Iola coach Doug Kerr summed it all up directly after Friday’s Week Five 48-42 loss to Parsons when he simply said, “I don’t feel like a 1-4 football team.”
But that is exactly what the Mustangs are after a gut-wrenching loss to the Vikings — who entered the game 0-4.
The Mustangs have played solid defense for a majority of the season and they have been able to lean on that side of the ball to keep them in games against some of the high-powered offenses they have faced in the early going this season.
Kerr knew the Parsons attack presented different challenges than the previous offenses Iola faced. Parsons attacked the Mustangs with a speed attack that they weren’t used to seeing, but at the end of the first half, Iola seemed to have a grip on it and went into the locker room with a 15-14 advantage.
As soon as the ball was kicked off in the second half, things got crazy in a hurry.
After a Mustangs three-and-out, Parsons was able to grab the lead on a 71-yard touchdown run from junior tailback T.J. Mayhue.
“We knew that their backs were fast,” Kerr said. “When we made a mistake or missed a tackle, they made us pay for it and on almost all of their big runs, we missed and tackle and they went down the field.”
Another three-and-out gave the Vikings the ball again, and they hit Iola with the big play once more. Sophomore Viking quarterback Gage Friess broke loose on a 66-yard scoring run and the Parsons lead extended to 29-15.
The floodgates opened again as Parsons forced another Mustang punt and the Vikings dialed up a screen pass to freshman Dariq Williams for 79 yards to extend the lead to 35-15 with 35 seconds left in a third quarter.
It couldn’t end quickly enough for Iola.
The fourth quarter was a different story for the Mustangs, though, and on the ensuing drive, Iola running back Tayton Driskel racked up 42 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown run to make it 35-21.
“I thought we could have just laid down in the third quarter and just went to bed,” Kerr said. “But the kids didn’t. They fought and had each others’ backs.”
Parsons answered right back with a two-play scoring drive that saw Mayhue sprint for a 53-yard touchdown with 9:25 left.
The Mustangs had finally found their rhythm offensively, though, and Driskel and senior quarterback Ben Cooper each were able to break off long runs. Cooper capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge and Braden Plumlee’s kick cut the lead to 42-28.
“Ben’s growth has been tremendous,” Kerr said.
The Iola defense stiffened on the next drive with the help of two penalties on Parsons to force a punting situation.
