INDEPENDENCE — Iola Middle School’s seventh-graders kicked off the 2013 season in fine fashion Thursday. EVAN SIGG’S 12-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter knotted the game at six, before Independence added touchdowns in the second and third quarters to take a 20-6 lead.
Led by Tayton Driskel’s monster rushing performance, the Ponies rolled to a 32-0 win over Independence.
Iola’s eighth-grade team came up one touchdown shy in its contest. A late touchdown and successful onside kick recovery gave the Ponies possession at midfield, but the drive ended with an interception in a 20-12 defeat.
Driskel got things started for the seventh-graders with three touchdowns, a three-yarder in the first quarter and runs covering 58 and 50 yards in the second period. Nic Zimmerman’s one-yard run in the third quarter wrapped up the scoring.
Driskel rushed for 190 yards on 13 carries. Kane Rogers completed 2 of 2 passes for 16 yards. He added 24 yards on five carries. Zimmerman added five yards and a touchdown, Matt Karr had 12 yards and Elijah Luedke had four yards. Karr had a 14-yard reception. Driskel had one catch for two yards.
Driskel also led the Pony defense with 10 tackles. Hunter Preston followed with five stops. Kolt Knoblich had four tackles and a sack.
“It’s always good to get the first game out of the way,” Iola head coach Marty Taylor said. “The kids were nervous, but they played hard all night. Our backs ran hard. Tayton took advantage on the outside all night. Hunter Preston did a good job in his first game at center. Kolt Knoblich worked hard on the defensive line.”
Iola reached the scoreboard again when Sigg tossed a 10-yard touchdown to Nick Vaughn with 2:20 left in the game to cut the gap to 20-12.
Sigg rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown, while completing 6 of 11 passes for 96 yards and another score with an interception. Barnhart rushed for 60 yards on 11 carries, Matt Komma racked up 26 yards on four carries, and Isaac Vink had 17 yards on three rushes.
Barnhart added 41 yards on two receptions, Ethan Holloway had two catches for 17 yards, Vink’s sole reception covered 28 yards.
Komma led the defense with seven tackles. Sigg, Holloway and Nick Peterson each had five stops.
“The boys played hard,” Taylor said. “We just flat out didn’t tackle.
“We really played very good assignment football,” he continued. “Most of our mistakes were physical, and we can fix those in practice.”
Iola is at Labette County next Thursday.
IMS Ponies open season
