Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

GALLIPOLIS — The Ironton Fighting Tigers usually play jayvee games on Monday. It looked more like the game was moved to Friday this time.

Ironton went into Friday’s Ohio Valley Conference game without two-way starters Seth Fosson, Tanner Wilson, Jaxson Pleasant, Dylan Redmond and Cody Rowe due to injuries sustained last week.

The Fighting Tigers then lost linebacker and tight end Ethan Duncan on the first series of the game and two-way lineman Brady Rowe was hurt to start the second half.

Despite a lineup filled with backups that included many freshmen, Ironton still battled the high-powered Blue Devils before falling 38-20.

Ironton (4-5, 3-3) finished with 296 total yards including 163 rushing. Quarterback Gage Salyers ran 24 times for 88 yards and was 8-of-18 passing for 133 yards.

Garrett Carrico ran 17 times for 57 yards and brother Reid Carrico caught five passes for 91 yards.

Gallipolis (4-5, 3-3) took advantage of the lucky break and got 364 yards rushing and another 64 passing for 428 total yards.

Boo Pullins ran 28 times for 195 yards and two touchdowns while quarterback Justin McClelland ran 17 times for 124 yards and was 6-of-12 passing.

Ironton drove to the 5-yard line to start the game only to stall on downs.

Late in the quarter Gallipolis attempted to punt only to have a bad snap sailing the ball into the end zone and Hunter Humphreys recovered for an Ironton touchdown.

Izack Unger kicked the conversion for a 7-0 lead at the 11:14 mark of the second quarter.

Gallipolis got the ball back with 6:53 on the clock and McClelland took care of the scoring drive with five straight runs covering 70 yards including the final 19 yards for the touchdown.

McClelland ran for the conversion and it was 8-7 with 4:29 left in the second quarter.

But the Fighting Tigers came right back with a seven-play, 69-yard drive as Salyers was 3-of-3 in the drive including a 27-yard touchdown pass to Alex Cox.

Unger’s kick put Ironton ahead 14-8 with 1:59 left in the half.

The Blue Devils weren’t finished as they went 62 yards in 10 plays and scored on a 1-yard run by Boo Pullins with 11 seconds on the clock. McClelland threw to Caleb Henry for the conversion and Gallipolis led 16-14.

The teams traded turnovers in the third quarter with Gallipolis ending up at the Ironton 28.

A 24-yard shovel pass to Henry got the ball to the 4-yard line and McClelland ran for the score on the next play. McClelland threw to James Armstrong for the conversion and a 24-14 lead.

Gallipolis used a 52-yard run by Pullins to key the next score as he went the final yard for the touchdown.

The Blue Devils then recovered a fumble at the Ironton 14 and Pullins went 5 yards two plays later for a 38-14 lead with 8:46 to play.

Ironton got a big kickoff return by Reid Carrico to the Gallipolis 30 and Ayden Barnes scored on a 1-yard run seven plays later and it was 38-20 with 5:14 to go.

Next Friday Ironton hosts Portsmouth and Gallipolis visits South Point.

Ironton            0          14        0          6          =          20

Gallipolis         0          16        8          14        =          38

Second Quarter

Irn — Hunter Humphreys recover fumble in end zone (Izack Unger kick) 11:14

Ga — Justin McClelland 19 run (McClelland run) 4:29

Irn — Alex Cox 27 pass from Gage Salyers (Izack Unger kick) 1:59

Ga — Boo Pullins 1 run (Caleb Henry pass from Justin McClelland) 0:11

Third Quarter

Ga — Justin McClelland 4 run (James Armstrong pass from Justin McClelland) 4:56

Fourth Quarter

Ga — Boo Pullins 1 run (pass failed) 9:43

Ga — Boo Pullins 5 run (Caleb Henry pass from Justin McClelland) 8:46

Irn — Ayden Barnes 1 run (run failed) 5:14

——

Irn       Gal

First downs     15        19

Rushes-yards  49-163 50-364

Passing yards  133      64

Total yards      296      428

Cmp-Att-Int    8-18-1 6-12-0

Fumbles-lost   1-1       2-2

Penalties-yards            3-18     5-46

Punts-average  2-33.5  2-27-5

——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING —Ironton: Gage Salyers 24-88, Garrett Carrico 17-57, Reid Carrico 3-3, Alex Cox 2-11, Ayden Barnes 1-1, Dalton Crabtree 2-3; Gallipolis: Boo Pullins 28-195, Justin McClelland 17-124, James Armstrong 1-41, Garrett Burns 1-13, Matt Moreaux 3-minus 9.

PASSING — Ironton: Gage Salyers 8-18-1 133; Gallipolis: Justin McClelland 6-12-0 64.

RECEIVING — Ironton: Reid Carrico 5-91, Alex Cox 1-27, Brycen Thomas 2-15; Gallipolis: Caleb Henry 2-42, Boo Pullins 1-9, John Stout 1-6, Garrett Burns 1-3, Cory Call 1-3.