JV football can’t overcome Labette’s McPhereson

Iola High’s junior varsity football team put up a valiant effort but came up short in a 33-16 loss to Labette County.
The Mustangs started with the ball on their own 28 yard line. However, quarterback Ben Cooper was brought to the ground hard on a keeper and fumbled the ball. The Grizzlies recovered on Iola’s 28 yard line.
On Labette’s first play of the game, Isaiah McPhereson ran for a 28-yard touchdown. The play, however, was called back because of an offensive holding penalty. Instead of a touchdown, the Grizzlies were put back on Iola’s 38 yard line. On the next play, Ben Cooper made up for the fumble with an interception. Iola got the ball back on their own 18 yard line.
The Mustangs were forced to punt during their next drive. After a 37-yard punt by Nick Vaughn, the ball was returned 30 yards by McPhereson.
“It was a really good performance,” coach Dana Daugharthy said. “They had one kid that was faster than us, but we rallied and tackled him for the most part. We kicked to him when we weren’t supposed to kick to him.”
Daugharthy was referring to McPhereson. Despite the good field position by McPhereson’s return, Iola’s Joey Zimmerman recovered a fumble placing Iola at their own 15 yard line.
Ben Cooper ran for a 19-yard pickup and suddenly, the Mustangs took back the momentum. Unfortunately, Cooper threw an interception returned for a 34-yard touchdown. Again, the touchdown was negated because of a penalty on Labette. The first quarter ended on the play.
After failed drives by both teams, the first score of the game came on a 4-yard run by Labette’s Rogan Bruce. Labette missed the extra point and led 6-0.
The Mustangs got the ball back, but were forced to punt after starting on their own 4 yard line. Vaughn punted the ball to Iola’s 38 yard line, but McPhereson returned it all the way to Iola’s two yard line. Bruce scored his second touchdown on a two-yard scamper. After getting the two point conversion, Labette led 14-0.
Labette started with the ball, but Iola’s Cale Barnhart quickly intercepted a pass giving Iola the ball back. The Mustangs would go for it on fourth down during their next drive, but couldn’t convert.
On Labette’s next possession, Iola forced them to punt after starting the series off with a five-yard loss on a sack by Gage Tomlinson. Labette couldn’t recover from that and had to punt for the first time in the game.
Taking over on the Grizzlies’ 40 yard line, Iola would drive the field. Evan Sigg connected with Zimmerman for a seven-yard pass that resulted in a first down. Nik Peterson then had a 40-yard run to the five yard line. Sigg scored on a three-yard rushing touchdown. He also succeeded on a two-point conversion. Iola trailed 14-8.
McPhereson struck again. This time he had a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Labette quickly expanded its lead to 20-8 after failing on the extra point.
On Iola’s next possession, the Mustangs started on their own 6-yard line. Peterson fumbled and the Grizzlies recovered the ball.
Labette’s Jake Terrel threw a four-yard pass caught in the end zone by Alex Newell. The Grizzlies were winning 26-8.
Iola got the ball back on their own 36 yard line. Zimmerman broke free on the first play for a 47-yard run. With five seconds left in the third quarter, Nick Vaughn ran 13 yards for a touchdown. After a two-point conversion by Peterson, Iola trailed 26-16  going into the fourth quarter.
After a failed drive by Labette, Iola sustained a steady drive. On fourth and six on Iola’s 46 yard line, Cooper tossed a 9-yard pass to Bryce Anders for a first down. On second and 15 on Labette’s 46 yard line, Cooper hooked up with Ethan Holloway for a 16-yard gain and first down. On the next play, Labette recovered a fumble negating the entire drive.
Of course, McPhereson would then take the ball 47 yards for a touchdown and Labette would convert is first extra point of the game. Labette took a 33-16 and that would be the final score.
“Overall, I think we played really well. They battled, and that’s what I asked them to do,” Daugharthy said. “A lot of players were playing positions they hadn’t before because we bumped a bunch of people up to varsity. They gave a maximum effort and that’s what we asked them for.”