Ponies drop two-point decisions

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Sports

October 22, 2010 - 12:00 AM

PARSONS — In season finales Thursday night on the road, Iola Middle School’s football teams came up short — two points each in their games.
Iola’s eighth-grade Ponies and host Parsons Middle School’s eighth-grade played a scoreless first half. There was no scoring in the third quarter either.
With 2:10 left in regulation, Drew Faulhaber capped off the Iola drive to the end zone with a one-yard touchdown pass to Alex Bauer. Iola failed on the two-point conversion.
Parsons used a 30-yard pass play to tie the game with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter. Iola denied Parsons the two-point conversion to leave it at 6-6.
The teams went into overtime. Parsons scored first on a one-yard run and got the two-point conversion.
Bauer hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Faulhaber. But the Ponies weren’t able to convert on the two-point conversion to tie the game.
Iola’s eighth-grade Ponies lost 14-12 in overtime. The Ponies were 2-5 on the season.
“These kids played hard. The outcome wasn’t what we wanted but it wasn’t from lack of effort,” said Marty Taylor, IMS head football coach.
“Between injuries and players missing games, these kids had an uphill battle all year and it only made them play harder. That’s what we need in this program, young men who will take on a challenge and not quit. I’m very proud of these kids.”
Isaiah Grover rushed for 68 yards on eight carries for Iola. Faulhaber had 58 yards on 11 carries plus was 7 of 10 passing for 68 yards.
Bauer caught four passes for 26 yards and two touchdowns. Grover had three catches for 42 yards. Trey Colborn had seven carries for 39 yards.
Leading the Iola defense was Bauer with five unassisted tackles and four assisted tackles. Faulhaber had four solo stops and four assisted tackles plus an interception.
Tristan Ingle recovered a fumble and had one solo tackle and two assisted tackles. Colborn made four solo stops and three assisted and Shane Walden had one solo tackle and five assisted tackles.
Grover had three solo stops. Caleb Mock had two solo tackles.

IOLA’S SEVENTH-grade Ponies found themselves down 18-0 with just over six minutes to play in the game. Parsons was up 6-0 at halftime.
The Ponies went to work late in the game, rallying but losing 18-16.
Brett Taylor threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Colby Works with 3:15 left on the clock. Taylor tossed a two-point conversion pass to Brice Aiello.
The Ponies got the ball back and with 1:50 remaining in the game, Taylor found Aiello on a 30-yard pass play for a touchdown. Keanan Badders tacked on the two-point conversion.
Taylor was 5 of 8 for 70 yards passing. Aiello caught three passes for 44 yards and Works had one for 20 yards.
Brandon Donnell rushed for 62 yards on 18 carries and made one catch for six yards. Badders had 49 yards on nine carries.
“These kids just never quit. It would have been easy just to pack it up but they played hard and came up short,” Taylor said.
“This group did a great job all year nd I’m proud of each of them. I’m already looking forward to next year.”
Taylor said Donnell played his last football game in Iola, because the family is moving. He said Donnell “gave it 100 percent every second of every game he played. I was lucky to get the opportunity to coach him and wish him and his family well.”
The IMS seventh-grade team went 5-2 in 2010.

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