Iola Middle School’s seventh-and eighth-grade football teams fell to the Bulldogs’ bite on Thursday.
In a 12-12 game and Independence Middle School looking at a fourth-down and forever situation, the Ponies couldn’t pen up the Bulldogs. A reverse play to Jaquavon Folks went 68 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
A final drive by the seventh-grade Ponies was halted with an interception. The Bulldogs beat Iola 18-12 scoring the final touchdown with 2:40 left in the game.
The Ponies scored first in the contest on a 70-yard kickoff return by Nick Vaughn to start the game. It was 6-6 at halftime.
Independence stripped the football from Iola’s quarterback Evan Sigg and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown. Sigg led the Ponies right back hitting Isaac Vink over the middle for a 25-yard touchdown pass at the 4:30 mark of the fourth quarter.
“For the first time out, there were a lot more positives than negatives. We’ll learn from this and get better,” said Marty Taylor, IMS head football coach.
Sigg rushed for 71 yards on 15 carries and completed 3 of 7 passes for 49 yards. Ethan Holloway caught two for 24 yards and Vink had the touchdown reception.
Cale Barnhart had 67 yards on 13 carries.
Defensively for the seventh grade, Matt Komma had five tackles and Sigg had four. Holloway recovered a fumble. Barnhart had three tackles.
IOLA AND Independence were locked in a 6-6 game heading into the third quarter of the eighth-grade contest. The Bulldogs took over for four minutes to start the third quarter.
Independence scored 20 points and went on to win 26-12.
Seth Sanford scored on a two-yard run in the second quarter for Iola. Chase Regehr hauled in a three-yard scoring pass from Ben Cooper late in the third quarter.
“All but those four minutes, these kids played pretty good football,” Taylor said. “This group has come a long way from the first game last season.
Sanford and Nate Evans each rushed for 48 yards and Mason Snavely had 24 yards rushing. Cooper was 8 of 16 for 71 yards passing.
