Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

A familiar face in a familiar place.
Former longtime Ironton assistant coach Mark Lutz will return to Tanks Memorial Stadium on Friday but he will be on the opposing team sidelines.
The Rock Hill Redmen first-year head coach brings him team to the place where he played and coached for an Ohio Valley Conference showdown with the Ironton Fighting Tigers.
“I hope it’s a great game. I hope my guys play well. Ironton has a nice team. I’m really impressed with all their backs,” said Lutz.
Rock Hill is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the OVC while Ironton is now 3-3 and 2-1 in the league.
Both teams are coming off big wins. Ironton beat Chesapeake 40-28 and Rock Hill downed South Point 44-16.
Rock Hill is led by halfback Zak Adkins (5-10, 165) and fullback Cameron Barnette (5-11, 203).
“Adkins and Barnette are the main weapons of their offense. They carry the ball most of the time but then they will hit you with someone else so you can’t just focus on them,” said Ironton coach Mark Vass.
The other weapons are sophomore right halfback J.J. Hackworth (5-9, 170) — he took over when Logan Hankins was injured in the season opener — and freshman Bradyen Friend (5-8, 154) is the quarterback.
“Rock Hill has had a lot of back breaks,” said Vass. “They lost their 1,000-yard running back the first game, Barnette had an allergic reaction and missed the second half of the Oak Hill game or they win that game, and they lost to Portsmouth and Fairland on fumbles returned for touchdowns.”
The Redmen use the T-formation offense that has sophomore Ethan McClaskey (6-0, 210) at center, sophomore T.J. McGinnis (6-1, 233) and senior Eli Matney (5-10, 186) the guards, sophomore Tristan Delong (5-10, 283) and junior Cameron Donohue (6-1, 203) the tackles, and seniors Jaret Bacorn (6-4, 191) and Kyle Stanfield (5-11, 185) the ends.
“They don’t do anything fancy. Their line comes off the ball and they will power the ball right at you. They like to control the ball and keep it out of your hands and they do a good job of that,” said Vass.
Defensively the Redmen have a 5-2 alignment and adjust to formations.
Matney is the nose guard, McClaskey and McGinnis the tackles with Donohue and Bacorn the ends.
Barnette and Hackworth are the linebackers and the secondary has junior Quinn Depriest (5-10, 140) and senior Tyler Cochran (5-8, 158) the cornerbacks with senior Corey Shope (5-11, 154) and Adkins the safeties.
“They’ve got a big front and two solid linebackers,” said Vass. “The secondary is athletic and has some speed. It’s a good defensive unit.”
The placekicker is Brady Floyd and Barnette is the punter.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.