Thunderbirds cruise to 46-8 Central Wisconsin-Small win at Loyal

A pattern quickly emerged after each team’s first offensive drive in the Oct. 30 Central-Wisconsin-Small Conference football game between Iola-Scandinavia and Loyal. The Greyhounds could not move the ball; the Thunderbirds could.

That pattern repeated itself through the night as Iola-Scandinavia remained unbeaten on the season with a 46-8 win. Loyal fell to 1-4, with one conference game left on Nov. 6 at Wild Rose.

Loyal could muster only five yards on its first possession of the night, and had to punt. Iola-Scandinavia promptly drove 60 yards in six plays for its first touchdown, and the rout was on. The Thunderbirds would score six more times in the first half to lead 39-0 at the break.

Loyal could not make anything work offensively against a large and athletic Thunderbird defense. The Greyhounds punted on their first four possessions, and fumbled on another attempted punt late in the half.

Iola-Scandinavia quarterback Parker Prahl burned the Loyal defense for a 64yard touchdown run on the first play of the Thunderbirds’ second possession. With his team up 20-0 midway through the second quarter, Prahl went over the top of the Greyhound secondary for a 33-yard touchdown pass play to Marcus Jaworski.

The Thunderbird defense was mostly responsible for the next two scores. Loyal first got itself in deep trouble when a backward pass from Wyatt Dietsche hit a receiver in the shoulder pad and rolled toward the Greyhound goal line. On the next play, a third-and-27, Dietsche scrambled deeper into Loyal territory and was sacked near the goal line as he fumbled. Iola-scandinavia pounced on the loose ball in the end zone for a score.

After Loyal went 3-and-out on its next possession, a snap exchange on an attempted punt was fumbled and the Thunderbirds recovered at the Greyhound 28-yard line. That led to Prahl’s third touchdown of the night and the 39-0 haftime lead.

Iola-Scandinavia added a 31-yard passing touchdown in the third quarter. Loyal finally got some points just before the game ended on Matthew Szymanski’s 35-yard touchdown run and Dietsche’s 2-point conversion run.

Iola-Scandinavia piled up 444 yards of total offense. The ground game accounted for 344 yards, with Prahl rushing 10 times for 167 yards and Brye Hardel adding 129 yards on 10 attempts. Prahl completed all three of his throws for 100 yards.

Loyal ran for 113 net yards on 38 plays. Szymanski had 118 yards on 22 rushes. Dietsche got off only one pass.

Loyal did play mostly mistake-free football, with no penalties and one lost fumble. The Thunderbirds were flagged eight times for 70 yards.

DEAN LESAR/STAFF PHOTO