Players, fans welcome back Lutz, Burcham

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 2, 2000

Josh Harmon was set to umpire home plate at Ironton Junior League game Thursday when a familiar face walked up to the fence.

Friday, June 02, 2000

Josh Harmon was set to umpire home plate at Ironton Junior League game Thursday when a familiar face walked up to the fence.

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"Are they back?" asked Harmon, a running back and defensive back for the Fighting Tigers.

The reply was, "Yes."

"That’s great," said Harmon. "I’m so glad. I’m a senior and we’ve got a chance to go back (to the state championship game)."

Ironton football players and fans were jubilant Thursday concerning the announcement head football coach Bob Lutz and assistant coach and athletic director Mike Burcham had reapplied for their jobs.

The two are retiring as teachers this year, but had planned to continue running the athletic department and football program.

But after months of waiting for a decision, Lutz and Burcham withdrew their applications for the current positions last week. Both reapplied Thursday, the final date applications were to be accepted.

Their decision to reapply delighted Ironton football fans.

Their happiness was increased when Ironton City Schools superintendent Steve Kingery said the board would rehire the two men in their current supplemental positions as well as three newly created positions.

"I’m very pleased and happy. This incident caused some division in Ironton, but now the healing can begin. This is something so positive in the community and it’s important to us, but now we need to address more important academic issues. Education is what gets people through life," Ironton fan Rich Mountain said.

"We need to get behind all athletic programs, but we need to support all our academic programs and teachers as well as we do our athletics."

Junior-to-be Josh Peyton, a quarterback for Ironton, oozed with excitement when he learned Lutz and Burcham had reapplied.

"Man, am I pumped," Peyton said. "I can’t wait to get started."

Ironton supporter Tim Collins was glad the issue had been decided and that the negotiating sides were able to reach an agreement.

"I think the board members made the right decision. They’re the best two coaches qualified for the job. And we have to thank the fans for their support. We’re got our tiger pride back," said Collins.

Ironton was 10-4 last season and advanced to the Division IV state championship game before losing a 16-14 heartbreaker to Sandusky Perkins.

The Fighting Tiges have won two state championships and been runners-up on six different occasions under Lutz.

The Ironton coach has a career record of 282-60-5, tying him for eighth place on the all-time win list for Ohio high school coaches.