COFFEYVILLE — Short drives and big plays.
Coffeyville Field Kindley High’s Golden Tornado cruised to a 42-0 lead by halftime over Iola High’s Mustangs. They did it with five touchdown drives of four or less plays.
The Mustangs scored twice in the second half but so did ’Nado. Coffeyville won the Southeast Kansas League battle of 0-2 teams 55-14.
“This was not a step backward for our kids. That team (Coffeyville) is bigger and stronger than us and that showed tonight,” said Rick Horton, Mustang head coach.
“We have so many players on the sideline hurt right now it forces us to play a lot of younger kids.”
Iola’s focus this week was to stop the run. The Mustangs weren’t able to do that as Coffeyville amassed 370 yards, most of it coming in the first half, on the ground.
The Mustangs did run the ball better — 134 yards on 40 carries.
“We had some things that we can take from this game. Offensively, we were one block away on plays,” Horton said. “Defensively, we’re just not wrapping people up.”
Coffeyville took the opening kickoff and drove 60 yards in seven plays. The march was capped off by a one-yard plunge over the goal line by quarterback Cory Turner. The ’Nado had a two-point conversion pass to go up 8-0 at the 8:57 mark.
It was three plays and punt for Iola. Coffeyville overcame a holding penalty striking through the air. Turner hooked up with Cameron Craig on a 65-yard pass play for the touchdown.
Opportunities were there for the Mustangs. Miscues didn’t allow the Mustangs to knock down the door.
The Mustangs moved the ball but still had to punt. Coffeyville’s Kaman Holt muffed the punt and Iola’s Zach Crawford recovered the ball.
Iola was at the Coffeyville 39-yard line with three minutes left in the first quarter. On a third-and-one, a bad snap sailed over Mason Coons’ head for a loss of 14 yards.
Coffeyville was pinned deep but a 21-yard pass play to 6-6 Jacob Meyer got it out of trouble. The next play saw Jordan Fields dash 55 yards to paydirt.
Again a solid drive stalled for the Mustangs. A fourth down and inches came up short at the Coffeyville 41.
Two plays later Coffeyville scored. Iola pinned Coffeyville deep and it faced a third and long.
Turner found Craig over the middle and the scoring pass play went 94 yards. Next a tipped pass from Coons was intercepted by Coffeyville’s Cody Hurlbutt, who kicked five extra points on the night.
On the fourth play of the drive, Wesley Collins went 54 yards for a touchdown with 49 seconds left in the first half.
The start of the third quarter wasn’t good for Iola. Three plays and punt.
But Coffeyville gave up 30 yards on penalties — roughing the punter and unsportsmanlike conduct. Iola still had the football.
Jerrik Sigg rushed for seven yards then Marcus Sullivan had an eight-yard run. Sullivan lost two yards but Iola gained 12 on a facemask penalty against Coffeyville.
The Mustangs failed to score on the next four plays. Coffeyville took over on downs at its own seven.
Bryan Adams gained five yards then fumbled the football. Clint Heffern fell on the loose football for Iola.
Sullivan and Sigg got the Mustangs to the two-yard line. Iola had a fourth-and-one.
Coons went on a quarterback sneak and pushed his way over the goal line at the 4:17 mark of the third quarter. A two-point conversion pass failed.
Coffeyville answered with two touchdown runs to end the third quarter.
Coffeyville helped the Mustangs to their second touchdown. Back-to-back 15-yard penalties on the same play moved the Mustangs to Coffeyville’s 15. Coffeyville finished with 10 penalties for 102 yards.
John Whitworth had two carries on the drive. He went for three yards on the first then broke several tackles on a 12-yard touchdown run. Sigg ran in the two-point conversion.
“We’re trying the best we can to get our kids better. We’re looking to the end of the season to be ready for district play,” Horton said.
Sigg led the Iola offense with 60 yards on 15 carries plus caught six passes for 49 yards. He also completed 1 of 2 passes for 12 yards.
Sullivan, who went out with leg cramps in the second half, had 19 carries for 59 yards. Coons was 6 of 14 for 49 yards and threw two interceptions.
Coffeyville had 272 yards rushing in the first half. Collins had 163 yards on nine carries and Fields had 100 yards on eight carries.
Turner completed 4 of 6 passes for 194 yards. Craig caught only two passes but they went for 159 yards and touchdowns.
Leading the Iola defense was Stephen McDonald with four unassisted tackles and five assisted tackles. Kyle Heffern had one solo stop for a loss and four assisted tackles. Sigg and Crawford each had one solo tackle and three assisted tackles.
Jacob Rhoads, who suffered a knee injury in the game, had three assisted tackles as did Coons.
Iola (0-3) hosts Columbus next Friday for homecoming. Columbus got past Chanute 35-31 Friday.
Other SEK scores were: Parsons 43, Labette County 7; Paola 34, Pittsburg 14; Independence 28, Fort Scott 14.
Iola 0-0-6-8—14
Coffeyville 14-28-13-0—55
Coffeyville — Turner 1 yd run (D. Hurlbutt pass from Volmer)
Coffeyville — Craig 65 yd pass from Turner (kick failed)
Coffeyville — Fields 55 yd run (C. Hurlbutt kick)
Coffeyville — Adams 54 yd run (C. Hurlbutt kick)
Coffeyville — Craig 94 yd pass from Turner (C. Hurlbutt kick)
Coffeyville — 54 yd run (C. Hurlbutt kick)
Iola — Coons 2 yd run (pass failed)
Coffeyville — Collins 49 yd run (kick failed)
Coffeyville — 24 yd run (C. Hurlbutt kick)
Iola — Whitworth 12 yd run (Sigg run)
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Iola- Sigg 15-60, Sullivan 19-59, Coons 3-(-6), Whitworth 3-21. Coffeyville-Collins 9-163, Fields 8-100, Turner 4-3, Adams 1-54, Jones 5-37, Lewis 2-7, D. Hurlbutt 1-6.
Passing: Iola-Coons 6-14-49-2, Sigg 1-2-12-0. Coffeyville-Turner 4-6-194-0, Volmer 1-1-3-0.
Receiving: Iola-Sigg 6-49, Whitworth 1-12. Coffeyville-Craig 2-159, Meyer 2-35, D. Hurlbutt 1-3.
Punting: Iola-K. Heffern 5-138 (28 avg.). Coffeyville-none.
