COFFEYVILLE — Iola High’s Mustangs best defense Friday night was its offense.
The Mustangs held onto the football for most of the non-league game against fifth-ranked Coffeyville Field Kindley High’s Golden Tornado. They just couldn’t get into the end zone early enough.
The Golden Tornado was held to 33 yards of offense in the first half. It still led Iola 14-0 at halftime on a punt return and a 68-yard yard fumble return.
Iola stuck to its game plan — slow the pace down and keep the ball out of the hands of Coffeyville’s high-power offense. It worked until the third quarter.
Coffeyville scored three times on offense on drives of two plays, four plays and one play.
The Golden Tornado finished up with a 40-20 win over the visiting Mustangs.
“We looked so good moving up and down the field. Our pace really affect them a lot. We just didn’t finish drives in the first half,” said Doug Kerr, Iola head coach.
“They got frustrated with the pace and that was the idea. You saw how explosive their offense was and we needed to keep control of the football.”
The Mustangs grounded out 280 yards rushing the football against the Golden Tornado. Iola had 336 total yards of offense to Coffeyville’s 236 yard.
Iola’s defense came up with five fumble recovers. The Mustangs lost three of five fumbles of their own in a constant rain during the entire game.
“We were in position to make plays defensively on their offensive touchdowns but their (Coffeyville) is good. They are a good football team,” Kerr said.
“One thing we have to keep working on is when we make a mistake not to allow it to grow into two mistakes and so on.”
To open the second half, Iola kicked off to Coffeyville but an onsides kick backfired on the Mustangs. The kick bounced and went backward landing at the Iola 36-yard line.
Two plays later Wesley Collins was in the end zone for Coffeyville. Iola’s offense was three plays and punt.
The Mustangs held the Golden Tornado at the Iola 35 but on fourth down Coffeyville struck again. A screen pass from Luis Grossi to Collins went for a 41-yard touchdown play.
