By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — Usually, the exclamation point goes at the end of the sentence or story. Amari Felder thought he’d put it at the beginning.

Felder returned the opening kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown and the Ironton Fighting Tigers made the game a run-on sentence as they beat the Rock Hill Redmen 49-7 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.

Ironton (7-0, 4-0) had a balanced attack with 215 yards passing and 188 rushing for 403 total yards.

Quarterback Tayden Carpenter was the straw that stirred the offensive drink as he completed 14-of-18 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns. Jaquez Keyes led the ground game with 7 carries for 65 yards and a score while Felder ran just once but for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Braden Schreck returned from an injury and caught 3 passes for 44 yards, Ty Perkins 2 receptions for 46 yards and Aiden Young had 3 grabs for 39 yards and a TD.

Rock Hill (3-4, 1-3) was limited to 116 total yards with 114 coming on the ground. Chase Delong ran 12 times for 41 yards, Levi Jiles 9 times for 35 yards and Anthony Stamper had 6 carries for 31 yards.

After Felder’s kickoff return made it 7-0 just 16 seconds into the game, Ironton scored 3 more times in the quarter to take a 28-0 lead.

Rock Hill was backed up at its own 10-yard line after the kickoff and Landen Wilson returned a punt 12 yards to the Redmen 31. On the next play, Carpenter hit Wilson with a touchdown pass and it was 14-0 with 9:04 on the clock.

Another three-and-out gave Ironton the ball at its own 45 and passes to Young and Perkins got the ball to the 17. A penalty backed it up 5 yards, but 2 plays later Carpenter hit Schreck with a 19-yard scoring pass play and a 21-0 lead  with 5:09 to go in the quarter.

Another three-and-out had Ironton at its own 37. Keyes ran for 17 yards, Felder caught a pop pass for 6 more and then Felder took a pitchout and scooted down the left sidelines covering the final 40 yards.

Evan Williams’ fourth conversion kick made it 28-0 with just 1:17 to go in the quarter.

Ironton’s next possession started at its own 30 but it took just 3 plays to score.

Keyes ran 27 yards, Trevor Carter caught a 20-yard pass and then Carpenter hit Schreck with a swing pass and he made one good move and then got a key block from C.J. Martin to open a path into the end zone for a 35-0 lead. With 10:15 left in the half.

Rock Hill had a couple of drives that stalled including the second that saw Felder get an interception at the 2-yard line and return it to the 19 with 1:35 left in the half.

After 2 incompletions, Carpenter hit 5 straight passes of 27 to Perkins, 16 to Martin, a 21-yard screen to Keyes, a scrambling 4-yard toss to Schreck and the final 13 yards to Young with just 12 seconds on the clock.

The Redmen got to the Ironton 43 to start the second half only to fumble the ball away.

A 31-yard run by Wilson moved the ball to the Rock Hill 25. Carpenter hit Young for 12 yards to the 10 and Keyes ran into the end zone on the next play and it was 49-0 with 3:34 left in the third quarter.

Rock Hill spoiled the shutout when Grant Bevins went 6 yards for a score with 6:28 to play. The run capped a 77-yard, 11-play drive with Hazley Matthews kicking the extra point.

Next Friday in league games, Ironton will host Coal Grove while the Redmen visit Gallipolis.

Ironton           28    14    7     0     =     49

Rock Hill       0     0     0     7     =     7

First Quarter

Irn — Amari Fielder 76 kickoff return (Evan Williams kick) 11:44

Irn — Landen Wilson 31 pass from Tayden Carpenter (Evan Williams kick) 9:04

Irn — Braden Schreck 17 pass from Tayden Carpenter (Evan Williams kick) 5:09

Irn — Amari Felder 40 run (Evan Williams kick) 1:17

Second Quarter

Irn — Braden Schreck 23 pass from Tayden Carpenter (Evan Williams kick) 10:15

Irn — Aiden Young 13 pass from Tayden Carpenter (David Fields kick) 0:12

Third Quarter

Irn — Jaquez Keyes 10 run (David Fields kick) 3:34

Fourth Quarter

RH — Grant Bevins 6 run (Hazley Matthews kick) 6:28

———

Irn   RH

First downs     15    10

Rushes-yards  17-188    38-114

Passing yards  215  2

Total yards     403  116

Cmp-Att-Int    15-19-0   1-2-1

Fumbles-lost   2-1  2-1

Penalties-yards       7-75 2-10

Punts-average 1-35.0     5-27.0

———

Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Ironton: Jaquez Keyes 7-65 TD, Amaria Felder 1-40 TD, Landen Wilson 1-31, Trevor Carter 3-1, Tyler Carmon 2-17, Jesse Copas 1-23, Ben Sloan 1-3, Braylon Sturgill 1-8; Rock Hill: Chase Delong 12-41, Levi Jiles 9-35, Anthony Stamper 6-31, Kordeel French 6-11, Grant Bevins 1-6 TD, Mason Hanners 2-3 Peyton Clutters 1-minus 2, Brayden Adams 1-minus 11.

PASSING–Ironton: Tayden Carpenter 14-18-0 223 4TD, Maddox Vass 1-1-0 minus-8; Rock Hill: Brayden Adams 1-2-1 2.

RECEIVING–Ironton: Landen Wilson 1-31 T, Aiden Young 3-39 TD, Braden Schreck 3-44 2TD, Ty Perkins 2-46, Jaques Keyes 1-21, Trevor Carter 1-20, Amari Felder 1-6, C.J. Martin 2-16, Brayden Baker 1-minus 8; Rock Hill: Chase Delong 1-2

MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.