BURLINGTON — Iola High School came into Friday night’s football game at Burlington with a trip to the playoffs on the line. If they won, the Mustangs would be in for the first time since 2016.
After a hard-fought game, Burlington won 20-18.
Both teams scored in the first quarter. Iola wide receiver Brett Willis scored a 67-yard rushing touchdown on the Mustangs’ first play of the game.
Burlington led 14-6 at the half after a late touchdown.
The two teams exchanged the lead in the second half. Burlington led 20-18 late in the fourth quarter. Iola set up on Burlington’s four-yard line with just a few seconds left, enough time for Iola head coach David Daugharthy to call two plays. Both passes were incomplete.
“I was trying to find a way to get a quick throw,” said Daugharthy on his play-calling late in the game. “Running the ball there is pretty tough. If you don’t get the touchdown, the clock will run out. I thought we had a couple of passes we could complete, but we didn’t get it.”
Iola’s TJ Taylor scored twice for the Mustangs on short runs.
“Our seniors laid it out there,” said Daugharthy. “The loss hurts right now.”
Iola is 2-6 and will face a team to be named later this week.
