By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

It’s deja vu all over again.

It was 1999 and the Valley View Spartans were favored to win the regional championship against the Ironton Fighting Tigers. The game was being played at Cincinnati Princeton High School.

Now it is 2022 and the Valley View Spartans are playing the Ironton Fighting Tigers at Cincinnati Princeton High School a.k.a. Jake Sweeney Automotive Stadium. But instead of a regional title game, this is the state semifinals to decide who plays in the Division 5 state championship game on Friday, Dec. 2, at 10:30 a.m. at Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. for the state semifinal game.

Ironton is 14-0 and was the Associated Press poll champions. Valley View is 13-1 after being Milton-Union 21-7 to avenge a 24-14 loss to that same team in week two.

Ironton leads the overall series 3-1 over the Spartans. The Fighting Tigers won 24-0 in 1992, 29-9 in 1993, lost 50-20 in 1998 and then erased a 21-3 halftime deficit to win 37-29 in 1999.

Both teams have high-scoring offenses and stingy defenses as the statistics confirm.

Valley View junior quarterback Caden Henson is 109-of-188 for 58 percent He has thrown for 1,526 years and 16 touchdowns with 9 interception.

Henson also does the punting and averages 42.2 yards per kick.

Jake Clark leads the team with 1,298 yards on 181 carries with 14 TDs. Henson has rushed 93 ties for 644 yards and 3 scores while Austin Stidham had 355 yards on 51 attempts and 6 TDs.

Stidham has 35 receptions for 453 yards and 7 touchdowns to lead the receiving corps.

Reiley Phillips has 21 catches for 250 yards and a TD, Clark 15 grabs for 203 yards and a score, Troy Hypes also has 15 catches for 324 yards and 6 TDs while Jedrek Lynch has 13 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown.

Micah Valenti has 9 catches for 120 yards and a TD as well.

Gavin Degroat has 85 tackles with 16 for a loss to lead the Spartans in both categories.

Bryce Gibbs is next with 83 tackles and 10.5 for a loss.

Gibbs has 4 sacks and Jake Bromagen 3 to pace the defense in that statistic.

Three different players — Stidham, Valenti and Phillips — have one interception.

Caden Phillips does the placekicking and his kickoffs usually reach the end zone.

Valley View has scored 485 points or 34.6 per game and allowed 129 or just 9.2 points game.

Ironton has scored 563 points which is 40.2 points a game. They have allowed 203 or 14.5 per game.

Ironton quarterback Tayden Carpenter is 163-of-234 passing for 70 percent. He has 2,813 yards passing with 38 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions.

On the receiving end of those passes is Cincinnati commit Ty Perkins who had 48 receptions for 1,129 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Shaun Terry has 23 catches for 424 yards and 4 TDs while Landen Wilson had 25 grabs for 306 yards and 6 touchdowns. Braden Schreck — who doubles as the backup quarterback — had 17 receptions fo 209 yards and 4 TDs while Aiden Young had 15 catches for 296 yards and four scores.

C.J. Martin is next with 11 catches for 156 yards for 3 TDs, Amari Felder 13 receptions for 146 yards 2 scores while Bailey Thacker has 7 catches for 100 yards and a. score.

The ground game is led byWisconsin commit  Jaquez Keyes with 889 yards on 151 carries for a 5.9 yards per carry average. He has scored 18 touchdowns.

Felder is next with 443 yards on 61carries for 7.3 yards per carry and 8 TDs, Carpenter 163 yards on 54 attempts with 5 scores and Wilson 22 rushes for 140 yards and a pair of TDs.

On the defensive side, Trevor Carter has 111 tackles with 14 tackles for a loss. Lincoln Barnes has 89 stops with 11 tackles for a loss. Zane Williams has 63 tackles with 12 for a loss and Cole Freeman has 56 stops with 7 for a loss.

Jesse Copas leads with 4 quarterback sacks. Aiden Layne and Carter have 3 each.

Wilson leads the team with 6 interceptions while Young and Perkins have 3 each.

Tickets for the state semifinals are $13 for adults and $10 for students. State championship tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students. Fans can purchase tickets by going online at www.ohsaa.org/tickets

Ironton Fighting Tigers

Offensive Lineup

Pos Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.

WR Ty Perkins 3 6-03 185 Sr.

WR Landen Wilson 15 5-10 170 Sr.

Shaun Terry145-10165So.

LT Hunter Moore 71 6-01 275 Sr.

LG Austin Bump 55 5-11 200 So.

C Tanner Moore 66 5-11 220 Sr.

RG Aiden Layne 52 6-00 225 So.

RT Noah Patterson 64 6-02 255 Jr.

TE Bailey Thacker 11 6-03 215 Jr.

QB Tayden Carpenter 10 6-00 190 Sr.

RB Jaquez Keyes 5 6-00 215 Sr.

PK Evan Williams 31 5-05 125 Sr.

Defensive Lineup

Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.

DE Bailey Thacker 11 6-03 215 Jr.

DT Noah Patterson 64 6-02 255 Jr.

DT Aiden Layne 52 6-00 225 So.

DE DeAngelo Weekly 33 5-10 205 Sr.

OLB Jaquez Keyes 5 6-00 215 Sr.

Braylon Sturgill205-10185So.

OLB Cole Freeman 40 5-10 175 Sr.

ILB Lincoln Barnes 32 6-00 205 Sr.

ILB Trevor Carter 2 6-02 210 Sr.

CB C.J. Martin 22 6-02 175 Sr.

CB Landen Wilson 15 5-10 170 Sr.

S Amari Felder 7 5-09 190 Sr.

S Aiden Young 8 5-11 185 Sr.

Ty Perkins36-03185Sr.

P Braden Schreck 12 6-02 180 So.

Harvest Prep Warriors

Defensive Lineup

Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.

DE Jase Bromagen 54 6-04 225  Sr.

NG Ethan Philpot  75 6-00 220 Jr.

DE Cade Sears   17 5-10 175 Sr.

OLB Lndn Stoutenborough 18 5-10 150 So.

ILB Gavin Degroat 53 6-00 220  Sr.

ILB Bradyn Gibbs  11 6-00 175 Sr.

OLB Bryce Reed 8 5-11 190  Jr.

CB Reiley Phillips 20 5-10 165 Sr.

CB Micah Valenti  2 6-00 180 Jr.

S Troy Hypes 19 6-06 170  Sr.

S Austin Stidham 3 5-09 165  Sr.

P Caden Henson 5 6-03 180  Jr.

Offensive Lineup

Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.

WR Troy Hypes    19 6-06 170 Sr.

WR Micah Valenti  2 6-00 180 Jr.

Austin Stidham35-09165 Sr.

LT Chase Kinder 64 6-05 275 Sr.

LG Gavin Degroat 53 6-00 220  Sr.

C Kage Gierek  56 6-01 260 Jr.

RG Riley Backus 70 6-01 255 Sr.

RT Jase Bromagen 54 6-04 225  Sr.

WR Reiley Phillips 20 5-10 165 Sr.

WR Jedrek Lynch 32 5-09 156 Jr.

QB Caden Henson 5 6-03 180  Jr.

RB Jake Clark     12 5-11 190  Sr.

PKCaden Phillips995-10135 Sr.

Ironton Fighting Tigers (14-0)

Ironton 12 at Wheelersburg 3

Ironton 29 at Jackson 26

Ironton 34 at Fairland 13

Ironton 32 Johnson Central, Ky. 21

Ironton 55 South Point 12

Ironton 62 Chesapeake 0

Ironton 49 at Rock Hill 7

Ironton 55 Coal Grove 6

Ironton 29 Gallipolis 22

Ironton 42 at Portsmouth 7

Division 5 Playoffs

Ironton 51 Minford 7

Ironton 48 Portsmouth 7

Ironton 35 Portsmouth West 7

Ironton 34 Harvest Prep 0

Ironton vs. Valley View at Cincinnati Princeton High School

Head coach: Trevon Pendleton

Germantown Valley View Spartans (13-1)

Valley View 31 Shawnee 7

Valley View 14 Milton-Union 24

Valley View 33 Ross 0

Valley View 38 Oakwood 3

Valley View 56 Madison 0

Valley View 28 Brookville 14

Valley View 49 Carlisle 13

Valley View 31 Franklin 6

Valley View 38 Eaton 17

Valley View 21 Bellbrook 7

Playoffs

Valley View 38 Carlisle 8

Valley View 49 Blanchester 16

Valley View 38 Madeira 7

Valley View 21 Milton-Union 7

Valley View vs. Ironton at Cincinnati Princeton

Head coach: Matthew King