Fighting Tigers rout Redmen in OVC, 42-0

Published 12:40 am Saturday, September 30, 2023


Ironton Fighting Tigers’ wide receiver Aris Pittman races down the sidelines with a pass on a 52-yard touchdown play during a 42-0 win over the Rock Hill Redmen on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game. (Jeremy Holtzapfel/HoltzPhotos.com)

 


Ironton Fighting Tigers’ slot receiver Braden Schreck gets ready to run into the end zone as he completes a 57yard scoring pass during Friday’s 42-0 win over the Rock Hill Redmen on Friday. (Jeremy Holtzapfel/HoltzPhotos.com)

 


Ironton Fighting Tigers’ wide receiver Connor Lowe took a handoff and ran around left end for a 14-yard tocuhdown scamper during Friday’s win over the Rock Hill Redmen. (Jeremy Holtzapfel/HoltzPhotos.com)

By JIM WALKER

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jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Forget Waldo. Ironton coach Trevon Pendleton wants to know where’s consistency.

The Fighting Tigers were dominant in a 42-0 win over the Rock Hill Redmen on Friday, but Pendleton wasn’t totally happy with Ironton’s 30th straight Ohio Valley Conference victory.

“You try to find good and bad in everything, but we’re missing something. I don’t know what it is yet, but it starts with us as a coaching staff,” said Pendleton.

“We’re just a little bit off. We’re not clicking yet. You can see it in spurts, you just don’t see it in the consistency yet. We’ve got to find that so it’s back to the drawing board.”

Maybe Ironton (6-1, 4-0) was a little bit off, but you couldn’t convince Rock Hill as the Fighting Tigers had 271 total yards to just 37 for the Redmen in a game shortened in the second half due to the running clock rule.

Ironton quarterback Bailey Thacker ws 8-of-12 passing for 160 yards an 3 touchdowns while Braden Schreck was 1-of-2 for 8 yards and a score.

The running game produce 103 yards on just 18 carries led by Zayne “The Train” Williams with 43 yards on 7 carries and a touchdown. Williams also caught a 16-yard TD pass.

Ironton had 7 different players run the ball in a game that saw the Fighting Tigers run just 32 plays and Rock Hill 30.

“Our quick game has to get better. It’s something we’ve been working hard on. The opportunity didn’t present itself to run it tonight, but we have to get better. We understand that,” said Pendleton.

The young and inexperienced Redmen got 37 net yards rushing, none passing and were limited to 3 first downs. Levi Jiles ran 11 times for 34 yards for Rock Hill (2-5, 0-4).

Ironton took the opening kickoff and went 56 yards in 4 plays as Thacker hit Aris Pittman on a catch-and-run touchdown pass covering 52 yards.

David Fields kicked the first of 6 extra points and it was 7-0 at the 10:04 mark.

After a 3-and-out, Ironton went 64-yards in 9 plays capped by Williams’ 8-yard scoring run and it was 14-0 with 4:32 left in the quarter.

Ironton fumbled at the Redmen 32 and Gabe Clutters recovered for Rock Hill. It was the only possession of the first half in which the Fighting Tigers didn’t score.

Following a punt, Ironton had the ball at the Rock Hill 44 and scored in just 3 plays as Connor Lowe ran 14 yards for the score with 8:26 left I the half.

Ironton forced another punt and Rock Hill’s Landon Rose boomed a 61-yard kick. But Shaun “Mr. Electric” Terry returned the kick to the 43 and on the next play Thacker hit Schreck in stride for a 57-yard touchdown pass and a 28-0 lead with 4:14 on the clock.

Another punt gave the ball back to the Fighting Tigers at the Redmen 36 and a 21-yard pass to Lowe and an 8-yarder to Pittman got the ball to the 8-yard line.

Chase Sizemore sacked Thacker for a 9-yard loss on the next play, but Thacker found Williams running a seam route for a 16-yard touchdown with just 11 seconds left and it was 35-0 at the half.

Rock Hill was unable to move the ball to start the second half and Ironton went 39 yards in 4 plays with Schreck throwing to Thacker for an 8-yard TD pass and it was 42-0 at the 5:30 mark.

Next Friday, Ironton visits Coal Grove and Rock Hill entertains Gallipolis.

Rock Hill 0 0 0 0 = 0

Ironton     14 21 7 0 = 42

First Quarter

Irn — Aris Pittman 52 pass from Bailey Thacker (David Fields kick) 10:04

Irn — Zayne Williams 8 run (David Fields kick) 4:32

Second Quarter

Irn — Connor Lowe 14 run (David Fields kick) 8:26

Irn — Braden Schreck 57 pass from Bailey Thacker (David Fields kick) 4:14

Irn — Zayne Williams 16 pass from Bailey Thacker (David Fields kick) 0:11

Third Quarter

Irn — Bailey Thacker 8 pass from Braden Schreck (David Fields kick)5:30

———

RHIrn

First downs 3 14

Rushes-yards 29-37 18-103

Passing yards 0 168

Total yards 37 271

Cmp-Att-Int 0-1-0 9-14-0

Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-2

Penalties-yards 6-40 4-35

Punts-average 7-30.1 0-00.0

———

Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Rock Hill: Levi Jiles 11-34, Anthony Stamper 7-8, Gage Clutters 4-minus 6, Dallin Cox 1-3, Connor Blagg 1-minus 2, Jaxson Rose 3-0, Bradey Stamper 1-0, Sam Rusk 1-0; Ironton: Zayne Williams 7-43 TD, Jesse Copas 4-27, Tyler Carmon 1-3, Kayden Edwards 1-14, Shaun Terry 1-5, Bailey Thacker 3-minus 3, Connor Lowe 1-14 TD.

PASSING–Rock Hill: Dallin Cox 0-1-0; Ironton: Bailey Thacker 8-12-0 160 3-TD, Braden Schreck 1-2-0 8 TD.

RECEIVING–Rock Hill: None; Ironton: Shaun Terry 1-5, Braden Schreck 1-57 TD, Aris Pittman 2-60 TD, Tatum Moore 1-2, Tyler Roach 2-29, Zayne Williams 1-16 TD, Bailey Thacker 1-8 TD.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.