The good news for Iola High’s Mustangs is that last week’s 28-7 loss to Central Heights, in the long run, may not mean much.
Iola still has an opportunity to grab at least a share of the Pioneer League championship — and more importantly — head into district play the following week on a high note, if the Mustangs can defeat visiting Wellsville Friday.
Doing so, however, may be easier said than done.
“Wellsville runs pretty much the exact same offense and defense Central Heights does, except Wellsville probably runs it better,” Iola head coach Doug Kerr said.
“It’d be easy to say we’ve regrouped, and that we’ve responded to the challenge,” Kerr continued. “But we won’t know if we did that until Friday. Then, we’ll find out pretty quickly.”
The 3-2 Mustangs will host the 4-1 Eagles at 7 p.m. Friday at Riverside Park.
Wellsville coach Brad Burkdoll expects a pair of evenly matched teams to slug it out from the opening kickoff to the final gun.
Wellsville brings in a powerful offense capable of controlling the clock, or breaking a big play every now and then.
Leading the charge are Wellsville’s running back duo of Brett Osbern and Luke Meyer.
Osbern has rushed for 660 yards on the season, averaging more than 9 yards per rush, with nine touchdowns. Meyer, meanwhile, is coming off his best game of the season, a 112-yard rushing effort in Wellsville’s 27-0 win over Anderson County.
The Eagle air attack is keyed by quarterback Shamus Kearney, who averages nearly 11 yards per pass attempt and has tossed five touchdown passes with only a single interception.
Osbern, Meyer and Carter Mann are his favorite targets.
Wellsville carries a four-game winning streak into Friday, outscoring its opponents 119-26 in the process.
Wellsville coach Brad Burkdoll expects Iola to respond favorably to the challenge of coming off a loss.
“Iola is a well-coached team, with a lot of team speed,” Burkdoll said. “They’re able to spread the ball around, so we’ll have to stay focused and tackle well.
“The big plays for us will be on third down,” he continued. “Central Heights did a good job of possessing the ball against Iola by converting those third downs.”
Turnovers also will be key, both coaches agreed.
Iola won three of its first four by holding on to the ball, but lost four turnovers in the Central Heights defeat.
Health-wise, Iola will once again be without the services of starting inside linebacker Keenan Badders, who has missed the last three games. Lineman Eric Maxwell should return after missing the Viking game.
“Losing Keenan has hurt us a lot,” Kerr said. “He did a great job the first two games of the season for us.”
Kerr said a few lineup changes may be in store as well.
“Not necessarily who is starting, but we may play some guys more on defense if they’re doing well,” he said.
Starting lineups
Starting lineups Defense
Iola High Mustangs
Offense
QB — 10 Tyler McIntosh, Sr.
WB — 6 Adam Kauth, Sr.
HB — 24 John Whitworth, Sr.
FB — 34 Shane Walden, Jr.
TE — 2 Jesse Zimmerman, Sr.
OL — 62 Quinton Morrison, Sr.
OL — 56 Alex Bauer, Jr.
OL — 70 Ethan Sigg, So.
OL — 58 Arion Kunkler, Sr.
OL — 50 Derrick Weir.
WR — 5 Trent Latta, Sr.
PK — 15 Isaias Macias, Sr.
Defense
DL — 87 Bryce Misenhelter, Sr.
DL — 32 Shawn Frye, Jr.
DL — 54 Eric Maxwell, Sr.
OLB — 21 Brice Aiello, So.
OLB — 6 Adam Kauth, Sr.
ILB — 34 Shane Walden, Jr.
ILB — 12 Kaden Macha, Jr.
ILB — 21 Brice Aiello, So.
CB — 22 Alex Kelly, Jr.
CB— 1 Cody Conner, Sr.
FS — 3 Jacob Rhoads, Sr.
P — 12 Kaden Macha, Jr.
Wellsville High Eagles
Offense
QB —11 Shamus Kearney, Sr.
FB — 32 Landyn Holtwick, Sr.
TB — 12 Luke Meyer, Sr.
WR — 8 Shelton Breithaupt, Sr.
WR — 21 Cole Silsby, Jr.
Slot — 16 Brett Osbern, Jr.
T — 70 Bryce Smith, So.
G — 59 Trevor Shalkoski, Jr.
C — 77 Courtland Samsonov, Sr.
G — 75 Lance Meyer, Jr.
T — 80 Jared Klamm, Jr..
DT — 70 Bryce Smith, So.
NT — 77 Courtland Samsonov, Sr.
DT — 80 Joared Klamm, Jr.
LB — 12 Luke Meyer, Sr.
LB — 56 Brandon Chrisp, Jr.
LB — 32 Landyn Holtwick, Sr.
LB — 43 Trevor Heckman, Jr.
DB — 21 Cole Silsby, Jr.
DB — 8 Shelton Breithaupt, Sr.
S — 4 Mithcell Huffman, Sr.
S — 16 Brett Osbern, Jr.
