By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — There’s always that team that is a thorn in your side. For the Ironton Fighting Tigers it’s the Gallipolis Blue Devils.

The good thing about this thorn is Ironton always manages to find a way to yank the thorn out before it can do more serious damage like on Friday night.

For the second straight season, Ironton was locked in a tight game with the Blue Devils but made the plays when it needed and came away with a 27-17 Ohio Valley Conference win.

Ironton (8-1, 6-0) clinched at least a share of the OVC title for the fifth straight season and seventh time in nine years in the league. The Fighting Tigers have now won 32 straight conference games and need a win at home next Friday against Portsmouth to win the title outright.

Gallipolis (7-2, 4-2) played ball control on offense in the first half and limited Ironton to just two possessions. However, Ironton cashed in on both opportunities with touchdowns in taking a 14-3 halftime lead.

The Blue Devils kept sticking their thorn in Ironton’s side and got within 20-10 early in the fourth quarter. But Braden Schreck made the biggest play of the game with a 59-yard touchdown run that virtually pulled the torn out for good.

Gallipolis ran seven plays to start the game before punting. Ironton then went 63 yards in 12 plays capped by Zayne “The Train” Williams 5-yard scoring run with 4:05 on the clock.

David Fields kick the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

The Blue Devils then went 60 yards in 13 plays only to have the Ironton defense stiffen and force Caleb Stout to kick a 37-yard field goal with 7:27 left in the half.

Ironton answered with an 80-yard, 14-play drive that culminated on a 28-yard pass from Bailey Thacker to Aris Pittman with 2:11 on the clock. Fields’ kick made it 14-3.

The Blue Devils got to the Ironton 11-yard line but Stout’s 28-yard field goal attempt went wide right with 7.8 seconds left.

Ironton came out in the second half and went right back to work with a 9-play, 80-yard scoring drive.

Thacker had completions of 16 and 30 yards to Schreck and then found Shaun “Mr. Electric” Terry for 3 and 18 yards, the latter for a touchdown as he made a couple of shifty moves to get into the end zone.

Ironton’s conversion run attempt failed and the lead was 20-3 with 9:03 on the clock.

Ironton failed to moved the ball on its next two possessions and Gallipolis had the ball at its own 28 late in the quarter.

The Blue Devils used seven plays to go 72 yards with Braylon Rathburn hitting Joey Darnbrough with a 15-yard scoring pass. Stout’s kick made it 20-10 with `0:19 left,

Ironton got the ball at its own 41 after the kickoff and Schreck — playing quarterback — bolted 59 yards for the score with 10:01 left to play. Fields’ kick made it 27-10.

Gallipolis would quit and went 66-yards in nine plays aided by a 15-yard penalty on Ironton.

Kenyon Franklin caught a 14-yard TD pass from Rathburn with 6:32 left and Stout’s conversion kick made it 27-17.

Ironton gambled on a fourth-and-2 at the Gallipolis 42 but came up short on an incomplete pass.

But Ironton’s defense was up to the challenge and forced the Blue Devils to turn the ball over on downs with the help of two Gallipolis penalties.

Ironton couldn’t runtime clock out and the Blue Devils had one last gasp with 1:03 left.

Two completions got the ball to the Ironton 37, but Terry came up with his second interception of the game with 11 seconds to play.

Ironton had 329 total yards with 209 coming on the ground and Thacker 8-of-14 passing for 120 yards and two TDs while also running 9 times for 45 yards.

Schrek ran 3 times for 86 yards and a touchdown and caught 3 passes for 48 yards. Terry had 3 receptions for 35 yards and a score.

Rathburn was 14-0f-24 passing for 166 yards, 2 TDs and an interception. Franklin ran 5 times for 62 yards and caught 7 passes for 80 yards and a score.

Ironton     7 7 6 7 = 27

Gallipolis 0 3 0 14 = 17

First Quarter

Irn — Zayne Williams 5 run (David Fields kick) 4:05

Second Quarter

Ga — Caleb Stout 37 field goal 7:27

Irn — Aris Pittman 28 pass from Bailey Thacker (David Fields kick) 2:11

Third Quarter

Irn — Shaun Terry 18 pass from Bailey Thacker (run failed) 9:03

Fourth Quarter

Ga — Joey Darnbrough 15 pass from Braylon Rathburn (Caleb Stout kick) 10:19

Irn — Braden Schreck 59 run (David Fields kick) 10:01

Ga — Kenyon Franklin 14 pass from Braylon Rathburn (Caleb Stout kick) 6:32

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IrnGA

First downs 15 18

Rushes-yards 34-209 29-155

Passing yards 120 178

Total yards 329 333

Cmp-Att-Int 8-16-0 15-26-2

Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0

Penalties-yards 9-85 10-70

Punts-average 2-40.5 2-31.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Ironton: Zayne Williams 9-26 TD, Jesse Copas 2-22, Gavin Hart 8-18, Shaun Terry 3-14, Braden Schreck 3-86 TD, Bailey Thacker 9-45, Team 2-minus 1; Gallipolis: Hudson Shamblin 8-23, Kenyon Franklin 5-62, Hunter Shamblin 8-46, Cole Hines 2-10, Braylon Rathburn 6-14.

PASSING–Ironton: Bailey Thacker 8-14-0 120 2-TD, Braden Schreck 0-2-0; Gallipolis: Braylon Rathburn 14-24-1 166 2-TD, Hunter Shamblin 1-2-1 12.

RECEIVING–Ironton: Shaun Terry 3-35 TD, Braden Schreck 3-48, Tyler Roach 1-9, Aris Pittman 1-28 TD; Gallipolis: Kenyon Franklin 7-80 TD, Hunter Shamblin 2-44, Joey Darnbrough 4-26 TD, Cole Hines 1-12, Alex Blair 1-16.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–Gallipolis: Caleb Stout, 28 (WR).