By Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Make sure the lights all work on the scoreboard.
It looks like matchups of high-scoring offenses as the Ohio High School Athletic Association postseason football playoffs will hold the regional semifinals this weekend.
The Ironton Fighting Tigers (12-0) will play the Portsmouth West Senators (11-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Portsmouth High School in the Region 19 Division 5 playoffs while the Coal Grove Hornets (8-4) take on the Division 6 Region 23 top-seed Fort Frye Cadets (11-1) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Lancaster High School.
The West offense is led by senior running back Ryan Sissel who had 1,697 yards on 253 yards and has scored 22 touchdowns.
Quarterback Mitchell Irwin is 93-of-161 passing for 2,021 yards and 24 touchdowns with 9 interceptions. Irwin also had 192 yards on 62 carries with 2 scores.
The top receiver is Jeffery Bishop 32 receptions for 883 yards and 14 touchdowns while Cole Tipton has 27 catches for 641 yards and 6 TDs.
Defensively, West is led by Mason Parker with 99 total tackle — 52 solos stops — and 6 tackles for a loss. Trevor Fike had 86 stops with 45 solo tackles and he also has 6 tackles for a loss.
Hayden Lore leads with 5 quarterback sacks with Parker getting 4 and Sissel 3. Bishop had 4 interceptions and Tipton 3.
The Fighting Tigers — who finished ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press prep sports writers’ poll — have a balanced, high-powered offense.
Quarterback Hayden Carpenter is 131 of 194 for 67.5 percent completion rate. He has amassed 2,317 yards and 31 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions.
A lot of the passing yardage is linked to wide receiver Ty Perkins with 37 catches for 861 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Shaun Terry has 16 grabs for 368 yards and 4 TDs, Aiden Young 13 catches for 230 yards and 3 scores, Landen Wilson 21 receptions for 277 yards and 6 TDs, Braden Schreck 15 catches for 188 yards and 4 score and C.J. Martin 9 catches for 145 yards and 3 TDs.
The running game has been split up as well but senior Jaquez Keyes is the easy leader with 816 yards on 134 carries and he’s scored 17 touchdowns. Amari Felder had 383 yards on 44 attempts an 7 TDs.
Wilson has 4 interceptions to lead the defense with Young getting a pair of thefts.
Jesse Copas leads the defense with 3 sacks. Trevor Carter had 12 tackles for a loss and Lincoln Barnes 9.
The winner advances to the regional title game against the winner of Harvest Prep and Wheelersburg.
Fort Frye is paced by senior Owen Brown with 1,317 yards on 118 carries – an 11.2 yards per carry average — and 20 touchdowns.
Austin Powell had 687 yards on 73 attempts and 9 TDs while Ethan Duskey 577 yards on 79 attempts and 3 scores.
Quarterback Clayton Miller is 49-of-86 passing or 789 yards and 13 TDs with 4 interceptions. He’s also rushed 63 times or 328 yards and 4 scores.
The leading receiver is Braxton Brown with 22 catches for 311 yards and 6 TDs with Owen Brown grabbing 11 passes for 149 yards and 4 scores.
Defensively, Graham baker and Caleb Riggs have 8 sacks each while Braxton Brown had 8 interceptions.
Coal Grove has plenty of firepower and the main supplier is senior running back Chase Hall.
A Mr. Football candidate, Hall has set a school record for rushing with 2,546 yards on 276 carries and he has 42 touchdowns. His numbers do not include last week’s game when he ran for 294 yards on 35 carries and scored 4 more touchdowns.
Steven Simpson has 649 yards on a 84 caries with 6 touchdowns to provide Hall with help in the running game. Kaden Murphy had 53 carries for 446 yards and 5 TDs.
The top receiver is Gavin Gipson with 264 yards on 17 catches.
The winner advance to face the winner of Bellaire and Nelsonville-York in the regional title game.