By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

When comparing offensive styles, the Division 5 state championship game it’s like the current dusty canvas jackets versus the 1930s Clark Gable vested sharkskin suit.

The Division 5 state title game will be played at 3 p.m. Saturday between the wide-open offense of the Ironton Fighting Tigers and the run-oriented Liberty Center Tigers.

Ironton (14-1) has 6,050 total yards — 3,306 passing and 2,744 rushing — on the season and is averaging 48.9 points a game while allowing just 10.5 per game with 5 shutouts. The Fighting Tigers have had 13 running clocks in their 15 games.

Liberty Center has rushed for 4,591 yards and thrown for 1,026 for 5,617 total yards. The LC Tigers are averaging 42.1 points a game and have allowed only 7.6 points a contest including 6 shutouts. They have also had 13 running clocks this season.

Here are the individual numbers:

Liberty Center quarterback Grady Miller connected on 30 of 59 passesg for 675 yards with 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He has also ran 39 times for 269 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Ironton quarterback Braden Schreck has put up some huge numbers. The 6-2 senior has completed 173 of 239 passes for 2,880 yards, 35 touchdowns and just 8 interceptions.

Schreck also has 463 leads on 90 carries and 8 touchdowns.

Liberty Center is run-oriented and it shows in the statistics.

Waylon Rentz has carried 174 times for 1,786 yards and 29 touchdowns to lead the ground game.

Thomas Mohler has 115 attempts for 916 yards and 8 scores. Garrison Kruse had 843 yards on 84 carries with15 touchdowns while Miller has added 39 rushes for 287 yards and 6 TDs.

Although Ironton doesn’t have big numbers in the ground game, it’s still very good led by the power and speed of 5-9, 200-pound junior Zayne Williams with 720 yards on 89 carries for an 8.1 yards per carry average. He has scored 17 touchdowns.

Tyler Carmon has 416 yards on 49 carries for an 8.5 average and 8 scores. Kayden Edwards has 357 yards on just 25 rushes for a 14.3 yards per carry and he has 5 scores.

The Liberty Center leading receivers are all in single digits except for Blake Garber who had 12 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Cam Kahle had 8 receptions for 11 yards, Noah Hammontree 6 grabs for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns, Jaxton Lawniczak 6 catches for 93 yards and a score, and Jackson Bartels has 5 receptions for 90 yards and a TD.

The Fighting Tigers are led by All-Ohio wide receiver and Missouri commit Shaun Terry with 79 receptions for 1,440 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Tyler Roach has 458 yards on 24 grabs with 5 TDs, Williams 320 yards on 20 catches with 4 scores, Braydon Baker 285 yards on 22 receptions and 4 scores, and Nick Sites 11 catches for 224 yards and a score.

The LC Tigers have 16 quarterback sacks. Zander Zeiter had 3 sacks with Rentz, Steven Brogan, Hunter Spangler and Kyelar Kern 2 each.

The secondary has 20 interceptions with Kahle picking off 8 passes to lead the team. Rentz and Zeiter — both linebackers — lead the team in tackles. Rentz has 99 total tackles with 24 solos while Zeiter has 85 tackles with 17 solo stops.

Ironton’s defense only has 7 sacks but Jesse Copas has 28 hurries, Mason Wheeler 26, Aiden Layne and Williams 15 each, Austin Bump and Braiden Linn 13 each and Braylon Sturgill 10.

Bump leads the team with 109 total tackles with 32 solo stops. Mullins had 75 tackles from his cornerback spot, Sites 66, Copas and Wheeler 57 each, Williams 54, Josh Johnson 53 and Maddix Markel 50.

Wheeler has 14 tackles for a loss, Wiliams 11, Bump 10, Sites 9 and Copas 8.

Just like Liberty Center, the Ironton secondary has 20 picks and 7 have been returned for touchdowns with Brycen Mullins getting 3 Pick-6 and Carmon a pair. Mullins leads the team with 5 interceptions while Terry and Williams have 3 each.

Besides his 21 receiving touchdowns, Terry has 3 rushing scores and 3 punt returns for touchdowns.

Schreck is Ironton’s punter but has only 13 kicks for a 37.2 average including a 62-yarder.

Ironton Fighting Tigers

OFFENSE

No. Playe r Pos. Ht. Wt. Gr.

10 Tyler Roach WR 6-01 185 Sr.

  5 Nick Sites WR 6-02 185 Sr.

52 Aiden Layne OT 6-00 240 Sr.

72 Carter Bridges OG 5-09 225 So.

68 Carson Akers OG 6-00 220 So.

53 Barkley Litton C 6-00 190 Sr.

66 Grant Day OG 5-10 250 Sr.

77 Bowen Gossett OT 6-02 265 Sr.

44 Jesse Copas TE 5-09 190 Sr.

  4 Shaun Terry WR 5-10 180 Sr.

  7 Kayden Edwards WR 5-11 180 So.

18 Braydon Baker WR 5-10 175 Jr.

24 Zayne Williams FB 5-09 200 Jr.

12 Braden Schreck QB 6-02 185 Sr.

82 Beckham Waginger PK 5-10 165 Fr,

DEFENSE

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Gr.

44 Jesse Copas DE 5-09 190 Sr.

64 Mason Wheeler DL 6-00 240 Jr.

52 Aiden Layne DE 6-00 240 Sr.

78 Caleb Jacob DL 6-04 270 Jr.

  0 Braiden Linn DL 5-11 210 So.

55 Austin Bump LB 6-00 205 Sr.

  2 Braylon Sturgill LB 5-10 185 Sr.

  5 Nick Sites OLB 6-02 185 Sr.

24 Zayne Williams OLB 5-09 200 Jr.

  4 Shaun Terry CB 5-10 180 Sr.

  3 Brycen Mullins CB 5-10 170 So.

  7 Kayden Edwards DB 5-11 180 So.

  8 Josh Johnson S 6-03 185 Sr.

15 Maddix Markel S 6-00 185 Jr.

12 Braden Schreck P 6-02 185 Sr.

29 David Joseph KO 5-11 165 Jr.

Liberty Center Tigers

OFFENSE

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Gr.

60 Kellen Wymer OT 6-05 240 So.

50 Max Walker OG 6-00 200 Jr.

71 Clayton Seel C 6-01 225 Sr.

51 Tyler Ley OG 5-07 200 Sr.

53 Parker Trumble OT 5-06 200 Jr.

30 Garrison Kruse WB 6-02 210 So.

33 Zander Zeiter WB 6-02 215 Sr.

14 Blake Garber WR 6-00 170 Sr.

  7 Cam Kahle  WR 5-09 155 Sr.

17 Jackson Barteis WR 5-10 185 Sr.

19 Waylon Rentz RB 5-11 205 Sr..

  3 Thomas Mohler RB 5-11 185 Jr.

  1 Grady Miller QB 6-04 210 Sr.

84 Ian Rosebrook PK 6-0 165 Sr.

DEFENSE

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Gr.

45 Carter Booth DE 6-00 220 Fr.

33 Zander Zeiter WB 6-02 215 Sr.

60 Kellen Wymer OT 6-05 240 So.

69 Kyelar Kern DL 6-02 215 Sr.

75 Hunter Spangler DL 6-04 260 Jr.

63 Stephen Brogan LB 5-11 210 Sr.

19 Waylon Rentz LB 5-11 205 Sr..

30 Garrison Kruse WB 6-02 210 So.

  7 Cam Kahle CB 5-09 155 Sr.

  1 Grady Miller CB 6-04 210 Sr.

17 Jackson Barteis DB 5-10 185 Sr.

14 Blake Garber DB 6-00 170 Sr.

  3 Thomas Mohler S 5-11 185 Jr.

50 Max Walker P 6-00 200 Jr.

Ironton 2024 Results

Ironton 37 Wheelersburg 7

Ironton 51 Jackson 14

Ironton 63 Cabell Midland 7

Ironton 56 St. Francis, N.Y. 19

Ironton 41 Bishop Hartley 0

Ironton 27 Clarkson N. Canada 28

Ironton 48 Pikeville, Ky. 33

Ironton 41 Fairland 0

Ironton 49 Gallipolis 10

Ironton 50 Portsmouth 0

Playoffs

Ironton 68 Worthington Christian 14

Ironton 44 Portsmouth 0

Ironton 41 Harvest Prep 13

Ironton 55 Wheelersburg 0

Ironton 63 West Liberty-Salem 21

Record: 14-1

Liberty Center 2024 Results

Liberty Center 38 Tinora 0

Liberty Center 31 Napoleon 7

Liberty Center 37 Otsego 7

Liberty Center 51 Archbold 0

Liberty Center 70 Swanton 0

Liberty Center 42 Bryan 0

Liberty Center 21 Patrick Henry 15

Liberty Center 42 Evergreen 0

Liberty Center 49 Delta 7

Liberty Center 52 Wauseon 0

Playoffs

Liberty Center 58 Utica 6

Liberty Center 35 Liberty Benton 0

Liberty Center 24 Oak Harbor 21

Liberty Center 34 Edison 6

Liberty Center 48 South Range 14

Record: 15-0