FRONTENAC — As if facing perhaps the most talented team on their schedule wasn’t enough of a challenge, Iola High’s Mustangs had to travel to Frontenac short-handed Friday.
Iola was without the services of starting running back Trent Jones and key receiver Karson Sigg due to injury.
Sure enough, Frontenac did what a team ranked fourth in Class 3A should do — took control early and never let up.
The Raiders led 26-0 after one quarter and 41-0 by intermission.
Still, Iola gleaned a few positives from Friday’s tilt.
And while Frontenac was never threatened after the early moments, Iola’s defense nevertheless made a number of key defensive stops after a tough first quarter, and even shut out Frontenac in the second half.
The 41-0 defeat drops Iola to 1-3 on the season, and more importantly, 0-1 in Class 3A, District 2 play.
The key to Iola’s future is how the Mustangs respond, head coach David Daugharthy said.
Even with the loss, “we have a lot to be excited about,” he said.
Frontenac had its offense on cruise control through the first quarter, scoring on its first four drives of the night.
Quarterback Collin McCartney found Michael Doria for a short touchdown pass to open the scoring, then kept the ball himself on a 19-yard touchdown run to make it 13-0.
Iola went three-and-out on its next possession, and a short punt set up the Raiders near midfield. Justice Compton scored on the second play of the drive on a 51-yard jaunt.
McCartney capped the quarter with another touchdown, this one covering 9 yards, to put Iola in arrears, 26-0.
But Iola’s defense found its footing in the second quarter.
Carter Hutton picked off a McCartney pass at the Mustang 5 to end Frontenac’s next possession.
