Iola Middle School’s Ponies weren’t able to use home-court advantage here Thursday.
Visiting Parsons Middle School’s Vikings won all four basketball games. Iola’s boys had a tough time against the more physical Parsons’ teams.
Iola’s eighth-grade A-team got behind early and had to play catch-up. The Ponies never could and lost 55-31.
Parsons led 27-11 at intermission. The Ponies came out and almost matched the Vikings point-for-point in the third quarter, 13-11. Parsons finished the final six minutes on a 15-9 run.
“We just let athletic ability overwhelm us early on. Instead of playing tough basketball, we just stood around and watched,” said Marty Taylor, IMS head coach. “We came out in the second half and played much better.”
Brice Aiello led Iola with nine points. Brett Taylor had four points and four rebounds and Ethan Sigg had four points and three rebounds.
Sagar Patel and Colby Works each scored four points. Gus Hopkins and Keanan Badders had three points apiece.
In the eighth-grade B-team game, Parsons won 32-11. Iola got four points from Jake Gumfory and three from Patel. Brandt Houk and Isiah Shaughnessy each had two points.
The Pony seventh-grade A-team lost 38-23. Parsons led 11-6 after one quarter and held a 19-9 halftime lead.
Each team added 11 points to the book in the third quarter. Parsons outscored Iola 8-3 in the fourth.
“We didn’t quit. We were physically outmatched but the boys played hard,” Taylor said. “A couple of times in the second half we got it under 10 but couldn’t get over the hump.”
Ben Cooper tossed in 12 points for the Ponies. Chase Regehr added 10 points plus pulled down nine rebounds.
Ethan Scheibmeir scored a point. Braden Plumlee had five rebounds. Taylor said Garrett Wade came off the bench and gave the Ponies some very good minutes in the game.
Parsons edged Iola’s seventh-grade B-team 23-20. Joey Zimmerman had six points and Darius Greenawalt had four.
Scoring two points each were Xavier Cary, Zane Beasley, Rhett Allen, Wade and Colton Toney.
