Iola
The seventh and eighth-grade Ponies found mixed success at Santa Fe Trail on Thursday.
The seventh-grade boys lost a close 8-6 game while the undefeated eighth-graders continued their roll, winning 36-0.
The seventh-grade balance out to 2-2 so far this season while the eighth-graders improve to 4-0.
All of the action happened in the first quarter of the seventh-grade game.
Drayden Reiter gave Iola a brief 6-0 lead running in for a touchdown from four yards out. The two-point conversion failed and with around a minute left in the quarter, the Ponies kicked the ball off.
A 78-yard Santa Fe Trail rushing touchdown seconds later tied the game up. The Chargers then ran in the two-point conversion and took a lead that they would hold for the rest of the game.
Gage Skahan had 129 yards on 34 carries and Reiter had 16 yards on three carries. Quarterback Landon Weide was 2-3 for 20 yards.
The boys played a tough game tonight against a good ball club, head coach Scott Ellis said. We had opportunities to come on top but fell short defensively and offensively. We were in it to win it to the very end. I was proud of our effort. We can build off this game.
The eighth-graders scored in every quarter.
Jarett Herrmann started things off with a 14-yard touchdown. Herrmann struck again in the second quarter from 19 yards out for his second score. Preston Hurst carried the ball into the end zone for the two-point conversion and the Ponies went into the half with a 14-0 lead.
Holden Barker got the scoring going again to start the third quarter with a four-yard rushing touchdown. Barker ran in the two-point conversion and the lead was pushed to 22-0.
Later in the third quarter, Drake Mathew got a scoop and score on a fumble return touchdown from 11 yards out to push Iolas lead to 28-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
Barker gave Iola its final touchdown from 22 yards out in the fourth quarter. Another successful two-point conversion from Barker gave Iola their 36-0 lead.
Once again, the defense came up big for us tonight, Ellis said. Our boys are playing hard and firing off on all pistons. Were playing as a team and right in the meat of our schedule, thats where we want to be.
