After a lightning storm caused Iola Middle School to call off its matchup with Royster Middle School on Thursday late in the first quarter, the two schools picked up where they left off Monday night in Riverside Park.
The Rockets defeated the Ponies 32-16 in a game that picked up with 2:47 remaining in the first quarter, which is when officials called off Thursday’s contest.
“It was a good effort to start the season,” coach Marty Taylor said following the loss. “Chanute is a very good team and we had our chances to win in the 4th quarter.”
Iola’s chances of winning in the third quarter seemed slim as Royster jumped out to a quick 16-0 lead following its two touchdowns and successfully converted two-point conversions.
But a 41-yard pass from Cal Leonard to Dan Foust gave the Ponies their first touchdown of the game and cut the Rockets’ lead to just eight after Cason Barker ran in the end zone for the two-point conversion.
Then Iola tied the game with a 5-yard run by Barker with 40 seconds left in the third quarter. Leonard found Foust for the two-point conversion.
But a 30-yard scoring run by Royster gave it the lead with 4:00 remaining in the fourth quarter and a two-yard scoring run a couple of minutes later sealed the victory for the Rockets.
The Ponies’ season opener did have some positive highlights, however.
With just one player on the bench compared to Royster’s over populous squad, Iola managed to stay in the game without giving its players much of a rest on offense or defense.
Barker led the Ponies with 72 total rushing yards on 18 attempts as well as a touchdown.
His running attack also helped on Iola’s first two-point conversion.
Foust added one run for 55 yards while Leonard finished with 11 rushing yards on five attempts.
Through the air, Leonard was 7-of-18 for 82 yards and one touchdown as well as one interception.
Foust had a team-high 63 receiving yards and a score.
8th graders resume game, lose
