Iola High School senior Grady Dougherty plays iron man football. Dougherty mans the defensive end position and doubles as a tight end on the offensive side of the ball. Playing both ways can be tough sledding, but Dougherty comes by that work ethic and love of the game honestly, “I grew up with three competitive brothers and a competitive dad, so I fell in the same path with them. They said my first steps were a sprint to go get a ball.”
Iola finished the 2023 season with an overall record of 4-5. They were third in the Pioneer League at 3-3. Grady understands that he will have to be the standard bearer for a young squad, “We lost a large class of seniors that filled the number one spots on the depth chart nearly across the board. We will be young. I see myself as the captain and as the guy my teammates can depend on to get the job done. I want to be the best leader Iola has ever seen and set an example for the younger guys.”
As a junior, in his first year starting on the defensive line for the Mustangs, Grady was named Second Team All-League in the Pioneer League. This season, Grady expects even more from himself, “I would like to be first team all-league. I’d also like to earn a home playoff game.”
Dougherty realizes that he will need to continue to work to attain his goals, “A big weakness I have tried to focus on is not letting one mistake affect the rest of my game. Basketball and baseball kind of help with that. In both sports you are going to fail more than you will succeed.”
Dougherty has many interests off the football field. He also plays basketball and baseball, is a member of Iola’s FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and is a member of Fellowship Regional Church. He was nominated to the Second Team All-Pioneer League for baseball as a junior.
Grady’s future plans are as yet undecided, but based upon his profile, he should have many avenues to explore.