LA CYGNE — The Iola High School football team looked dazed and confused in a 32-13 loss at Prairie View on Friday.
In what was a strong start for both the Iola (2-5) offense and defense turned into a tough night on each side, turning the ball over multiple times and allowing some explosive plays defensively.
The Mustangs came out firing on offense. Drayden Reiter rushed in for a touchdown on the opening drive. Reiter’s run came from one yard out and put Iola ahead early, 7-0.
“Our game plan was to get him the ball a lot,” said Iola head coach David Daugharthy. “He’s a great runner. Somebody said it best, every time he’s running the ball, he’s falling forward, so it doesn’t matter whether he has 10 people or one person on him, he’s falling forward.”
The opening drive touchdown was set up by a Tre Wilson kickoff return to around midfield.
Things looked bright early for Iola. On the team’s opening kickoff to Prairie View, Mat Drago hopped on a loose ball for the Mustang fumble recovery. 
The big special teams play set up Iola at the Buffalo 22-yard line but the blue and gold were not able to stick it in the end zone.
By the end of the first quarter, Iola led Prairie View, 7-0.
The Buffalos quickly scored in the second quarter when Parker Schwartz ran in a one-yard score. Prairie View was unsuccessful on their two-point conversion to keep Iola leading, 7-6.
“In the first half it was definitely a lack of physicality up front and in general,” Daugharthy said. “Just not playing as a team, not filling as quickly as you can and not trusting what we’re doing here to be able to do that, not playing team defense.”
Prairie View didn’t take long in the second quarter to go ahead. Gabe Murillo rushed into the end zone from nine yards out on the next drive for the 12-7 Buffalo advantage.
The Buffalos found the end zone again following halftime when Murillo kept the ball and ran in another touchdown, this time from only one yard out for the 18-7 edge.
“Our defense was on the field for a long time. We just couldn’t get off the field so that kind of hurt us,” said Daugharthy. “Tonight they controlled the clock. We can’t even get the ball so that makes it pretty tough to build a comeback.”
Near the end of the third quarter a slew of turnovers occurred, beginning when Prairie View’s Garret Cullor intercepted an Iola pass at the 24-yard line with four minutes remaining before the fourth quarter.
Iola’s Drago then jumped on a loose ball two plays later only to see the Buffalos get the ball right back.
