BURLINGTON — Iola Middle School’s seventh-graders treated fans to one of the most jaw-dropping finishes they’ll see at any level Thursday.
The Mustangs, trailing host Burlington 20-16 late in the fourth quarter, took the lead when quarterback Austin Crooks found Kale Pratt down the right side on a long pass.
Pratt muscled his way through a pair of defensive backs, then outraced the rest of the pursuing Bobcat defense for a stunning 54-yard touchdown with 5 seconds left.
Iola’s 22-20 win ensures the seventh-grade class at least a share of the Pioneer League championship.
There was no such drama in the eighth-grade matchup.
Iola led 16-0 after one quarter and 32-0 at halftime in a 38-6 romp.
Only muffed punt that led to a Burlignton touchdown in the game’s final moments kept the Mustangs from pitching a shutout.
“Rebounding from a tough last couple of games, the kids did a lot better tonight,” Iola head coach Scott Ellis said. “They came out aggressive, and they were having fun.”
Iola also had several players back in the lineup.
The Mustangs dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Noah Schowengerdt scored on touchdown runs covering 29 and 51 yards, and Tre Wilson pulled in a pair of touchdowns, returning both for touchdowns.
Tack on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Henry White, and you have a running clock through the entire second half because the spread was greater than 30 points.
Schowengerdt rushed for 105 yards on seven carries, while Wilson carried three times for 26 yards and com pleted two passes for 31 yards. Jayden Beene had a 17-yard reception. White had a 14-yard touchdown catch.
Schowengerdt led the defense with nine tackles, followed by Jakolby Hill’s six tackles and two sacks. Wilson added six stops, Mathew Drago had five, White three, Brody Thompson two and Gannon Hutton, Maddox Riley, Brent Stevens, Beene and Payton Kern with one each. Drago also had a sack.
BUT WHILE the eighth-grade game was never in doubt, the seventh-grade affair had fans on their seats from start to finish.
Iola set up its rally with a pair of key defensive stops in the game’s last 5 minutes.
