difficult team to play. They’re a very good team. But I was very proud of our girls.”

Amanda Vander Tuig hit a three-pointer for the game’s final field goal and Baldwin’s second make. Kelsey Verhaeghe led the team in scoring by making eight of nine free-throw attempts.