It was one of the greatest games in Ironton football history. But it wasn't the greatest.

You see, the Fighting Tigers didn't win.

After falling behind 21-0 last Saturday night in the Division IV Region 15 championship game against the Bellaire Big Reds at Peden Stadium, Ironton rallied to tie the game in the closing minutes only to lose 34-28 in triple overtime.

&#8220To be down 21-0 and to play as bad as we did the first half, we played that well the second half. We gave a great effort the second half,” Ironton coach Bob Lutz said.

&#8220It was just a mistake here or a penalty there that was the difference. When you're down 21-0, those kind of things have a bigger impact. You can't afford any kind of mistake.”

Bellaire opened the game with Ty Hess returning the kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and led 7-0 with just 14 seconds off the clock.

&#8220We got out of our lanes and he went right up the shoot,” Lutz said.

Seven completions by Bellaire quarterback Nate Davis helped Bellaire score its second touchdown, and his 62-yard pass to Trey Masciarelli to the 1-yard line set up the third score that enabled the Big Reds to build a 21-0 halftime lead.

&#8220We played as bad as we possibly could the first half, but we still felt that if we did things right we could win the game. We felt we were the better team if we just played the way we were capable,” Lutz said.

The second half belonged to Ironton with the exception of one play. Ironton rushed for 166 yards in the second half while limiting Bellaire to a mere 3 net yards. Each team threw for 58 yards in the second half.

Ironton had 11 first downs to just one for Bellaire in the half. The Fighting Tigers ran 36 plays to 23 for Bellaire counting six punts, one returned by Chad Miller for a touchdown.

&#8220We dominated the game in the second half except for one pass, but that was a big play,” Lutz said.

After Ironton scored to start the second half and make it 21-7, Davis threw 43 yards to Eric Padgett to the 1-yard line. Davis scored on the next play and it was 28-7.

Ironton came right back with a 14-play, 69-yard scoring drive. The defense then forced a three-and-out and got the ball back at the Big Reds 47. But three plays later the Fighting Tigers fumbled the ball away.

Still, Bellaire was forced to punt again and Ironton scored in just three plays at Miller, scrambling to his left, hit Darius Lewis in the flats and he raced 47 yards for a touchdown to make it 28-21.

On Bellaire's next series, Andy Colegrove came up with Ironton's second sack of the game - Brandon Walker and Lewis had the other - and forced a punt. Ironton used seven plays to reach the Bellaire 24, but a fourth-and-2 play netted only one yard.

However, the Fighting Tigers were undaunted as they held the Big Reds on three plays and forced a punt that Miller made an electrifying 61-yard return for a touchdown. Craig Stamper kicked the tying extra point with 1:49 to play.

Neither team had any success on its final possession and the overtime marathon began.

Davis hit Masciarelli with an 18-yard pass to the 2-yard line, but Artis Johnson fumbled the ball on the next play when he was hit trying to leap into the end zone. Eric Layne recovered and Ironton had the momentum.

But on third-and-8, a 5-yard motion penalty pushed the ball back to the 23 meaning Stamper would be faced with a 40-yard field goal attempt. Miller was sacked for a 13-yard loss and then lost 5 more yards on fourth down.

Both teams missed field goal attempts in the second overtime, Ironton from 32 and Bellaire from 37.

In the third overtime, Davis threw 12 yards to Masciarelli and then ran 8 yards for the go-ahead touchdown on the next play. But Nick Perko's conversion was wide left and it was 34-28.

Ironton ran three plays that managed 5 yards. A fourth down run by Lewis to get the first down came up a yard short to end the game.

&#8220We felt we had the right play called. It had been our best play the whole game. We had an opening, but they made a play. Give them credit,” Lutz said.

Ironton, 10-3, finished the game 369 total yards including 279 on the ground. Lewis ran for 175 yards on 33 carries and fullback Jared Murphy had 63 yards on 13 attempts.

Bellaire (13-0) had 273 total yards with just 14 coming on the ground. Davis was 17 of 31 for 259 yards and was sacked twice after being sacked only three times all season.

Still, it was little consolation to Lutz.

&#8220You feel good about the effort, but you never feel good when you lose. We had our chances,” Lutz said.