Vernon ends losing streak to Iowa Park with 48-27 win
VERNON – Maybe it was just another district game for Vernon Friday night.
But the Lions had something to prove against their biggest rival in a result they needed in order to keep up with the other District 3-3A Division I frontrunners.
Vernon wanted to start out strong and certainly did that with three touchdowns before the Hawks registered a first down.
Then the Lions showed some toughness in closing out a 48-27 victory that snapped an eight-game losing streak against Iowa Park.
“We grew up playing a lot of these people,” Vernon sophomore Tru Gipson said after scoring twice and picking off a pass. “Beating them feels really good, but it feels really good talking to them and praying with them. It’s way deeper than what it seems like.”
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Vernon (7-1, 2-1) moves into a three-way tie for second place with Iowa Park and Jim Ned – who comes to Wilbarger County next week. That’s another chance for the Lions to prove that this year’s group is special.
“We’re certainly not going to come into this next game scared,” Vernon coach Kevin Sherrill said. “I think our kids understand right now that we can be a physical team. I think a lot of people doubt that because we’re not very big, but we’re going to do our best.”
Vernon was at its best in building up a 34-6 lead in the first half. Gipson scored on a 22-yard screen pass from Kale Sherrill, and after Mason Ballard blocked a Hawk punt, Adarius Williams scored from 13 yards out.
Kale Sherrill then took over, keeping the option read and racing home for touchdowns of 65, 70 and 59 yards on the Lions’ next three possessions.
“We came out and did what we had to do,” Kale Sherrill said after totaling 230 first-half rushing yards. “When I got back to the sideline, I congratulated my o-line because they made those holes for me. It was an all-around great game.”
Iowa Park came up a yard short of the end zone on the final first-half snap, but the Hawks (3-4, 2-1) showed some moxie as Parker Allen scored on a 23-yard option keeper and Carter Sales broke loose for the second of his three TD runs, finishing with 152 yards.
In fact, Iowa Park ran twice as many plays as the home team and gained almost 400 yards on the ground. The recipe was there for an upset.
But it was Gipson picking off Allen’s third-down pass when the Vernon lead had been trimmed to 34-21 and scoring two plays later. Jevon Fanner then squirted through the Hawk defense for a 77-yard score midway through the fourth quarter to end the comeback.
“I thought they responded and I was proud of how they played the second half,” IP coach Michael Swenson said. “At the end of the day, they were better than us tonight. They took us to the woodshed, bloodied our nose and we’ve got to make sure we come back and respond.”
The Lions wear the letters “TPL” on the back of their jerseys. It stands for “Tough People Last,” a phrase Kevin Sherrill has taken to heart at multiple coaching stops.
Vernon’s defense displayed that toughness as it turned Iowa Park away on four occasions when the Hawks reached the 26-yard line or closer. Guys like Ty Scott and Johnny Pruitt made plays around the ball, while Jamari Chance added an interception.
They’ll need that type of swarming defense against a powerful Jim Ned squad. Both teams’ only loss came against Clyde so second place could be on the line next week.
“We roll with the punches, sometimes the ball doesn't bounce our way, but tough people last,” coach Sherrill said. “If we can keep on keeping on, we'll find a way in the end.”
VERNON 48, IOWA PARK 27
Iowa Park 6 0 15 6 – 27
Vernon 21 13 7 7 – 48
FIRST QUARTER
V – Tru Gipson 22 pass from Kale Sherrill (Javi Lopez kick), 7:22
V – Adarius Williams 13 run (Lopez kick), 2:43
V – Kale Sherrill 65 run (Lopez kick), 0:53
IP – Carter Sales 70 run (kick failed), 0:34
SECOND QUARTER
V – Sherrill 59 run (Lopez kick), 10:45
V – Sherrill 74 run (kick failed), 2:20
THIRD QUARTER
IP – Parker Allen 23 run (Rody Williams pass from Allen), 5:50
IP – Sales 51 run (Bryan McDaniel kick), 5:39
V – Gipson 3 run (Lopez kick), 1:17
FOURTH QUARTER
V – Jevon Fanner 77 run (Lopez kick), 6:47
IP – Sales 7 run (run failed), 4:03
TEAM STATS
First downs: (IP) 20; (V) 12
Rushing: (IP) 50-398; (V) 31-362
Passing: (IP) 8-16-2—45; (V) 3-3-0—46
Punts: (IP) 3-16; (V) 2-32
Fumbles: (IP) 1-0; (V) 1-1
Penalties: (IP) 8-57; (V) 8-58
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING: (IP) Carter Sales 7-152, Parker Allen 22-147, Jemarr Myles 12-81, Mark Lee 2-7, Rody Williams 4-7, John Barker 3-4; (V) Kale Sherrill 9-231, Jevon Fanner 9-97, Adarius Williams 8-19, Tru Gipson 5-15.
PASSING: (IP) Allen 8-16-2—45; (V) Sherrill 3-3-0—46.
RECEIVING: (IP) Logan Rhodd 1-27, Tristan Morgan 1-8, Williams 3-6, Sales 3-4; (V) Williams 2-24, Gipson 1-22.
RECORDS: Iowa Park 3-5, 2-1; Vernon 7-1, 2-1.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Iowa Park Hawks at Vernon Lions 2023 high school football final score
