COFFEYVILLE — Following a scoreless first half, Iola Middle School’s eighth-grade football team came out on the short end of a 20-6 score Thursday.
Coffeyville’s Roosevelt Middle School Roughriders were up 14-0 by the 6:25 mark of the fourth quarter. Iola’s Brice Aiello broke loose on a 28-yard touchdown run with 4:20 remaining in the game.
The Roughriders added a touchdown late for the final margin.
Aiello finished with 181 yards on 34 carries and Brett Taylor had eight yards on two carries. Taylor completed three of eight passes for 55 yards.
Gus Hopkins caught two passes for 30 yards. Aiello had one reception for 25 yards.
“Brice ran hard all night long and this was by far his best game,” said Marty Taylor, IMS head coach. “After Keanan (Badders) went down, five kids had to change positions. We are playing hard but at times we are struggling with our responsibilities.”
Badders broke his ankle two weeks ago.
Aiello racked up six unassisted tackles and two assisted tackles. Jake Gumfory had two solo stops and four assisted tackles.
Taylor had three unassisted tackles and one assisted. Hopkins had three solo stops and Jake Kress had two solo tackles and one assisted tackle.
The Pony eighth-grade team is 3-3.
the PONY seventh-grade squad came away with an 8-6 victory Thursday. Coffeyville scored in the first quarter to lead 6-0.
In the second period, Garrett Wade hauled in a pass from Ben Cooper for Iola. The scoring play covered 86 yards. Cooper went in for the two-point conversion with 2:10 left in the first half.
The 8-6 halftime lead held up throughout a scoreless second half.
“By far our best team effort of the year. This was really the first time we played football for four quarters,” Taylor said.
