LA CYGNE — Prairie View High’s ground game was as good as advertised Friday.
The host Buffalos ran for more than 400 yards, and while Iola’s offense had its highlights, the Mustangs could not keep up in a 49-30 setback to wrap up the regular season.
Iola (4-4) now awaits its first-round matchup for the upcoming Class 3A playoffs, which open Friday.
Prairie View’s Joshua Godwin rushed for six touchdowns, scoring on runs of 2, 2, 4, 2, 1 and 43 yards, while his fellow running mate, Parker Schwarz, ran (unofficially) for 185 yards.
The teams traded scores early, with Godwin getting things started with a 2-yard score early in the first quarter.
The Mustangs’ Tre Wilson found the suddenly white-hot Cortland Carson open down the right sideline for a 77-yard touchdown on iola’s next play from scrimmage to even the score at 7-7.
The Buffalos took advantage of a long kickoff return to set up shop at the Mustang 19. It took three plays before Godwin scored from 2 yards out for a 14-7 lead.
Iola responded in kind. Wilson found Carson for a 14-yard gain before the Mustangs’ Easton Weseloh broke off a 27-yard run to put Iola inside the Prairie View 10.
Wilson’s scrambling ability on fourth-and-2 paid off when he lofted a jump ball toward the end zone. Iola’s Jordy Kaufman out-leaped Buffalo defender Gage Belcher for the ball, and fought through a Schwarz tackle for the touchdown to even things once again at 14-14.
But Iola’s offense stalled from there while Prairie View’s continued to rack up yards on the ground.
Godwin’s 4-yard touchdown run pushed the Buffalos back in front, and Belcher’s interception inside the Prairie View 10 ended Iola’s next possession. The Buffalos marched 91 yards on 10 plays, capped by Godwin’s 2-yard plunge for a 28-14 lead.
The Mustangs moved the ball into scoring position once again, but the Buffalos snuffed out a running play on fourth-and-three to retake possession. Schwarz broke off a 30-yard run before Godwin scored two plays later for a 35-14 advantage.
Iola once again threatened to score, but consecutive holding penalties nullified big gainers, and Iola wound up turning the ball over on downs once again.
PRAIRIE VIEW quarterback Wyatt Attebury got into the act to start the third quarter with a 2-yard keeper, pushing the lead to 42 14.
Iola once again got back to Prairie View’s side of the field, but the Mustangs lost the ball on a fumbled pitch.
