OSAWATOMIE — Iola High began its season Friday with a statement 35-7 drubbing at Osawatomie.
The first score for the Mustangs came on their opening offensive drive when Briggs Michael rushed in from one yard out for a 7-0 lead.
The next drive saw Iola quarterback Landon Weide hit an open Grady Dougherty down the sideline to move up to the Osawatomie 25. Weide ran the ball into the end zone from 25 yards out but it was called back due to a holding penalty.
The Mustangs then scored through the air as quarterback Landon Weide hit Mac Leonard down the middle for a 30-yard touchdown pass and the early 14-0 lead.
“They’re good friends (Weide and Leonard) so I think that carries on to the field and you saw that connection,” Iola head coach David Daugharthy said. “Both of them were sort of makeshift plays so I think that speaks to the chemistry they have but they’ve been playing ball for a long time with each other so that helps.”
On the first play of the second half, Iola’s kickoff returner Eli Adams took the ball up to the 50-yard line for a great starting field position. Only a couple plays later, Weide found Leonard again open in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown connection and the 21-0 advantage.
Weide capped the next drive with a 20-yard touchdown run for a 28-0 lead.
The next drive Weide carried the ball into the end zone from 20 yards out for a big 28-0 difference.
Following the Weide touchdown rush, the Iola defense forced two straight fumbles, recovering both in the red zone with a chance to score. After the first fumble was recovered at the 11-yard line, Briggs Michael ran in from 10 yards out for another Mustang touchdown and the 35-0 lead.
“I think we could have scored some more and kept them off the board,” Daugharthy said. “That would have been nice but I feel like the effort was there all night and I feel like we were definitely the more physical team, which was our goal. That was definitely a statement we wanted to make.”
The second fumble recovery came at the 21-yard line but the Mustangs were unable to stick the ball into the end zone. Trojan Michael Clark picked off a pass at the 13-yard line to end the Iola offensive drive.
With less than a minute remaining in regulation, Osawatomie got on the scoreboard on a Seth Carroll to Walker Beats sideline touchdown throw.
Overall on the offensive side of the ball, Weide carried the rock the most, keeping it four times for 21 yards while sticking one into the end zone on the ground. Leonard hauled in his two touchdown receptions while finishing with 46 yards through the air.
Iola plays at Wellsville next Friday night at 7 p.m.
