Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

FLATWOODS, Ky. — The five facets of football are offense, defense, kicking game, turnovers and field position.

The fifth football facet proved to be the most critical aspect of the game for the Ironton Fighting Tigers in their 13-6 loss to the Russell Red Devils on Friday in a defensive struggle.

Ironton started three drives on their 20-yard line, one on the 18, and three more inside the 10-yard line. They never started a drive on Russell’s end of the field and only made it into Red Devil territory twice.

“Field position killed us,” said Ironton coach Mark Vass. “The defense played real well tonight up front and across the board. They were real physical. I thought they played really well, good enough to win a ball game for sure.

“Offensively we struggled to move the ball at times. I thought we were controlling the line of scrimmage and then we kind of lost that.”

Ironton (0-2) finished with 220 total yards with 197 on the ground. Most of the yardage came on a 60-yard touchdown burst by Garrett Carrico and a 53-yard gallop by quarterback Jake Isaac late in the game that put Ironton in position to tie or win the game.

Isaac’s run was Ironton’s only first down of the second half.

The Fighting Tigers had three turnovers to none for Russell. Ironton also had five crucial penalties for 56 yards.

Russell (2-0) has now won its two games 7-6 and 13-6 as the defense proved to be the difference. The Red Devils had 256 total yards that included 91 passing.

Nick Conley ran 23 times for 127 yards and quarterback Austin Smith added 30 yards on 15 carries, most scrambles under a heavy Ironton pass rush that registered six sacks for a minus 34 yards.

“I felt we played well enough to win. It was evenly matched. They were a good ball club, too. Give them credit. But you’ve got to make plays when you get the opportunity,” said Vass.

“We dropped a couple of passes that we there, the fumble, the turnovers and penalties when we make a big play and it seemed we got most of those called back for holding or what have you. We can’t make those mistakes. It was just sloppy on offense and we’ve just got to shore it up.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Russell used a 15-yard penalty against Ironton and a 25-yad scramble by Smith to reach the 9-yard line.

Conley scored on the next play and it was 6-0 with 10:36 left in the half.

Ironton answered two plays later as Carrico bolted up the middle for his touchdown run with 10:01 on the clock to tie the game.

Both team’s conversion kicks failed.

Like two heavyweights standing in the middle of the ring exchanging punches, neither team could move the ball.

Backed up on its own 8-yard line, Ironton punt and Russell had the ball at the Fighting Tigers’ 49.

Conley ran 37 yards on first down to the 14 and five plays later Smith kept the ball and went the final 2 yards for the lead with 9:36 left. Sam Ewing kicked the point after.

After an interception, Russell got to the Ironton 25 before the defense held on downs. Isaac then hit Jourdyn Barrow for 6 yards and got free and ran 53 yards to the Russell 23.

But three passes felt incomplete and Isaac was stopped for a 2-yard gain when he was forced to scramble out of the pocket.

Ironton held and got the ball back with 1:15 to play, but three of four passes were incomplete and the other went for no gain as time ran out.

Ironton 0 6 0 0 = 6

Russell 0 6 0 7 = 13

Second Quarter

Ru — Nick Conley 9 run (kick failed) 10:36

Irn — Garrett Carrico 60 run (kick failed) 10:01

Fourth Quarter

Ru — Austin Smith 2 run (Sam Ewing kick) 9:36

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Irn Rsl

First downs 7 11

Rushes-yards 32-197 43-165

Passing yards 23 91

Total yards 220 256

Cmp-Att-Int 5-15-2 9-12-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0

Penalties-yards 5-56 4-35

Punts-average 4-41.3 8-32.4

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Ironton: Garrett Carrico 8-78, Jake Isaac 6-55, Andrew Scott 11-29, Ethan Duncan 4-19, Tanner Wilson 3-16; Russell: Nick Conley 23-127, Austin Smith 15-30, Maxx Blackburn 5-8.

PASSING—Ironton: Jake Isaac 5-15-2 23; Russell: Austin Smith 8-11-0 91.

RECEIVING—Ironton: Jourdyn Barrow 2-13, Garrett Carrico 1-10, Ethan Duncan 1-0, Eli Willis 1-0; Russell: Drey Boehm 4-43, Jaeden Layne 1-7, Nick Conley 1-2, Maxx Blackburn 1-13, Ryan Stump 1-9, Landon Brewer 1-17.