PITTSBURG — Iola Middle School’s eighth-grade football team lost the game but more important Thursday night, the Ponies lost a player to a broken ankle.
Pittsburg Community Middle School piled up 22 points in the first quarter on its way to a 36-6 win over Iola. It led 28-0 at halftime.
On the second series of the game, Keanan Badders broke his ankle. IMS head coach Marty Taylor said the Ponies did not do a very good job of recovering from that situation.
“The kids regrouped at halftime and played a much better second half,” Taylor said.
Iola’s touchdown came in the fourth quarter. Brice Aiello, who had 83 yards on 29 carries, scored on a five-yard run.
Brett Taylor rushed for 30 yards and was 6 of 12 passing for 62 yards. Gus Hopkins caught two passes for 37 yards, Aiello made three receptions for 14 and Chase Regehr caught a pass for 11 yards.
“Brett and Gus played hard all game and Ethan Sigg had a very good second half,” Taylor said. “Chase, who is a seventh-grader, had to step in and did a great job in the eighth-grade game.”
Defensively, Taylor had five solo tackles and three assisted tackles while Sigg had four solos, three assisted tackles and a fumble recovery.
Aiello made four solo stops and one assisted tackle while Hopkins had one unassisted and three assisted tackles. Jake Kress had one solo tackle and two assisted tackles.
Pittsburg rolled to a 44-0 win over the Iola seventh-grade Ponies. Pittsburg led 38-0 at halftime.
“It’s always tough to lose but Pittsburg is a very good seventh-grade football team. Our kids played hard and didn’t quit,” Taylor said.
“Colton Toney played well on defense and Ben Cooper did a good job.”
Cooper went 8 of 20 for 50 yards passing and threw two interceptions. Chase Regehr made six catches for 46 yards.
Seth Sanford caught two passes for nine yards and carried the ball nine times for 27 yards. Mason Snavely had 11 yards on four carries.
Garrett Wade had a four-yard catch. Ethan Scheibmier had one catch for a minus five yards.
Sanford had six tackles and Regehr had four tackles. Toney and Dacoda Settlemyer each had three tackles.
Iola’s eighth-grade (3-1) and seventh-grade (2-2) teams host Columbus next Thursday at Riverside Park.
Pony teams fall to Pittsburg
