By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

When the Ironton Fighting Tigers offense was “in a pickle,” they knew they could look toward senior wide receiver Tyler Roach to get them out of trouble.

After all, Roach has had a lot of experience with being in and getting out of a pickle.

“I play pickleball. I love it. We play every day in the summer. It’s super fun,” said Roach.

Well, maybe when the offense was in trouble it didn’t need to look toward the sport of pickleball for an answer, but they could look toward the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Roach.

While teammate Shaun Terry was drawing all the attention, Roach quietly put together an impressive season that any receiver would covet.

Roach had 24 receptions for 458 yards which is a 19.1 yards per catch average. He scored five touchdowns.

That production didn’t go unnoticed by college coaches which is why Roach signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Pikeville Bears on Thursday.

Besides Pikeville, Roach also considered Morehead State, Rio Grande, Heidelberg and Wittenberg.

“I went up there and it was great. I know a lot of people there already from the start that I went to high school with and it just felt like family when I got there,” said Roach.

Ironton head coach Trevon Pendleton said that Roach had plenty to offer.

“Tyler as a junior came on strong and as a senior he took another step up. He is a sure-handed receiver for us, great possession guy and a really good route runner,” said Pendleton.

“The thing that stood out on film that a lot of college coaches loved was his ability to block on the perimeter. Very strong kid who is very good with his feet. When he gets his hands on you he’s finishing blocks on the edge. If you watch, a lot of our long touchdown runs were sprung by him.”

Roach said there is an excellent opportunity for him because of his position as a wide receiver.

“They know I’m going up for receiver and they spread the ball pretty good. I should have a pretty good opportunity if I put in the work,” he said.

Roach hasn’t made a long list of goals. In fact, one shows his team-first mindset and the other is selfish but it has nothing to do with football.

“I want to go to win the conference championship for UPike and getting my major,” said Roach, who plans to major in business finance in order to become an accountant.

But regardless of his goals or playing expectations, Roach knows that anything worth having is going to take work.

“It’s going to be a process, but I’m ready to put in the work, so I’ll do anything it takes,” said Roach.

All that hard work paid off during high school as he helped Ironton win the Division 5 state championship this past season. Roach said this has been a dream senior year.

“It’s been awesome. Trust in God is the main thing. Just grinding through the process, doing whatever it takes. Really, it’s putting in the work day in and day out. Being here at 6 a.m.. It’s a long process but if you trust it, good results will happen,” said Roach.

Football isn’t the only sport in which Roach excels. He also plays baseball and basketball. And even though he likes all three sports, one rises over the other two.

“Definitely football, then baseball and then basketball.,” said Roach. “With football, you’re spending every day with your friends, which you do with every sport, but football is just a different kind of bond.

“In the locker room, always with your friend putting in hard work . And we’re really a football school, so it makes the bonds a little more connected together.”