Iola Middle School saw both the thrill of victory and agony of defeat Thursday as the Mustangs hosted Prairie View in the Mustang boys’ first home game of the season.
The IMS seventh-graders erased an early deficit by scoring the game’s final eight points to secure a 24-17 victory.
Meanwhile, the Mustang junior varsity squad saw the Buffalos’ Brant Hopper connect on a 3-pointer at the buzzer to secure a 17-15 win.
Prairie View also prevailed in the eighth-grade A team affair, 39-29.
The Mustangs will hit the road once again Tuesday at Osawatomie.
Iola’s seventh-graders started slowly, scoring only two points in the first quarter and trailing 8-2 early into the second period.
But the Mustangs rallied to close the gap to 11-10 at halftime and 17-16 after three.
Jaxen Mueller’s bucket early in the fourth quarter gave Iola the lead for good. Ty Thomas added another field goal and Milo Franklin drained a pair of free throws as Iola pulled away down the stretch.
Mueller led the way with 13 points. Thomas scored six, Cade Curry three and Franklin two.
IOLA’S eighth-graders saw Prairie View break open a 5-5 deadlock with a 16-7 second-quarter run to take the lead for good. The Mustangs kept it close in the second half, but could not cut into the deficit.
Broden Emerson paced Iola with 12 points, followed by Cameron Findley, Konner Morrison and Robert McLaughlin with four points apiece. Henry Kramer scored three and Brox Elbrader two.
THE MOST dramatic moment of the night came in the JV contest. Iola trailed early before rallying to take a 13-8 lead into the fourth quarter.
Prairie View scored six straight to open the fourth period to take a one-point lead before Iola’s Tyson Hyden scored with about a minute left to put Iola back on top.
That set the stage for Prairie View’s Hopper, who launched a 3-pointer from the right wing just before the clock expired. The ball bounced through after the buzzer sounded, sending a charge through the crowded gymnasium.
Hyden scored six to lead Iola, followed by Elbrader with four, Treyvion Rhoads and Lee Wanker with two each and Findley with one.
