Iola High’s junior varsity football team capped its 2013 season on a high note Monday, taking advantage of six Chanute turnovers and a pair of long touchdown runs.
The Mustangs’ 21-6 victory, in perhaps the final game ever on the gridiron between the two rivals, gives the Iola JV a final record of 3-4 on the season.
“It was a great way to end the season, winning the last game we play, and winning the last time we play Chanute,” Iola JV coach Dana Daugharthy said.
The Mustangs mixed an opportunistic defense with a grind-it-out offense to perfection.
“Our defense bent, but we did a great job of forcing turnovers,” Daugharthy said. “That’s winning football.”
Iola’s Blake Reynolds intercepted a Chanute pass early on, followed by Alex Kelly to end the Blue Comets’ next drive.
The teams remained scoreless until Jake Gumfory blasted through the line and raced 50 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter. Gumfory ended Chanute’s next drive with a pick, setting up Iola’s second score, a nine-yard run by Ethan Sheibmeir with 1:56 left in the half.
Chanute didn’t go quietly. A 66-yard pass from Andrew Andoyo to Jerron Lewis set up the Blue Comets deep in Mustang territory. Brady Vogel capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown to cut the gap to 14-6 at halftime.
Gumfory ended another Blue Comet drive early in the second half with another interception, then Reynolds recovered a fumble late in the period.
Iola’s subsequent drive stalled at midfield, forcing a punt with just under 3 minutes left in the game.
But Kelly hauled in his second interception with 2:32 left, followed one play later by Nate Lewis’ 57-yard touchdown to seal the win.
Sheibmeir led the Mustangs with 84 yards on 24 carries, while Gumfory had 61 yards on three rushes. Lewis covered 56 yards on three attempts.
The long-standing rivalry between Iola and Chanute will be put on hiatus because the schools are no longer in the same league or state football classification. Chanute defeated Iola, 38-7, in their varsity game Friday.
Mustang junior varsity rolls past Blue Comets
