INDEPENDENCE — Iola Middle School’s Pony boys braved to incoming winter storm to makeup basketball games against host Independence. The teams got there, played and returned home before bad weather hit the area.
Iola dropped three of the four contests. The Iola seventh-grade A-team won 17-13. But there was a problem with the scorebook so no individual scoring was available.
Independence dominated the eighth-grade A-team game from the beginning. The Bulldogs led 23-8 at halftime on their way to a 46-20 win.
“Not one kid stepped off that bus ready to play basketball,” said Marty Taylor, Iola Middle School head coach. “That’s my fault. We’ll fix it.”
Isaiah Grover was Iola’s leading scorer with six points. Kaden Macha tossed in five and Shane Walden had four.
Scoring two points each were Brock Peters and Drew Faulhaber. Alex Bauer added one point.
Independence posted a 27-11 win over Iola in the eighth-grade B-team game. Travis Hermstein paced the Ponies with six points.
Adam Peterson and Peters each had two points. Dalton Skaggs had one point.
The Iola seventh-grade dropped a 42-20 decision.
“We let their pressure bother us and just never recovered,” Taylor said. “We will get back to work and get ready for the last couple of weeks of the season.”
Colby Works had eight points and Brice Aiello scored seven. Brett Taylor tossed in five.
The makeup games from Jan. 20 at Parsons were set for today but were cancelled.
Ponies have rough road trip
