By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

“Ironton’s small town blues

They’re melting away

Don’t make a brand new start of it

In old New York

You’ll always play well here

You’ll play well anywhere

Thanks for coming, New York, New York”

Don’t expect Artificial Intelligence to have the late, great Frank Sinatra change the lyrics to his hit song “New York, New York,” but that didn’t stop the Ironton Fighting Tigers from doing their own cover version of the song.

Playing a school from New York for the first time in the program’s history proved to be a No.1 hit for the Fighting Tigers who cruised to a 56-19 win over the St. Francis Red Raiders on Saturday as part of the Gridiron Classic.

“Obviously, you’ve got to get off to a fast star. I think we’ve been able to do that offensively and defensively, create some turnovers and get some explosive plays early,” said Ironton coach Trevon Pendleton.

The unbeaten Fighting Tigers (4-0) have put a running clock on each team this season and it was again a monster offensive show complemented by another outstanding defensive effort.

Quarterback Braden Schreck was 9-of-13 for 195 yards and 4 touchdowns in one half of action while Shaun Terry caught 3 passes for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns and Kayden Edwards had one catch for 25 yards and ran 4 times for 93 yards including a 74-yard scoring run.

Pendleton had praise for his senior Dynamic Duo.

“Dynamic. Both are playing high level football. Every time they get the chance they execute and great leaders also,” said Pendleton.

Braydon Baker had 3 receptions for 71 yards and a score and Zayne Williams ran just 3 times for 51 yards.

The defense held the Red Raiders to 182 total yards with 128 coming on the ground. Damone Allen got 80 of the rushing yards on one play when he scored late in the game.

On the defensive side, Brycen Mullins had a strip fumble recovery and also had a pair of interceptions and he returned one for a touchdown.

“Brycen is a very smart player and he puts himself in the right position to make plays and he done that again tonight,” said Pendleton.

The game’s first play from scrimmage proved to be an indication of what would follow. The Red Raiders gained 8 yards but fumbled on the play and Maddix Markel recovered at the 35-yard line.

On Ironton’s first play, Schreck hit Terry in stride on a touchdown pass and David Fields kicked the first of his 8 extra points and it was 7-0 just 54 seconds into the game.

Following the kickoff, the Red Raiders ran 2 plays and on the second play Mullins took the ball from the ball carrier and Ironton was back in business at the 32.

A holding penalty moved the ball back to the 40 but it proved to be no problem for Schreck as he hit a wide-open Baker for the score and it was 14-0 with 10:31 on the clock.

After a 3-and-out, Ironton had the ball at its own 45 but used a 38-yard gallop by Williams to reach the 9-yard line. Edwards ran the ball for 5 and then the final 4 yards and it was 21-0 with 6:24 on the clock.

The Fighting Tigers drove to the St. Francis 25 but a dropped pass left them facing a 4th-and-7 and Schreck was flushed out of the pocket. He was pushed toward the sideline and had to force a pass into double coverage that was intercepted by Sam Skalski at the 17.

But again the Red Raiders were quickly forced to punt and Schreck hit Edwards for 25 yards and then Terry for 33 more on a catch-and-run into the end zone for a 28-0 lead with 1:45 left in the quarter.

Mullins intercepted a pass at the 47 of the Red Raiders and 4 plays later Schreck hit Baker with a 22-yard scoring strike in the middle of the field and it was 35-0 with 10:49 to go in the half.

Ironton put together a 65-yard, 11-play scoring drive on its next possession and All-Ohio lineman Aiden Layne carried the last 3 plays including 2 yards for the score and the lead was 42-0 with 3:43 left.

Ironton wasn’t done with the scoring only this time it was courtesy of the defense as Mullins picked off a pass at the 48 and returned it for the touchdown and it was 49-0 with 26 seconds to play in the half.

The Fighting Tigers final touchdown came when Edwards took over at quarterback and on the first play from scrimmage in the second half he shot straight up the middle and race untouched for 74 yards and the score to make it 56-0.

St. Francis got an 80-yard touchdown run by Allen with 2:53 on the clock to make it 56-7 after Grant Rybczynski’s conversion kick.

Eli Greenough gave the Red Raiders their second score when he picked up a fumble and returned it 49 yards for the touchdown with 10 minutes to play.

Backup quarter Tucker Jobe — who came on when starter Landon Welka was injured in the first quarter — threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Lindstrom with 28 seconds left to play.

The Fighting Tigers will play possibly their toughest opponent of the regular season next Friday when they host the Columbus Bishop Hartley Hawks at 7 p.m.

St. Francis    0 0 7 12 = 19

Ironton     28 21 7 0 = 56

First Quarter

Irn — Shaun Terry 35 pass from Braden Schreck (David Fields kick) 11:06

Irn — Braydon Baker 40 pass from Braden Schreck (David Fields kick) 10:31

Irn — Kayden Edwards 4 run (David Fields kick) 6:24

Irn — Shaun Terry 33 pass from Braden Schreck (David Fields kick) 1:45

Second Quarter

Irn — Braydon Baker 22 pass from Braden Schreck (David Fields kick) 10:49

Irn — Aiden Layne 2 run (David Fields kick) 3:42

Irn — Brycen Mullins 48 interception return (David Fields kick) 0:26

Third Quarter

Irn — Kayden Edwards 74 run (Beckham Waginger kick) 10:45

SF — Damone Allen 80 run (Grant Rybczynski kick) 2:52

Fourth Quarter

SF — Eli Greenough 49 fumble return (kick failed) 10:00

SF — Andrew Lindstrom 27 pass from Tucker Jobe (no attempt) 0:28

———

SFIrn

First downs 5 19

Rushes-yards 19-128 26-253

Passing yards 54 243

Total yards 182 496

Cmp-Att-Int 7-22-2 12-18-1

Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-1

Penalties-yards 6-74 6-50

Punts-average 5-34.6 0-00.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–St. Francis: Landon Welka 2-4, Larry Hardy III 3-13 Tavio Hoose 4-6, La’rafus Green 8-25, Damone Allen 1-80 TD, Eli Greenough 1-0; Ironton: Zayne Williams 3-51, Shaun Terry 2-21, Tyler Carmon 1-15, Kayden Edwards 4-93 2-TD, Maddix Markel 1-3, Aiden Layne 3-6 TD, Jesse Copas 2-21, Braden Schreck 1-minus 4, Tyson Harvey 5-26, Braiden Linn 1-7, Silas Edwards 2-11.

PASSING–St. Francis: Landon Welka 1-4-0 4, Tucker Jobe 6-18-2 50 TD; Ironton: Braden Schreck 9-13-1 195 4-TD. Kayden Edwards 1-2-0 37, Brian “Bubby” Kidd 2-30 11.

RECEIVING–St. Francis: Matthew Zielinski 1-4, Sam Skalski 1-0, Tavio Hoose 2-2, Larry Hardy III 1-9, Williams Hanson 1-12, Andrew Lindstrom 1-27 TD; Ironton: Shaun Terry 3-73 2-TD, Tyler Roach 2-49, Braydon Baker 3-71 TD, Zayne Williams 1-14, Kayden Edwards 1-25, Tyson Cox 1-0, Landon Thomas 1-11.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.