INDEPENDENCE — The Iola Middle School boys basketball team hit the road Monday afternoon to face off against Independence Middle School.
The Ponies’ eighth-grade A team lost, 45-16.
Cal Leonard and Calvin Delich were the team’s two leading scorers with 7 points each.
Brody Nemecek had 2 points to close out Iola’s scoring.
“Games like this happen once in awhile, we just didn’t have answers for their athletes,” coach Marty Taylor said. “We did some good things though and we’ll get back at it.”
The Ponies’ eighth-grade B team also lost, 31-16.
Keian Zimmerman led Iola’s scoring effort with 7 points of his own. Zane Whitney wasn’t far behind Zimmerman’s performance as he scored 5 points on the night.
Peter Venter and Elijah Fawson each scored 2 points.
In the seventh-grade games, Iola was able to play Independence a little closer. However, the Ponies still were unable to grab a victory in either of their two remaining contests.
Iola’s seventh-grade A team lost, 35-30.
Dillon Bycroft and Jack Adams carried the Ponies offensively with 8 points a piece.
Isaac Badders scored 6 points. Kole Rogers and Eli Smith each had 3 points. And Josh Kaufman rounded out Iola’s scoring with 2 points.
“The boys played hard,” coach Taylor said. “We missed a ton of easy opportunities close to the basket that we have to convert.”
In the B team game, Iola lost, 18-10. CJ Shields scored a team-high 5 points in the loss. Logan Preston scored 3 points and Kaufman scored 2.
The Ponies play at Chanute on Thursday.
IMS boys basketball takes the floor against Independence
