Blue Comets blast the Mustangs

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Sports

October 2, 2010 - 12:00 AM

“We’re just going to forget about the first five games of the season and get ready for district play,” Iola High Mustang head coach Rick Horton said after the Mustangs were bowled over 62-6 by visiting Chanute High’s Blue Comets Friday.
“Next week is our tune-up for district play. In Kansas — it’s a silly playoff system — all that matters to get to the playoffs are the district games.”
The Mustangs got down quick and never recovered. Chanute led 41-0 at halftime and was up 55-0 by the end of the three quarters.
That triggered the running clock for the fourth quarter for the fourth game in a row. Chanute put in its reserves in the fourth quarter.
Following a Chanute touchdown with 10:48 on the clock, the Mustangs took the ensuing kickoff and had  their touchdown drive.
Six straight runs by senior tailback Marcus Sullivan including a 44-yard dash got Iola on the scoreboard. Sullivan went over the goal line from four yards out.
Chanute used a punishing running game to dominate the Southeast Kansas League game. The Blue Comets’ one-two punch of Eric Bowman and Jared McComb combined for 450 of the Comets; 477 yards on the ground.
Bowman and McComb each scored three touchdowns in the game.
But it was the Chanute defense that opened the scoring Friday night. On the third play of the game, Iola’s senior quarterback Charles Apt went back to pass.
Ethan Beck stepped in front of the Mustang receiver and intercepted the football. Beck raced 29 yards to the end zone.
Iola had the first of several opportunities in the game. The Mustangs punted the football but Chanute’s Sam Son muffed the punt and Apt recovered the football.
“I thought we had something going there with the screen pass to Marcus but it got called back on a penalty,” Horton said.
“It was like that all night.”
After punting, the Mustang junior linebacker Jerrik Sigg intercepted a pass by Chanute’s Grant McMillan. That set the Mustangs up at the Chanute 41 with 5:27 left in the first quarter trailing 7-0.
It was three plays and punt for Iola. McComb and Bowman took over on five runs out of six plays. McComb had a 45-yard run that set up Bowman’s nine-yard touchdown run.
To open the second quarter, Brock Gilmore came in to throw a 32-yard pass to Griffin Williams. Even with a 10-yard penalty that called back a touchdown run didn’t phase Chanute.
Bowman just did it again from 30 yards with 11 minutes on the clock.
Down by three scores the Mustangs came out with a strong drive. Apt found Sigg for 24 yards and Clint Heffern for nine.
The Mustangs were on the Chanute 31 yards line but got no closer. A fourth-down pass play into the end zone fell incomplete.
But McMillan’s pass to Alec Haight was complete on Chanute’s first play of the possession. That’s all it took as Haight broke two tackles on the long pass that went for a touchdown.
The rout was on. Chanute scored two more times before halftime.
The Mustangs came out and executed a perfect onside kick, recovered by John Whitworth at the Chanute 42.
On the fifth play of a promising drive, Apt was intercepted for the third time.
But the Mustang defense held and Sigg blocked the only Chanute punt attempt of the night. Jacob Rhoads recovered the ball at the Chanute 15. Iola went backwards then Apt connected with senior Dylan Allen for 13 yards, one yard shy of picking up a first down on a fourth-down play.
Bowman broke loose for a 60-yard run setting up a touchdown by McComb. Bowman had a 64 yard run to set up his own two-yard touchdown run just over a minute later.
“There are no more excuses. We all have to be accountable for what is happening and we talked to the boys about this,” Horton said. “We have to be able to work through adversity during a game.
“It is now 0-0 and we get ready for district play.”
Iola didn’t hold its composure well as three personal foul or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties were assessed against the Mustangs. Sigg drew an ejection from the game late in the third quarter.
Sullivan finished with 81 yards on 15 carries. Apt was 10 of 26 passing for 106 yards and three interceptions. Sigg was 1 of 1 passing for nine yards.
Sigg caught six passes for 72 yards. Clint Heffern had two catches for 14 yards. Sullivan made two catches for 17 years and Allen had two for 12.
From his free safety spot, Apt led the Iola defense with eight unassisted tackles and seven assisted tackles. Whitworth had four solo stops and one assisted tackles while Sullivan and C. Heffern each had three solo tackles and one assisted tackle.
“It’s not a good thing when your defensive backs are tackle leaders. Chanute didn’t do anything we didn’t expect. We didn’t tackle well,” Horton said.
Stephen McDonald had two unassisted tackles and three assisted tackles while Kyle Heffern had two and two and Allen had two solo stops.
Iola is 0-5 and travels to Altamont to play Labette County High’s Grizzlies in SEK action next Friday.

Chanute — 14-27-14-7—62
Iola — 0-0-0-6—6

Chanute — Beck 29 yd interception return (McMillan kick)
Chanute — Bowman 9 yd run (kick good)
Chanute — Bowman 30 yd run (McMillan kick)
Chanute — Haight 69 yd pass from McMillan (kick failed)
Chanute — McComb 3 yd run (McMillan kick)
Chanute — McComb 20 yd run (kick good)
Chanute — McComb 10 yd run (kick good)
Chanute  — Bowman 2 yd run (kick good)
Chanute — Bell 5 yd run (kick good)
Iola — Sullivan 4 yd run (run failed)

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Iola-Sullivan 15-81, Apt 12-3, Sigg 7-(-5), Allen 1-(-2), Whitworth 1-1. Chanute-Bowman 18-274, McComb 14-176, McMillan 2-4, Haight 2-19, Bell 1-5, Hale 1-(-3), Kisner 1-2, Lau 1-0.
Passing: Iola-Apt 10-26-106-3, Sigg 1-1-9-0. Chanute-McMillan 2-7-66-1, Gilmore 1-1-32-0.
Receiving: Iola-Sigg 6-72, C. Heffern 2-14, Sullivan 2-17, Allen 2-12. Chanute-Haight 2-66, Williams 1-32.
Punting: Iola-K. Heffern 6-161 (27yd average). Chanute-Haynes 1-blocked.

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