High School Football: Vikings 49, Mustangs 14
For the second year in a row, Iola footballs season opener has left second-year head coach David Daugharthy shaking his head.
Last year, the Mustangs faltered at home against rival Chanute, 38-7. On Friday, Iola fell at home, 49-14, to Parsons in a game that started badly and just got worse.
Last season, the Mustangs memorably got a 28-25 road win over the Vikings to halt a four-game losing streak. On paper, Parsons seemed to be much the team that Iola saw last year with the exception of first-year head coach Kurt Friess. In hindsight, the difference between the two teams is stark.
Coach Friess has done an amazing job, Daugharthy said. I dont know what hes done but theyve turned into a physical football team. Theyre not just fast anymore. They were laying hits all night. I was impressed. That caught us off guard. They were in some formations we thought they would be in but we didnt get a very good look at their offense from the scrimmage video they sent us last week. But all credit to them, they executed and we did not.
The Vikings got it going early and often.
After Iola was forced into a three-and-out on the opening drive of the game, a 20-yard scramble by quarterback Gage Friess set Parsons up to run the ball in from six yards out and take an early 6-0 lead.
After that, Friess completed touchdowns passes of 63, 21 and 37 yards on the Vikings next three drives to push their lead to 28-0 early in the second quarter.
After that Iola seemed to get things going and aided by Parsons penalties, they began to march down the field and got in Viking territory but a Parsons defender yanked the ball out of sophomore running back Isaac Badders hands for the first of two turnovers by the Mustangs.
Iolas defense began to show signs of life late in the first half and did not allow another offensive touchdown from the Vikings for the rest of the game. But unfortunately for Iola, Parsons found other ways to score.
On two consecutive drives, the Mustangs punted the ball late in the first half and Parsons return men zoomed past the Iola special teams units on their way to 65 and 75-yard touchdowns.
Iola went into the half down 42-0.
The Mustangs managed to scoop up the onside kick to start the second half, and just like the drive that ended in the fumble, Iola (with the aid of some Parsons penalties) began to march down the field and into the red zone.
On fourth and four, senior quarterback Kane Rogers who split duties with junior starter Casen Barker lofted a pass too high for his receiver and it was picked off by Viking junior DaQuan Johnson who, after already scoring twice in the first half, took the ball more 100 yards for a touchdown.
The deficit grew to 49-0 with 5:30 left to play in the third quarter.
Luckily for Iola, that would be it for the Vikings scoring.
