Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

This is a case of coming and going.
While both teams have a lot of underclassmen playing, Ironton and Gallipolis come into Friday’s Ohio Valley Conference game going in opposite directions.
The Fighting Tigers have won four straight and are now 5-3 overall and lead the Ohio Valley Conference with a 5-0 record. A win Friday would clinch at least a share of the league title.
Gallipolis has yet to win in eight games including 0-5 in the league.
Besides an emotional letdown, the biggest challenge facing Ironton is the first real test of its secondary.
The Blue Devils’ sophomore quarterback Justin McClelland (6-0, 185) is the key weapon in the offense.
“Their quarterback is a really nice player. He has a strong, accurate arm. He has a lot of passes dropped,” said Ironton coach Mark Vass. “The thing that makes it hard to defend is his ability to run. He’s a good athlete.”
McClelland has a plethora of receivers at his disposal that includes senior Colton Campbell (6-1, 170), sophomore Cory Call (5-11, 170), junior Garrett Burns (5-10, 165) and sophomore Wyatt Sipple (5-10, 160).
McClelland has been Gallipolis’ leading rusher, too. He is joined in the running game by sophomore Boo Pullins (5-10,175), junior Clay Plymale (6-1, 195) and Sipple at slotback.
Up front the Blue Devils have sophomore Colton Russell (5-10, 260) at center, senior Brody Thomas (5-10, 190) and junior Nathan Mitchell (5-11, 195) at the guards, junior Jonas McCreedy (6-0, 220) and senior Ty Howell (6-1, 200) at the tackles and junior Matthew Moreaux (5-9, 165) at tight end.
“They’ve been able to move the ball through the air and score. This will be a good chance to see how our secondary stacks up,” said Vass.
The Blue Devils use a 4-3 base defense but will adjust according to the opposition. Ironton can expect to see the usual nine men in the box.
The nose guard is Mitchell, junior Garrett McGuire (6-0, 215) and McCreedy are the tackles while Howell and senior Garrett Rogers (6-0, 180) are the ends.
Thomas and Moreaux are the linebackers. The secondary has Burns and Call at the corners while Campbell and junior Tanner Allen (5-10, 170) are the safeties.
“Their defense has given up a lot of points, but they’ll fill the box and bring stunters like everyone else and it’ll come down to how well we block them and their scheme,” said Vass.
Howell handles all the kicking.
Kickoff for senior night is 7 p.m.