IMS Ponies stampede in win over Coffeyville

Iola Middle School’s eighth-graders were clicking at both ends of the court Thursday, while the seventh-graders came up one point shy in a nailbiter.
The Pony eighth grade raced to a 12-3 lead after one quarter and never looked back in a 51-19 romp over Roosevelt Middle School, Coffeyville.
Iola’s seventh grade could not connect on a late shot attempt, however, in a 39-38 loss.
The splits carry Iola into today’s Pony Stampede tournament, hosted by IMS and Iola High School.
The seventh-grade A team will play in the IMS gymnasium, while the seventh-grade B team will be at the high school. Both teams open against Fort Scott at 8:30 a.m. The winner advances to the championship round at 12:15 p.m. against either Independence or Royster Middle School of Chanute. The losers will play again at 11 a.m. in the third place game.

THE EIGHTH-GRADERS upped their lead to 24-12 at halftime and 39-15 by the end of the third period.
“Start to finish, it was a good effort tonight,” Iola head coach Marty Taylor said.
A familiar trio led the Ponies. Evan Sigg poured in 16 points with 10 rebounds, while Matt Komma scored 13 points with five boards. Ethan Holloway added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Also contributing were Nick Vaughn with six points and three rebounds, Cale Barnhart with four points and Isaac Vink with two points and seven assists.
“Evan’s energy was much better tonight,” Taylor said. “He, Komma and Holloway did a great job inside. Isaac got the ball where it needed to be.”

THE SEVENTH grade’s furious comeback late against Roosevelt came up just shy after the visitors used a 10-2 run to take a 39-33 lead with just over a minute remaining.
Iola’s Tayton Driskel scored inside, followed about 30 seconds later by Jeremy Waldman’s 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 39-38.
Iola got one last chance when Roosevelt threw the ball out of bounds with 11.98 seconds remaining in an attempt to run out the clock.
But Cole Regehr’s 3-point attempt as the buzzer sounded became lodged between the rim and backboard.
“We hurt ourselves against their trap by not attacking it, but overall a pretty good effort,” Taylor said.
Tayton Driskel led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Derek Bycroft chipped in with 11 points and four rebounds. Kane Rogers added 11 boards. Waldman had three points, Hunter Preston had two points and four rebounds, and Regehr and Blake Ashmore both had two points.
“Tayton played a very controlled game and did a nice job,” Taylor said. “Derek is playing hard on both ends of the floor. He’s not always playing in the position he’s comfortable in, but he’s always hustling and trying to make the play.”

THE PONIES prevailed, 36-31, in a combined B team effort.
Matt Miller scored 12 points and Zach Cokely 11. Caden Knavel added four, William Winner three and Elijah Luedke, Dylan Newland and Drake Sell had two apiece.
“Coach (Scott) Ellis is doing a great job with these kids,” Taylor said. “They are playing very good basketball.”