OSAWATOMIE — Iola High’s Mustangs opened the Pioneer League era with a resounding 40-28 win on the road Friday night.
The Mustangs dominated host Osawatomie High’s Trojans early and answered each Trojan rally. Iola scored 21 points in the first five and half minutes of the game.
Osawatomie battled back on back-to-back touchdowns in the first quarter. The Trojans utilized their passing game with a strong northern wind behind them.
Iola was up 21-13 at the end of the first quarter.
Mustang head coach Doug Kerr talked earlier this week about putting up a lot of points early. That’s what the Mustangs did and staved off comeback threats by the Trojans.
“We dominated on both sides of the ball from the start but part of the process of turning this program around is learning how to win,” Kerr said after he saw the Mustangs improve to 2-0 on the 2012 season.
“We’re not there yet but we’re learning. I laid into them pretty good at halftime after we got out to a big lead and let them come back on us. We have to finish it and we coached them up pretty hard in the second half.”
Iola rolled up 482 yards of offense — 385 coming on the ground. John Whitworth rushed for 163 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns. Jacob Rhoads had 83 yards on 10 carries.
Tyler McIntosh started the ball rolling for Iola with a 33-yard run on his way to 75 yards total for the game. He scored Iola’s first touchdown of the night with 11:12 left in the first quarter. It capped a 75-yard drive in four plays.
Game on for the Mustangs.
Iola continued its short kickoff pattern. The Mustangs recovered the football on the ensuing kickoff.
The Mustangs marched 48 yards in six plays to paydirt. Quarterback Mason Coons bulled his way over from two yards out. Kaden Macha ran in the two-point conversion and Iola was up 14-0.
Osawatomie’s offense finally got on the field but four plays and the Trojans gave it back to Iola. Coons found Adam Kauth for 36 yards to set up a third touchdown.
Kauth went in untouched from three yards out. Isaias Macias kicked the extra point and the Mustang lead was 21-0 at the 6:43 mark of the first quarter.
Trojan quarterback Austin Chisam had a hand in three of his team’s four touchdowns. He hit a short slant pass to Deven Ayres and Ayres did the rest.
