INDEPENDENCE — Iola Middle School’s boys had a real rough time on the road Monday.
Independence Middle School’s Bulldogs swept the four games against the visiting Ponies.
“Indy was much tougher than us tonight,” said Marty Taylor, Iola head coach, on the eighth-grade A-team 33-17 loss. “Eighteen of their points were on putbacks.”
Independence pushed out to a 13-4 lead by the end of the first quarter. Iola had an 11-10 scoring edge over the next two quarters but still trailed 23-15. Independence finished the game on a 10-2 surge.
Keanan Badders led Iola with eight points and three rebounds. Ethan Sigg had three points and three rebounds. Sagar Patel, Gus Hopkins and Brice Aiello each had two points. Patel and Aiello pulled down three rebounds each.
“Keanan played hard all night,” Taylor said.
Independence won the eighth-grade B-team game 30-9. Jake Gumfory tossed in five points and Patel had four points.
Iola’s seventh-grade Ponies fell behind 9-1 in the opening period of the A-team game and lost 35-19. Independence led 15-9 at halftime then outscored Iola 12-3 in the third to extend its lead.
“The kids didn’t quit. We were a little out matched physically but we played hard,” Taylor said.
Ben Cooper fired in seven points for Iola. Chase Regehr added four. Gage Cleaver and Ethan Scheibmeir had three points each and Braden Plumlee scored two points.
In the seventh-grade B-team game, Independence beat Iola 21-14. Garrett Wade led Iola with four points followed by Xavier Cary and Mason Ingle with three points each. Joey Zimmerman and Darius Greenawalt had two points apiece.
Iola hosts Chanute’s Royster Middle School’s Rockets for its first home games of the season Thursday.
