Panthers pounce on the Bulldogs
Examiner photo by Patricia Renick Burton Panther Junior running back Damarcus Wilson is brought down from behind by Iola Bulldog senior linebacker Adam Crenshaw (#6), to the right Iola Bulldog freshman Blake Crocker (#34) and about to be stopped from the front by Iola Bulldog senior Colton Bouillon (#17).
IOLA-- The Iola Bulldogs (3-2) faced the Burton Panthers in a tough non district match up ending with a 49-7 loss.
“I think we went out there and waited a little too late to kick it up and start making plays,” said running back, Cale Gould, “I think that if we can get stuff rolling early on offense and hold them out on defense then I think we’ll be a great team.”
Burton was limited to a single score in the opening quarter but exploded for three touchdowns in the second including a 79-yard punt return. The Panthers racked up 370 total yards with 273 of those on the ground. They also converted on 67% of their third downs. Iola was held to 138 yards on offense.
The Bulldogs did pick it up in the third quarter, holding the Panthers to only one touchdown, leaving the Bulldogs down 42 to finish the quarter. “I think that we should have stepped it up a lot more toward the beginning of the game like we did at the end,” stated senior quarterback Blake Driver. “We had really good drives at the end and we finally started picking it up around the third quarter.”
To open the fourth quarter, the Iola Bulldogs were finally able to make a break against the Panthers with a touchdown drive capped off with a 15-yard run from Driver who finished the game with 31 passing yards and 46 rushing yards. Senior, Kurtis Landry, kicked a field goal making for a successful extra point.
Reflecting on the game, Iola head coach Kerry Bamburg stated, “We must play better from start to finish. We dug ourselves in a hole early on and we couldn’t get out of it, so we’ve got to come out next week and play better and play four full quarters.”
Iola travels to Tomball Rosehill Christian to take on the Eagles Friday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. Burton travels to Rogers Friday, Oct. 4, with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m.