The statistics weren’t that impressive for the Iola-Scandinavia football team’s in the Thunderbirds’ latest game.

The final score? Well, that’s another story.

The T-Birds handed previously unbeaten Shiocton a 21-19 defeat Friday, Oct. 14, at Thunderbird Field. I-S improved to 4-3 in the Central Wisconsin 8 Conference play and 5-4 overall with the win and also qualified for the state playoffs.

I-S will take on another undefeated team in the first round of the playoffs, as the T-Birds head to Coleman at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, for a Level 1 matchup with the top-seeded Cougars.

Shiocton, which ended up sharing the conference championship with Amherst, took a 12-0 lead on a Hunter Young 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and Talon Heinemeyer’s 5-yard run in the second quarter.

The T-Birds cut the deficit to five points on Spencer Erickson’s 1-yard run, the first of three unanswered scores for the home team.

Brady Huettner gave the T-Birds the lead for good with a 3-yard run in the third quarter and teammate Ronnie Knapstein added a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter to make it 21-12.

Young scored his second touchdown of the game, an 8-yard run, in the fourth quarter, but the Chiefs couldn’t get any closer.

The Chiefs outgained the T-Birds 236-86 on the ground. Young led the Chiefs with 198 yards on 29 carries, but also turned the ball over twice on fumbles. Huettner led the T-Birds with 42 yards in 20 attempts.

I-S quarterback Spencer Erickson completed eight of nine passes for 71 yards. Bradly Hardel caught five passes for 48 yards.