The schedule is full.

Wednesday, May 02, 2001

The schedule is full.

For the first time since 1997, the Ironton Fighting Tigers will have a full football schedule.

Dayton Dunbar, a Division I school that gets even bigger this year, has filled eighth slot on the Ironton schedule.

Two schools in the Dayton area – Colonel White and Patterson – have been closed in a moved to save the school district $20 million. That left an open date for Dunbar, which check the Ohio open dates and found Ironton.

The two teams met in 1995 and ’96 with Dunbar winning both games by a touchdown or less, 12-6 and 18-15, respectively.

Ironton athletic director Mike Burcham is waiting for a signed contract from Dunbar in order to make the move official.

"We both needed a game and there was no one closer who wanted to play," Burcham said. "This is probably one of the toughest schedules we’ve ever had. It’ll be tough on the coaches, but it’ll be great for the fans."

Dunbar will play at Ironton this season with the Fighting Tigers returning to Welcome Stadium in 2002.

Ironton’s 2001 schedule is:

Aug. 24 Wheelersburg; Aug. 31 South Point; Sept. 7 at Gallipolis; Sept. 14 Campbell County, Ky.; Sept. 21 at Ashland, Ky.; Sept. 28 Portsmouth; Oct. 5 at Coal Grove; Oct. 12 Dayton Dunbar; Oct. 19 at Belfry, Ky.; Oct. 26 at Columbus St. Francis DeSales.

Ironton lineman Roman Fry, a 6-foot-4 tackle/guard/defensive end has been getting some serious looks from Division I colleges.

Fry is one of the top linemen in the state and is expected to get early scholarship offers from Ohio State, West Virginia, Minnesota, and Boston College. Fry can probably expect even more to follow.