The Iola High School football team fought but came up short in their home opener against Parsons on Friday night, 40-14.
Parsons was able to get the lead first and build on it.
The Mustangs did take a big step forward from a lopsided loss to Wellsville from the weekend before, and showed resilience in the second half.
“Where we were last week and where we are this week I was really proud of, we took a step forward,” Mustang head coach David Daugharthy said. “I know we got blown out tonight, but the reality is I thought we fought hard all four quarters. You take away a few big plays they had and this is a whole new ballgame.’
The Vikings got on the board on their opening offensive drive when quarterback Tra Mack hit Jesse Jones on a 20-yard touchdown pass down the sideline for the early 7-0 lead.
Things looked hopeful for Iola on Parsons’ second offensive drive when Mustang Corbin Cloud picked off a pass around the 15-yard line. However, the next Iola offensive play saw Cloud fumble the ball and turn it right back over to Parsons. 
In the beginning of the second quarter, Mack found Jones again for a 51-yard touchdown pass and the 14-0 Parsons advantage.
Jones wasn’t done there for his Vikings as Mack fired a bullet to him on a 92-yard touchdown connection for the 21-0 lead with nine minutes left in the first half.
Mack was able to help set up another Parsons score when he found an open receiver across the middle for a 26-yard gain. The long connection was followed up by a Mack to Riley Baker 12-yard touchdown pass across the middle for a 28-0 lead.
“We knew heading in they had one or two guys, if you give them a little bit of space, they’re going to house it,” Daugharthy said. :This is every Friday night for them but we just didn’t make tackles and we didn’t get off blocks and that was the cause.”
Iola got on on the scoreboard with one minute left before halftime when quarterback Landon Weide hit Eli Adams for a 42-yard touchdown pass down the Parsons sideline. 
The momentum didn’t last long, however, as Parsons responded on its next offensive play.
Mack found JJ Kendrick across the middle for a 70-yard touchdown pass and the 34-7 lead at half.
The second half didn’t begin very well for the Mustangs as Weide was picked off twice in a row by Vikings’ Trae Ginder and Marion Ryan. Parsons followed the second interception with a Jahmarion Washington 1-yard touchdown rush for the 40-7 lead.
Four minutes into the fourth quarter, Weide found Cortland Carson for an eight-yard Iola touchdown pass to trip the deficit to 26 points, 40-14.
