GARNETT — After getting his finger stepped on in the early goings of Iola High’s showdown with Anderson County Friday, Mustang quarterback Tre Wilson found it increasingly difficult to put much zip in his passes.
His legs, however, were working just fine.
The dynamic junior rushed for 257 yards and four touchdowns, as Iola overcame a laundry basket of penalty flags to defeat host Anderson County, 25-18.
The win improves Iola to 3-1 on the season. More importantly, Iola opens Class 3A, District 2 with a 1-0 mark.
The game wasn’t secured until Iola’s Cortland Carson intercepted Anderson County quarterback Landon Schillig’s desperation heave into the end zone on the game’s final play.
“I’m happy, but I know there’s more in us,” Wilson said. “There’s more that needs to be done.”
Head coach David Daugharthy agreed. “I’m a little frustrated,” he said. “I feel like we could have won that game by a lot.”
The Mustangs were whistled for 12 penalties covering 126 yards — 70 yards alone on special teams plays.
Anderson County also racked up more than 100 yards in penalty yardage, including a pair of critical calls on Iola’s final drive that led to Wilson’s last score of the day, a 12-yard run with 1:28 left that turned a tenuous 19-18 lead to a seven-point margin.
Still, Anderson County kept things interesting to the bitter end.
Schillig overcame a sack on the first play from scrimmage, eventually finding Albert Thacker III on back-to-back passes, pushing the ball to the Mustang 27 with 11 seconds left.
Bauer batted down Schillig’s next throw just shy of the Iola goal line, leaving 4 seconds on the clock.
Carson’s pick on the next pass with time expired sealed the win.
Wilson got things off to an explosive start, busting off a 65-yard touchdown run on the third play from scrimmage.
Anderson County responded quickly, tying the score 6-6 on its first drive with Camryn Wilson’s 20-yard run
