ATHENS - Deja blue.

For the second time in three years, the Bellaire Big Reds ended the Ironton Fighting Tigers tournament run in overtime with a 34-28 win in three overtimes Saturday night at Peden Stadium.

Two years ago, Bellaire won 20-14 in overtime. This time Ironton battled back from a 21-0 halftime deficit to tie the game on a thrilling punt return by Chad Miller that sent the game into overtime.

&#8220We played as bad as we could the first half, made some big mistakes and turned the ball over,” said Ironton head coach Bob Lutz. &#8220But our kids battled back and played as hard as they could and gave themselves a chance to win. That's all you can ask of them.”

Bellaire set the tone of the game on the opening kick-off when Ty Hess went 90 yards, virtually untouched, for the touchdown.

Nick Perko kicked the extra point and it was 7-0, 13 seconds into the game. Ironton drove to the Bellaire 32, but was intercepted on a fourth down pass just before the end of the quarter.

Bellaire then drove 85 yards in 12 plays capped by an 8-yard pass from Nate Davis to Todd Coyne. Perko's kick made it 14-0, with 7:52 left in the half.

After an exchange of punts, Ironton drove to the Bellaire 39 only to fumble the ball away.

Faced with a third and 10, Davis hooked up with Trey Masciarelli on a 62-yard pass to the Ironton 1-yard line. Davis scored on the next play and it was 21-0 with 1:48 to go in the half.

The Fighting Tigers came right back and quickly drove to the Bellaire 19, but Chad Miller was intercepted at the 1-yard line by Masciarelli with 18 seconds left in the half.

In the second half,

Dominic Murphy returned the kickoff 60 yards to the Bellaire 34. Five plays later Darius Lewis scored on an 11-yard run. Craig Stamper's kick made it 21-7 at the 9:51 mark.

It took Bellaire just four plays to answer aided by a 15-yard penalty on Ironton. A 43-yard pass from Davis to Eric Padgett put the ball on the 1-yard line where Davis scored on the next play and it was 28-7.

But Ironton took over from that point on.

The Fighting Tigers went 69 yards in 14 plays capped by Miller's 1-yard run and it was 28-14 with 2:06 left in the third quarter.

After a Bellaire punt Ironton got to the Big Reds 42 only to fumble the ball away. But the defense held, and Ironton got the ball back at its own 39.

Full back Jared Murphy had a 12-yard run and then Miller scrambled to his left and found Lewis in the flats who caught a pass and ran 47 yards into the end zone. The Fighting Tigers trailed 28-21 with 8:41 left in regulation.

After another strong defensive effort, Ironton got the ball back at the 39 and drove to the Bellaire 24. On fourth and two Ironton came up a yard short, giving the ball back to Bellaire.

The defense forced another punt, but this time Miller returned the kick 61 yards for the touchdown with 1:49 on the clock. Stamper's kick tied the game.

In the first overtime, Masciarelli caught a pass at the 2-yard line, but Artis Johnson fumbled on the next play and Eric Layne recovered for Ironton.

Ironton was unable to score on its possession and missed a 32-yard field goal in the second overtime.

Bellaire also failed on a 37-yard field goal attempt in the second overtime.

The Big Reds (13-0) scored in two plays to start the third overtime. Davis threw 12 yards to Masciarelli and then scored on the next play on a quarterback draw. However, the conversion kick was wide, opening the door for an Ironton win.

But the Fighting Tigers came up a yard short on a fourth-down play to the Bellaire 11-yard line to end the game and Ironton's season.

Ironton (10-3) had 369 total yards to 273 for Bellaire. The Fighting Tigers limited the Big Reds to 14 yards rushing, but Davis threw for 259 yards as he completed 17 of 31. Lewis ran for 175 yards on 33 carries and Jared Murphy 63 on 13 tries as Ironton rushed 64 times for 279 yards.