Iola Middle School’s eighth-grade A-team Ponies trailed 14-2 after one quarter at home Thursday. Visiting Roosevelt Middle School of Coffeyville was on a roll.
The Ponies turned things around in the second quarter. It became a barn-burner in the second half.
Isaiah Grover of Iola missed a contested three-point shot at the buzzer. Coffeyville got the 46-43 win.
“Wow, just a great effort,” said Marty Taylor, IMS head basketball coach. “The kids never quit and had a shot to tie at the end against an excellent eighth-grade basketball team.”
The Ponies outscored the Roughriders 9-1 in the second period. Iola trailed 15-11 at the break.
Taylor said the Ponies did a lot of standing around early. Kaden Macha finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for Iola. Grover had 10 points and five rebounds.
Drew Faulhaber added nine points. Alex Bauer scored six and pulled down five rebounds. Travis Hermstein and Shane Walden each had two points.
“Kaden kept us in the game early on. Travis came off the bench and contributed some very good minutes,” Taylor said.
Iola’s seventh-grade A-team outlasted Coffeyville 29-28. The Ponies led 13-12 at halftime but the Roughriders had 12-9 scoring edge in the third quarter.
The Ponies rallied on a 7-4 surge in the final period.
Gus Hopkins tossed in 10 points and controlled seven rebounds for Iola. Brice Aiello had nine points and Colby Works added six.
Brett Taylor had five rebounds and two points. Trevor Cox scored two points. Keanan Badders pulled in eight rebounds.
“As good of an effort as I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Taylor said. “From the tip these kids really played hard and in the last three minutes they just flat out got after it.”
Taylor said it was Hopkins’ best game by far and it was a great win against a very good Coffeyville team.
Coffeyville won the combined B-team game 22-13. Hermstein and Adam Peterson each scored four points for Iola. Brock Peters had three points and Matt Jacobs had two points.
Iola hosts Pittsburg Monday.
Pony A-teams split games
