The Iola Mustangs dropped their homecoming football game to Burlington on Friday, 20-18.
Even with the defeat, the Mustangs may have found a second-half identity. Iola outscored the Wildcats 18-7 in the second half. Last week, the Mustangs outscored Anderson County 21-0 in the second half.
Burlington got on the scoreboard first when Cam Stadel rushed the ball in from one yard out for a 7-0 Wildcat advantage with seven minutes left in the first half.
Stadel wasn’t done there though as he took a 25-yard rush to the house on the next drive for a 13-0 Burlington lead. Iola came up empty on a drive in the final minute of the half to remain scoreless.
“It’s really been three weeks in a row now. If you look back at our three second halves, we’ve won each second half but we’ve lost each first half,” said Iola head coach David Daugharthy. “If we can put together a full game, we’re going to be a pretty tough team to beat.”
Burlington scored again shortly into the second half when Grant Hegg hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass for the 20-0 visitors lead.
The Mustangs got a huge momentum boost on the next kickoff when Eli Adams took the return to the end zone to cut the deficit to 20-6.
“He (Adams) played really well tonight and when he had his opportunities he really shined. It’s pretty crazy that this is his first year playing football ever. It is so impressive that he’s able to do that,” said Daugharthy. “That kickoff return was a big spark for us.”
Landon Weide then hit Hutton out wide for a five-yard touchdown pass on the next Iola offensive drive with four minutes left in the third quarter to make the score 20-12. The Mustangs missed their second-straight field goal attempt to keep the game at an eight-point difference.
The next drive brought Iola within two points as Weide hit Korbin Cloud on a 59-yard touchdown pass. The team then came up short on a two-point conversion attempt to keep the deficit at 20-18. 
Iola earned one more opportunity at the end zone when the special teams blocked a Burlington punt and recovered the ball at the 45-yard line. The Mustangs, however, couldn’t translate that into another score.
“They showed tremendous grit, specifically in the second half. I felt like it was a whole different defense. In the second half we really stepped up and were the dominant defensive unit on the field, it was just too little too late,” said Daugharthy.
Jake Skahan and Briggs Michael led Iola defensively with seven tackles apiece while Eli Adams collected five tackles.
Weide passed for two touchdowns and 188 yards. His longest pass came on the 59-yard touchdown strike to Cloud. Cloud hauled in 99 yards through the air while Carter Hutton brought in 64 receiving yards.
Mustang Tre Wilson finished his day as the leading rusher, going for 44 yards on the ground including a 35-yard rush on his first carry of the game.
