IRONTON — The Ironton Fighting Tigers used a powerful running game to open the season with a 24-8 win over the Wheelersburg Pirates Friday.

Ironton controlled the ball by rushing 53 times for 294 yards. J.P. Taylor led a balanced running game with 14 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. Fullback Keith Wetzel had 25 carries for 85 yards and a score while Brian Warner got 86 yards on seven attempts including the game’s first score on a 64-yard jaunt.

“That was a good win for us,” said Ironton coach Bob Lutz. “We wanted to control the line of scrimmage and for the most part we did that.”

Quarterback Ethan Preston was 4-of-5 passing for 42 yards and a 13-yard touchdown toss to Jon Monnig. Ironton racked up 336 total yards

The defense held Wheelersburg to just three first downs the first half and seven for the game, The Pirates had 174 total yards but only 61 in the first half.

Wheelersburg 0 0 0 8 = 8

Ironton 6 12 6 0 = 24

First Quarter

Irn – Brian Warner 64 run (kick blocked) 9:19

Second Quarter

Irn – Keith Wetzel 4 run (run failed) 7:51

Irn – Jon Monnig 13 pass from Ethan Preston (run failed) 0:39

Third Quarter

Irn – J.P. Taylor 5 run (kick failed) 7:25

Fourth Quarter

Wh – Tyler Lang 5 run (Lang run) 7:47

—
Wh Irn

First Downs 7 15

Rushes-yards 33-126 53-294

Passing yards 48 42

Total yards 174 336

Cmp-Att-Int 4-8-1 4-5-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0

Punts-average 5-39.2 4-34.5

Penalties-yards 1-1 1-0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Wheelersburg: Tyler Craigmiles 3-29, Scott Walker 5-15, Brandon Schankweiler 12-43, Tyler Lang 10-34, C.J. Adkins 2-5; Ironton: J.P. Taylor 14-89, Brian Warner 7-86, Keith Wetzel 25-85, Ethan Preston 7-334

PASSING—Wheelersburg: Tyler Lang 2-6-1 18, Brandon Schankweiler 2-2-0 30; Ironton: Ethan Preston 4-5-0 42.

RECEIVING—Wheelersburg: Tyler Craigmiles 3-21, Andy Steegman 1-27; Ironton: Jon Monnig 2-28, Brian Warner 2-14.

Coal Grove 44, Meigs 42

COAL GROVE — So you like offense, huh?

The Coal Grove Hornets outlasted the Meigs Marauders 44-42 in a game that produced 848 total yards.

Coal Grove rushed 64 times for 367 yards led by Frank Delawder with 24 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown. Oakie Haynes ran 15 times for 77 yards and two scores while Boo Woods added 75 yards on just two carries and a score.

Quarterback Evan Ferguson was 4-of-6 for 63 yards and also ran eight times for 39 yards as Coal Grove racked up 430 total yards.

Meigs was led by Jeremy Smith with 160 yards on 27 carries and scored four touchdowns. Quarterback Jacob Well was 14-of-33 for 160 yards and a TD.

Coal Grove led 30-21 at the half. Boo Woods then bolted 57 yards early in the third quarter to open up a 38-21 lead.

Meigs scored twice to close within 38-35 at the end of the quarter.

Haynes ran 12 yards for a touchdown with 6:19 left to give the Hornets some breathing room at 44 35.

Meigs scored with 1:38 to play on a 1-yard run by Jeffrey Roush, but the Marauders could get no closer.

Meigs 14 7 14 7 = 42

Coal Grove 8 22 8 6 = 44

First Quarter

Me — Jeremy Smith 56 run (Jacob Well kick) 8:17

CG — Oakie Haynes 5 run (Haynes run) 5:47

Me — Jeremy Smith 2 run (Well kick) 0:20

Second Quarter

CG — Frank Delawder 4 run (Haynes run) 11:10

Me — Jeremy Smith 9 run (Well kick) 9:22

CG — Eva Ferguson 9 run (Haynes run) 4:23

CG — Haynes 17 run (run failed) 1:38

Third Quarter

CG — Boo Woods 57 run (Haynes run) 8:43

Me — Cameron Bolin 10 pass from Jacob Well (Well kick) 5:40

Me — Jeremy Smith 1 run (Well kick) 0:02

Fourth Quarter

CG — Haynes 12 run (run failed) 6:19

Me — Jeffery Roush 1 run (Well kick) 1:38

——

Me CG

First downs 18 21

Rushes-yards 39-258 64-367

Passing yards 160 63

Total yards 418 430

Fumbles-lost 2-0 1-1

Penalties 3-15 6-50

Punts 3-31.0 1-43.0

_——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Meigs: Jeremy Smith 27-160, Cody Laudermilt 3-69, Jeffrey Roush 7-28, Jacob Well 2-1; Coal Grove: Frank Delawder 24-153, Oakie Haynes 15-77, Boo Woods 2-75, Evan Ferguson 8-39, Bubba Wood 4-23.

PASSING—Meigs: Jacob Well 14-33-0 160; Coal Grove: Evan Ferguson 4-6-0 63.

RECEIVING—Meigs: Cameron Bolin 6-86, Caleb Davis 3-35, Jeffrey Roush 1-12, Colton Stewart 1-3.

Portsmouth West 15, Fairland 14

WEST PORTSMOUTH — Trevon Pendleton scored two second half touchdowns as the Porsmouth West Senators rallied to beat the Fairland Dragons 15-14 Friday and spoil the coaching debut of Dave Carroll.

Fairland went up 14-0 at the half as quarterback Chad Fisher threw touchdown strikes of 25 yards to Kyle Taubenheim and 78 yards to Matt Bloomfield. Fisher ran for the conversion after the first score.

But Pendleton had scoring runs of 30 and 40 yards and also added a conversion run. Kyle Auger kicked the decisive extra point.

Fairland 8 6 0 0 = 14

Ports. West 0 0 8 7 = 15

First Quarter

Fa — Kyle Taubenheim 25 pass from Chad Fisher (Fisher run)

Second Quarter

Fa — Matt Bloomfield 78 pass from Chad Fisher (kick failed)

Third Quarter

PW — Trevon Pendleton 30 run (Pendleton run)

Fourth Quarter

PW — Trevon Pendleton 40 run (Kyle Auger kick)

High School Football

Friday’s Scores

Ironton 24, Wheelersburg 8

Coal Grove 44, Meigs 42

Symmes Valley 26, Racine Southern 6

Portsmouth 24, South Point 14

Portsmouth West 15, Fairland 14

Oak Hill 37, Chesapeake 14

Green 28, Manchester 14

Zane Trace 52, Rock Hill 13

Logan 33, Lancaster 14

Marietta 59, Morgan 20

Athens 21, Gallipolis 0

Warren 41, Belpre 0

Chillicothe 17, Hamilton Township 9

Minford 42, River Valley 0

Lucasville Valley 42, Huntington Ross 0

Waterford 22, South Gallia 6

Nelsonville-York 7, Trimble 6

Zanesville 51, Newark 6

Thursday’s Game

Sciotoville East 27, McDermott Northwest 17

Saturday’s Games

Wellston at Jackson

Piketon at Waverly