LACYNE — Gus Hopkins hauled in an 11-yard pass from Brett Taylor for the game-winning touchdown for Iola High’s junior varsity football team Monday.
Keanen Badders had the two-point conversion to put the finishing touches on a 33-32 win over host Prairie View High’s Buffalos. It was the final scoring play in a back-and-forth contest.
Iola opened the game just like it closed it — a touchdown pass from Taylor to Hopkins. Hopkins caught a 22-yard scoring strike in the first quarter and Mason Key kicked the extra point.
Prairie View answered with a touchdown and two-point conversion in the second quarter. Taylor found Shane Walden for a six-yard touchdown pass to lift the Mustangs to a 13-8 halftime lead.
Brice Aiello broke off a 51-yard touchdown run for the Mustangs in the third quarter. Iola led 19-8 but the Buffalos closed it to 19-16 by the end of the period.
Prairie View grabbed the lead, 24-19, in the fourth quarter. Walden snared a six-yard pass from Aiello for a touchdown to put Iola back in front 25-24.
Back came the Buffalos with a touchdown and two-point conversion. Trailing 32-25, the Mustangs scored on the final play of the game then converted the two-point conversion to get the victory.
Aiello rushed for 83 yards on 12 carries and Badders had 43 yards on 14 carries for Iola. Terrell Smith had a four-yard run.
Taylor finished 8 of 17 passing for 134 yards and Aiello was 1 of 2 for six yards and was intercepted once. Aiello caught two passes for 73 yards followed by Hopkins with three catches for 33 yards and Walden had three receptions for 21 yards.
Walden paced the Mustang defense with eight tackles while Aiello and Dodger Beckham each had six tackles. Badders and Hopkins made five tackles each. Smith had three tackles and an interception.
Iola’s junior varsity is 3-2 overall. The Mustangs host Central Heights next Monday.
