PARSONS — Try with all their might, Iola High’s Mustangs couldn’t bash in the proverbial door Friday at Parsons.
Iola put forth a number of second-half challenges in their Class 3A playoff tilt, but the stingy Viking defense was there to thwart every attempt.
And with that, Iola’s season came to an end Friday on a cold, windy night, courtesy of the Vikings’ 20-0 shutout.
“It’s disappointing when you have kids who have worked really hard and you feel like you’re right at the door and you just can’t squeak through,” Iola head coach David Daugharthy said.
“It’s tough when you’re playing a good, well-coached football team, and they were executing well tonight.”
All things considered, Iola was very much a part of the game at halftime, despite being outgained in the first half, 144 yards to 34.
That changed in the third quarter, with a successful diet of misdirection runs propelling Iola into Viking territory for the first time all game.
But the Parsons defenders stiffened after Iola reached the Viking 39, setting up a fourth-down attempt.
Iola quarterback Landon Weide’s pass down the right sideline nearly became a highlight reel catch, first by intended receiver Drayden Reiter, who deflected the ball, then by Briggs Shannon (40) who tapped at it in vain as he unsuccessfully tried for the rebound before it fell harmlessly to the turf.
Then, after forcing Parsons to a three-and-out on the Vikings’ next possession, Iola promptly moved back to midfield before a bad snap set up third and long.
The Mustangs dug into their bag of trick plays, a double reverse that had Korbin Cloud lofting a pass down the sideline to a wide open Weide. But the pass was just beyond Weide’s reach, forcing an Iola punt.
But even that didn’t end Iola’s hopes. The Mustangs forced another three-and-out, and set up shop on their next possession inside the Viking 35.
But the game changed three plays later. Weide’s pass on fourth and long was just beyond teammate Ben Kerr’s reach, and instead found the arms of Viking defender Jason Smart, who blazed a trail down the right sideline for a Parsons touchdown.
Suddenly, Iola trailed by two scores, 13-0.
But still Iola wasn’t content to go down without a fight.
