Some call it a blowout, a creaming, a whomping, a good ol’ fashion butt-kicking or just simply a good win.
Iola head coach David Daugharthy called Iola’s 43-19 win over Osawatomie on Friday an “exclamation point.”
“Osawatomie is a very sound football team offensively and defensively,” Daugharthy said. “We got after it. We had a lot of good looking plays on both sides of the ball. We had a couple busts on defense, but for the most part, this was our best game by far.”
Just a week after the Mustangs went on the road to grab their first win of the season at Parsons, they won their second in a row to bring their overall record to 2-4 and 1-3 in conference play.
For the offense, it was the running game that took center stage as the Mustangs recorded 474 yards on the ground along with six rushing touchdowns.
It was the performance that Daugharthy and the coaches had been waiting for from an offensive line, who had their share of growing pains so far this season.
“I was really proud of our offensive line,” Daugharthy said. “They don’t just know how to run the offense, they’ve learned it. Osawatomie was throwing a lot of different fronts and blitzing a lot of different guys and we blocked for the most part correctly. Not only that, but we got off the ball and owned them. If we come off the ball like that, we can beat anybody. I firmly believe that. It was a big breakthrough for them.”
The players on the line also felt their confidence rejuvenated over the past several weeks. They had the vibe that they’re hard work this season is finally starting to pay off.
“Everyone on the line has gotten way more assignment sound,” junior lineman Nick Zimmerman said. “They physicality was always there, we just needed to have the execution there. I think that’s all gelling together at the right time before districts.”
The offensive line was in a groove, it’s it was never famine and mostly feast for the stable of the Mustang running backs led by the explosive Isaac Vink, who put up two touchdowns tonight on a 16 carry, 260-yard performance which was a career night for the senior.
When backs like Vink explode like that, linemen like Zimmerman was able to take part ownership in the success.
“It’s great because I always know he’s going to give me my props after it happens,” Zimmerman said of Vink . “I know it’s always going to be noticed by this team. People have each other’s backs here, that’s how it’s always been.”
The offense was dominant from the beginning as they opened their first three drives with long touchdown drives starting with sophomore quarterback Casen Barker pounding it in from two yards out. Sophomore Zane Whitney got his first varsity touchdown of the season and Isaac Badders made it three on a 21 carry, 66 yard night.
The defense forced its first of two fumbles in the first half, but gave the ball right back to the Trojans after falling to convert on fourth down as the first half expired with the Mustangs taking a 21-0 lead into the locker room.
After forcing a punt that pinned them deep into their own territory on the first drive of the second half, it was Vink who cut across the field for an 83-yard touchdown run to put Iola up 28-0.
“He’s never been a running back before and you can see him growing,” Daugharthy said. “He made a cut across the field which he wouldn’t have made two weeks ago. You can see he’s feeling a little more confident and he has some more swagger in him too. I think he’s feeling comfortable that the offensive line is going to get it done. He understands the offense so I think he’s going to keep going.”
