If you want to know how the Ironton vs. Logan game went, just following the bouncing football.

The football just wasn’t bouncing Ironton’s way as the Chieftains pulled away with two late scores to beat the Fighting Tigers 21-7 Friday in a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League game at Tanks Memorial Stadium.

“Our defense played well enough to win,” said Ironton coach Bob Lutz. “I can’t fault our effort. If we get a couple of balls to bounce our way, we’re not sitting here talking about ‘what ifs.’”

Ironton’s J.P. Taylor dropped a “Pick Six” early in the second quarter when he stumbled on the rain-saturated playing surface.

“If (Taylor) can keep his feet, it’s a touchdown,” said Lutz.

A pooch punt attempt by Logan backfired into a 7-yard kick, but it was the bounce that made the difference. The ball hit and bounced out-of-bounds at the Ironton 26. If the ball had bounced straight up, the Fighting Tigers’ Michael Lawless stood waiting.

“If the ball bounces straight up, Lawless has nothing in front of him but our guys. There was nothing down the sidelines,” said Lutz.

Ironton (3-2, 1-1) was backed up at its own 3-yard line on the first series of the game and managed just a 28-yard punt.

Logan took over at the 27 and used a pass to Zach McDaniel to pick up 21 yards.

An 11-yard sack by Jon Monnig put the ball back at the 17 and the defense stiffened. The Chieftains tried a 32-yard field goal but Derek Montgomery’s kick was well short of the goal posts.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Fighting Tigers drove 74 yards in nine plays capped by Brian Warner’s 3-yard run. Keith Wetzel’s conversion kick put Ironton up 7-0.

The Chieftains were forced to punt and Ironton had the ball at its own 11. The drive reached the Logan 46 only to die as time ran out.

Logan’s highly-touted quarterback Patrick Angle was harassed and battered the first half and most of the second half. Angle was sacked three times in the first half — five for the game — and hurried into several early throws and scrambles.

“Their quarterback is a good player, but we put the heat on him. We came after him and we did a pretty good job,” said Lutz.

Taylor did get an interception on the first play of the second half, but Ironton fumbled the ball right back on the next play at the 18.

Logan’s drive ended on a sack by Brad Spoljaric that caused Angle to fumble and Ryan Sias recovered.

Ironton couldn’t move the ball and was forced to punt. Logan blocked the kick and took over at the Ironton 19. Angle threw 17 yards to Jordan Rutter and then McDaniel scored from 2 yards out and it was 7-7.

“We fumbled the ball and had a punt blocked. You can’t do that and win,” said Lutz.

Ironton came back with a drive to the Logan 33, but got a questionable spot on a fourth down play and Logan survived the drive.

Following an Ironton punt, Logan had the ball at the Fighting Tigers’ 49. Three plays later Angle found Mason Mays behind the depleted Ironton secondary for a 34-yard scoring pass with 4:24 left. The conversion kick was wide left.

“We had two subs in because of injuries and they were able to go deep at the end,” said Lutz.

Ironton needed a scoring drive and managed to pick up a first down. But on the next play Logan came up with an interception at the Ironton 37 with 2:46 left.

Two plays later, McDaniel broke free and raced 58 yards for a touchdown with 1:56 to play. Angle threw to McDaniel for the conversion and it was 21-7.

“At the end we just had everybody up trying to get the ball back and they broke the plane,” said Lutz.

Taylor finished with 92 yards on 15 carries as Ironton finished with 177 total yards but only 8 passing.

Logan (5-0, 1-0) finished with 270 yards including 91 rushing — 58 on the final rushing play. Angle was 15-of-25 for 179 yards and an interception.

Logan 0 0 7 14 = 21

Ironton 0 7 0 0 = 7

Second Quarter

Irn — Brian Warner 3 run (Keith Wetzel kick) 6:26

Third Quarter

Log — Zach McDaniel 2 run (Derek Montgomery kick) 6:45

Fourth Quarter

Log — Mason Mays 34 pass from Patrick Angle (kick failed) 4:24

Log — Zach McDaniel 58 run (McDaniel pass from Angle) 1:56

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Log Irn

First downs 13 12

Rushes-yards 21-91 51-169

Passing yards 179 8

Total yards 270 177

Com-Att-Int 15-25-1 3-8-1

Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-1

Penalties 7-40 6-35

Punts-average 5-33.4 5-27.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Logan: Patrick Angle 12-minus 19, Zach McDaniel 3-62, Mason Mays 2-15, Michael Snider 4-33. Ironton: J.P. Taylor 15-92, Brian Warner 12-39, Keith Wetzel 9-35, Tres Wilks 7-18, Tyler Hager 1-5, Ethan Preston 7-minus 20.

PASSING—Logan: Patrick Angle 15-25-1 174. Ironton: Ethan Preston 3-7-1 8, J.P. Taylor 0-1-0.

RECEIVING—Logan: Jordan Rutter 7-84, Zach McDaniel 5-50, Mason Mays 3-45. Ironton: Jonathan Norris 1-6, Keith Wetzel 1-3, J.P. Taylor 1-minus 1.

MISSED FIELD GOAL—Logan: Derek Montgomery, 32, short.