Iola Middle School’s eighth-graders were clinicians Thursday, showing anybody who was interested a devastatingly effective way to disrupt an opponent’s offense.
The Ponies repeatedly broke through the line of scrimmage to pull down Royster Middle School ball carriers. Occasionally, the ball carrier would slip past, but never get far enough downfield to put the Chanute squad in scoring position.
Iola’s offense wasn’t too shabby either, particularly in the first half.
Iola scored 24 first-quarter points en route to a 32-0 victory in the team’s home opener.
“Just a very good effort from these kids,” IMS head coach Marty Taylor said of Iola’s 32-0 win. “Everyone got a chance to play a lot and everyone did a good job.”
Evan Sigg played a large role, scoring first on a four-yard run, then blocking a Royster punt that wound up in the hands of Nik Peterson, who raced 38 yards untouched into the end zone.
Matt Komma was next on the scoring wheel, blasting his way in from three yards out late in the first quarter to push the lead to 24-0.
Another drive ended with a fumble deep in Royster territory in the second quarter, and a holding penalty nullified a 62-yard touchdown run by Nik Peterson, but Iola still was able to respond.
The Ponies quickly stuffed Royster’s next possession before Sigg found Ethan Holloway on a 40-yard pass play — on fourth and long — with 1:10 left in the half.
Taylor let off the pedal at that point, allowing the clock to run out on Iola’s final possession of the half, and substituting liberally through the third and fourth quarters.
Cale Barnhart led the IMS rushing attack with 66 yards on nine carries. He also ran in a pair of two-point conversions.
Peterson rushed for 58 yards on seven carries. He also caught both of Sigg’s completions for 57 yards, including the touchdown.
Sigg rushed for 41 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. He was 2 of 3 passing. Komma had 27 yards and a touchdown, Nick Vaughn rushed five times for 26 yards and Ethan Tavarez rushed twice for 14 yards.
“Evan Sigg was a wrecking ball on defense,” Taylor said. “He completely disrupted everything they tried to do. I thought Cale and Nik Peterson ran hard tonight.”
A SLOW start did in Iola’s seventh-graders.
Royster led 8-0 before the Ponies scored midway through the second quarter to cut the Rocket lead to 8-6. But Royster scored on a 30-yard pass play late in the half to lead by 10.
The Ponies cut the gap to two in the second half but could get no closer in a 24-14 loss.
“We just did not come ready to play,” Taylor said. “We weren’t very tough in the first half.”
Iola’s Tayton Driskel, who rushed for 167 yards and both iola touchdowns, reached the end zone on a nine-yard run in the second quarter, and on a 22-yard run in the third. He also scored a two-point conversion.
“The kids came out in the second half and played much better football,” Taylor said. “We can build on that.”
Royster’s Brennen Feeback scored on a six-yard run to open the scoring for the Rockets. Feeback’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Mason Manbeck ended the first-half scoring. Feeback’s 26-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter capped the scoring.
NIc Zimmerman added 37 yards on eight carries. Kane Rogers was 5 of 9 passing for 67 yards and an interception. He also rushed for 17 yards. Cole Regehr had an 11-yard rush.
Matt Karr caught two passes for 55 yards, including a long pass from Kane that ended up three yards short of the goal line as time expired in the first half. Driskel had two receptions for 12 yards.
Iola returns to action Thursday at Pittsburg.
