Which way will history sway tonight?
Iola High’s Mustangs host Parsons High’s Vikings in a Southeast Kansas League game. Both teams lost their season and SEK openers last week.
The Vikings come into the game mired in a 21-game losing streak and have lost 28 of their last 29 games.
Don’t be too quick to say history is on Iola’s side.
The Mustangs did beat the Vikings 16-12 in 2007. But that was the first time since a 9-6 win on Sept. 30, 1988, for an Iola team over a Parsons football team.
In 2006 when Independence had lost 30 straight games, the Mustangs escaped with a 27-15 win. They had to score late and come up with a late defensive stand to win that game.
Teams in losing streaks are dangerous.
A few years back, the Mustangs fell victim to an Anderson County High team that had gone through a long skid.
Nothing is a given. The Viking players are not going to step meekly onto Iola High’s football field tonight and hand it over to the Mustangs. The Mustangs are going to have to play better in all phases than they did last week to beat a Viking team ready to bust through to the win column.
The Mustangs have to be able to run the football. There was no consistency in their offensive line play last week against Independence. When there was s block, Iola’s running backs didn’t seem to go where the holes were and got caught.
There were some good scrambles for yardage. But Iola attempted 37 runs and only got 80 yards on the ground last week. That’s a failure to execute as an offensive unit. The Mustangs have to get better at the line and in the backfield.
Defensively, the run game was again a factor. Iola’s players have to have the desire to tackle. Put yourself in position to make the play, step up, wrap up and bring them down.
Iola allowed Independence to rush for 390 yards. The Mustangs need to tighten things up.
IOLA HIGH’S volleyball team is at home Saturday. The Fillies host the annual IHS Invitational. Humboldt High’s Lady Cubs also are in the tournament.
The two teams meet in the first match of the day at 8:30 a.m.
Let’s see if we can pack a lot of blue and gold in the seats for the Fillies. Anderson County, gunning for its third straight and 16th IHS Invitational title, will have its cheering contingent in the stands.
IOLA HIGH’S CROSS country teams are out of the chutes. Roman Yocham is leading the way for the Mustangs. Yocham, who placed at last year’s Class 4A state meet, is starting off pretty much where he left off at the end of 2009. Sydney Owens and Leah Weir are pacing the Fillies, who have a full team to race in varsity competition this season.
IHS cross country coach Marvin Smith is excited about the girls’ full team and he really likes the way some of his younger runners are progressing on the boys’ side. The Mustangs have several sophomores and freshmen who have had good starts.
