High School Football: Mustangs 28, Wildcats 6
Sometimes a win is worth a clean-shaven face.
At least it was for Iola head coach David Daugharthy Friday night after his team surprised many by putting up a 28-6 homecoming victory over Burlington.
The team and many others bunched around him right outside of the locker room and, in turn, each shaved a little of Daugharthys long black beard until the second-year coach was nearly bare.
I needed a trim anyway, Daughthy joked. So I said, Whatever the kids will get behind, I guess? It was a bonding moment for me and the kids, which I like, even if it makes me look like an idiot.
He went on to say that one the assistant coaches suggested the stunt as a motivational tool early in the week. A homecoming win versus Burlington would mean shaved faces for the entire staff including Daugharthy and his hirsute brother, assistant coach Dana Daugharthy.
But Daugharthy wasnt the only one who was sporting a new look as the Mustangs, 2-4 overall and 2-1 in district play, seemed a far cry from the team who had the clock run against them in the fourth quarter in the three of their first four games of the season.
Meanwhile, Burlington (3-3, 1-2) came into the game fresh off of a 28-0 loss by what seems to be the top team in the Pioneer League in Prairie View. Aside from that their resume was nothing to sneeze at.
The Wildcats handled Wellsville fairly easily early in the season and their only other loss was on the road against an a highly regarded Olpe team thats tops in 1A.
Yes, Iola had demolished Osawatomie but so far this year and for the past several, everyone has demolished Osawatomie. It wasnt anything to get too excited about.
Fridays win, however, was definitely something worth shouting for.
Burlington started with the ball and the Iola defense forced the first of eight turnovers on downs. It was a losing proposition for the Wildcats nearly every time they tried to run on an Iola defense that was porous to start the season.
Burlington is a team that even really good defenses have trouble getting off the field and this is two weeks in a row that weve just been dominant, Daugharthy said. We owned them through three-plus quarters. I think part of it is our preparation. Weve worked so hard on trying to get stops knowing if we did that, then wed be able to do something offensively.
The stops also came from turnovers, Iola grabbed a fumble early in the game on a bad snap and four interceptions throughout the second half. Burlingtons only points came with 2:30 to play in the game after an Iola fumble set them up with the ball at three yardline.
Were getting a lot more pressure on the quarterback which helps, Daugharthy said of the interceptions. But were also much better in coverage. Were doing what were supposed to do and making smart plays and keeping our eyes where they need to be. Tonight that was led by (senior cornerback Kane Rogers who had a pick). I dont think they completed a ball over the top of him throughout the entire game.
Offensively, the Mustangs werent as dominant as they were last week but they did more than enough to put this one away led by junior quarterback Casen Barker and sophomore running back Isaac Badders.
