Iola Middle Schools’ seventh-graders brought some March madness to late January Saturday.
The Ponies, in their second straight nailbiter, downed Fort Scott, 36-35, on a 3-pointer by Blake Ashmore with less than three seconds remaining.
The trey was set up by an assist from Kane Rogers.
The win came in the opening round of the Pony Stampede. The seventh-graders fell, 41-25, in the championship to Royster Middle School of Chanute.
“These kids gave a great effort for eight quarters today,” said head coach Marty Taylor. “The score kind of got away from us at the end, but I couldn’t ask for any more out of the boys. Blake hit a big shot for us in the first game. Cole Regehr hustled all day long, and Jeremy Waldman gave us some very good minutes off the bench.”
Tayton Driskel led the way against Fort Scott with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Ashmore followed with eight points and Derek Bycroft had five. Rogers had four points and five boards. Waldman scored three points and Regehr had two.
In the loss to Royster, Rogers had seven points and four rebounds, followed by Driskel with five points and eight boards. Bycroft scored three points, Waldman and Ashmore had three apiece and Regehr scored two.
IN B TEAM play, Iola fell, 27-24, to Fort Scott and 30-10 to Independence.
Tim Komma led the B team in the loss to Fort Scott. Jon Miller added eight. Matt Karr scored six.
Elijah Luedke scored four, Bret Plumlee three, Karr with two and Mittlemeier one in the loss to Independence.
“The kids played hard and almost pulled out the Fort Scott game,” Taylor said.
Iola’s seventh and eighth grades host Fort Scott this afternoon.
