Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COLUMBUS — There have been some good teams on the Ironton schedule this season.

And then there’s the Bishop Hartley Hawks.

Hartley proved to be worthy of its status as the No. 1 team in Region 17 of Division V Friday with a 54-0 win over the Ironton Fighting Tigers.

“Yes, we’re young and we’ve got a bunch of injuries, but that’s a good football team. They’re probably the best team we’ve played” said Ironton coach Mark Vass.

“They have good, athletic linemen and a lot of good skilled people. There’s a lot of speed on both sides of the ball.”

Hartley (7-1) rolled up 495 total yards including 457 on the ground. Sam MacKowiak ran 10 times for 139 yards and three touchdowns to lead the balanced ground game.

Ironton (2-6) was limited to just 121 total yards with 112 net yards rushing. D’Angelo Palladino had 44 yards on 16 carries and quarterback Tristan Cox ran seven times for 43 yards.

The Hawks scored on every possession in the first half except their first series when the drive ended on a fumble at the 1-yard line.

After an Ironton punt, Quri Hickman ran 50 yards to the 6-yard line and quarterback Jared Brandewie scored two plays later on an 8-yard run and it was 6-0.

The complexion of the game changed on Ironton’s next two possessions.

Ironton drove to the Hawks’ 21-yard line on their next possession, but Alonzo Saxton picked off a fourth down pass and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown and a 12-0 lead.

“Those were big momentum swings, but it wasn’t the difference in the game. They were just better,” said Vass.

Ironton fumbled the ball away on its next possession and Hartley recovered at the 38. Brandewie hit Jacob Mercier with a 38-yard scoring strike on the ensuing play with 3:19 left in the quarter. MacKowiak ran for the conversion and a 20-0 lead.

Ironton drove to the Hartley 10-yard line only to turn the ball over on downs.

A 38-yard run by Brandewie got the Hawks out of trouble and MacKowiac rumbled 40 yards for a touchdown and a 26-0 lead.

Hartley went up 33-0 before the half on a 5-yard run by MacKowiak to cap a 66-yard, 12-play drive.

An 82-yard kickoff return by Rian Anderson to begin the second half set up an 8-yard run on the next play by MacKowiak and the lead was 40-0.

Both teams began to empty their benches and finish the game.