LOGAN — It started promising, but then turned to broken promises.

Ironton jumped in front of favored Logan and had opportunities to be ahead at halftime.

But the young Fighting Tigers were unable to sustain the effort as the Chieftains outscored Ironton 27-0 in the second half to win 53-14 Friday night.

“We felt like we should have been up 21-13 at the half,” said Ironton coach Bob Lutz. “It was the same old story. We had too many turnovers and we gave up big plays in situations where it looked like we had them stopped.

Although many people didn’t think Ironton would win two games this season, the Fighting Tigers finished 5-5 and just missed out on the Division IV playoffs.

Logan (9-1, 7-0) won the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League for the second straight year and will advance to the Division II playoffs.

Ironton opened the game with a 39-yard pass from Jonathan Schweickart to Marc Carter, but the ball came out on the tackle and Logan recovered.

Ironton countered with an interception by Bub Johnson who returned the ball to the Logan 28. Schweickart hit Carter for 27 yards and Tony Murphy scored on the next play and it was 7-0.

Logan came back to tie the game with the aid of a 15-yard penalty on Ironton. A third down pass was incomplete, but a roughing the passer call gave the Chieftains new life at the 15.

Four plays later Justin Frye scored from 9 yards out and it was 7-7.

A sack by Sam Cramblit dropped Logan quarterback Michael Angel for 13 yards loss, but the next two plays were completions of 31 and 19 yards, the second to Jeshiah Eggers for a touchdown and a 13-7 lead.

After an Ironton punt, Lucas Wright ran a flanker reverse 78 yards for a touchdown and it was 20-7.

But the Fighting Tigers came right back two plays later with a 57-yard scoring strike to Carter and it was 20-14.

Ironton was moving the ball on its next possession, but Carter got held up by the Logan secondary and Seth Moritz got an interception that he return to the Ironton 5. Corey Kissling scored on the next play and Logan led 26-14 at the half.

“We lost three fumbles and two interceptions. It hard to win if you’re giving the other team easy chances to score,” said Lutz.

A 19-yard punt return gave Logan the ball at the Ironton 33. Six plays later Angle, despite dropping the ball, ran 1-yard for the score and a 32-14 lead.

Wright returned a punt 61 yards for the next Chieftain score and Frye’s 22-yard run came with 1:01 left in the quarter to make it 46-14.

Logan got its final score with 5:35 to play as Frye ran for 10 yards, Clay Morgan for 26, and fullback Mark Potter the final 19 for the touchdown.

Frye finished with 154 yards on 24 carries and Logan had 401 total yards.

Ironton had 237 total yards including 131 through the air as Schweickart hit 6 of 14 passes. Carter had three catches for 123 yards.

Ironton is expected to finish 10th in the final computer ratings, thus ending a streak of nine straight posteason appearances.

The Fighting Tigers have 25 playoff appearances overall, third on the all-time Ohio high school list behind Newark Catholic and Cincinnati Moeller.

Ironton7700=14

Logan719207=53

First Quarter

Irn — Tony Murphy 1 run (Jon Schweickart kick) 6:50

Lo — Justin Frye 9 run (Ronnie Burcham kick) 0:46

Second Quarter

Lo — Jeshiah Eggers 19 pass from Michael Angle (kick blocked) 6:21

Lo — Lucas Wright 78 run (Burcham kick) 2:52

Irn — Marc Carter 57 pass from Schweickart) 2:32

Lo — Corey Kissling 5 run (pass failed) 0:45

Third Quarter

Lo —Angle 1 run (kick failed) 5:29

Lo —Wright 61 punt return (Burcham kick) 4:20

Lo — Frye 22 run (Burcham kick) 1:01

Fourth Quarter

Lo — Mark Potter 19 run (Ronnie Burcham kick) 5:35

IrnLog

First downs1118

Rushes-yards32-10641-307

Passing yards13194

Total yards237401

Cmp-Att-Int6-14-28-16-1

Fumbles-lost3-33-1

Penalties-yards4-3011-88

Punts-average5-37.03-37.0

Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Ironton: Keith Wetzel 7-42, Tony Murphy 5-14, Chance Freeman 5-9, Corey Dyer 3-8, Marc Carter 1-5, J.P. Taylor 3-25, Taville Osborne 2-8, Anthony Clark 1-1, Jon Schweickart 5-minus 6. Logan: Justin Frye 24-154, Mark Potter 7-59, Lucas Wright 1-78, Clay Morgan 2-24, Corey Kissling 1-5, Michael Angle 3-minus 16, Michael Snider 1-4, Caleb Valkinburg 2-minus 1.

PASSING—Ironton: Jon Schweickart 6-14-2 131. Logan: Michael Angle 8-16-1 94.

RECEIVING—Ironton: Marc Carter 3-123, Chance Freeman 2-10, Bub Johnson 1-minus 2. Logan: Lucas Wright 3-47, Jeshiah Eggers 1-19, Seth Moritz 1-12, Mark Potter 1-10, Jon Bapst 1-9, Justin Frye 1-minus 3.