Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

It’s sort of like those first-grade readers. Run, Reid, run. See Reid run. Reid can run and run.
Ironton sophomore Reid Carrico was off and running as he racked up a career-high 234 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns as the Fighting Tigers ran through the Chesapeake Panthers for a 48-27 Ohio Valley Conference win on Friday.
Ironton amassed 477 total yards with 350 coming on the ground. Seth Fosson added 69 yards on six attempts including a long touchdown run while quarterback Gage Salyers was 5-of-12 passing for 127 yards and two touchdowns.
Salyers also ran for a pair of scores.
The Panthers had 290 total yards of their own with 182 on the ground and 108 passing on the combined efforts of Austin Browning and Donald Richendollar.
Will Todd ran nine times for 83 yards and Kamren Harless had 57 yards on 12 tries.
Ironton (3-2, 2-0) scored on the opening possession of the game with a quick 66-yard, 4-play drive.
Carrico had a couple of runs for 19 yards, Jordan Grizzle ran for 5 yards and then Fosson bolted 42 yards for the touchdown.
Izack Unger’s conversion kick made it 7-0 at the 10:14 mark.
Chesapeake (3-2, 1-1) came back with a 13-play drive that stalled at the Ironton 10-yards line. The Panthers attempted a 37-yard field goal that was wide right.
Ironton appeared to have another quick drive but a pass play from Salyers to Grizzle covered 60 yards ended abruptly as Browning stripped the ball and returned the fumble 16 yards to the 36.
The Panthers converted on this possession as they used five plays to score. Harless ran 37 yards for the touchdown and Brady Wilson’s kick tied the game with 23 seconds left in the quarter.
The Fighting Tigers answered with a 72-yard, 9-play march capped by Salyers’ 5-yard keeper and it was 14-7 after Unger’s kick.
But the next score came just 12 seconds later as Harless returned the kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown and the Panthers trailed 14-13 with 8:22 left in the half.
Ironton kept its composure and came right back to score just five plays later.
A 25-yard run by Carrico was a key play but Salyers hit Trent Hacker for 20 yards and then threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Grizzle who redeemed himself with an outstanding leaping catch and it was 20-13 with 6:03 on the clock.
Chesapeake got to the Ironton 36 before a sack of Browning on fourth down lost 6 yards.
Ironton then went 53 yards in only seven plays with Carrico running the final 3 yards for the touchdown. Carrico’s 29-yard run on the previous play set up the score.
The conversion pass failed and it was 26-13 with 1:09 to go in the half.
After forcing a three-and-out to start the half, Ironton then went 55 yards in only three plays as Carrico shook free and raced 38 yards for a touchdown at the 8:12 mark. Brycen Thomas faked the conversion kick and ran for two points and Ironton led 34-13 at the 8:12 mark.
Ironton then applied what appeared to be the key dagger in the Panthers’ chances with a 72-yard, 11-play drive that culminated on a 25-yard pass from Salyers to his cousin Ethan Duncan.
Unger drilled the conversion for a 41-13 lead and 1:40 left in the quarter.
Chesapeake did come back to score with the help of a 40-yard run by Todd. Carson Nida ran the final yard for the touchdown to make it 41-19 with 11:04 left.
The Panthers recovered the onside kick-off at the Ironton 49-yard line.
Chesapeake then went 49 yards in nine plays capped by a 5-yard pass from Richendollar to Tylan Hutchison with 6:47 left.
But Ironton continued to moved easily through the Panthers’ defense with a 55-yard, six-play scoring drive. Carrico ran 27 yards to start the drive and Salyers went the final 7 yards.
Unger’s kick put the lead at 48-27 with 3:55 left.
Next Friday, Ironton visits Rock Hill and Chesapeake hosts Portsmouth.
Chesapeake 7 6 0 14 = 27
Ironton 7 19 15 7 = 48
First Quarter
Irn — Seth Fosson 42 run (Izack Unger kick) 10:14
Ch — Kamren Harless 37 run (Brady Wilson kick) 0:23
Second Quarter
Irn — Gage Salyers 5 run (Izack Unger kick) 8:34
Ch — Kamren Harlesss 82 kickoff return (kick failed) 8:22
Irn — Jordan Grizzle 15 pass from Gage Salyers (kick failed) 6:03
Irn — Reid Carrico 3 run (pass failed) 1:09
Third Quarter
Irn — Reid Carrico 38 run (Brycen Thomas run) 8:12
Irn — Ethan Duncan 25 pass from Gage Salyers (Izack Unger kick) 1:40
Fourth Quarter
Ch — Carson Nida 1 run (pass failed) 11:04
Ch — Tylan Hutchison 5 pass from Donald Richendollar (Richendollar run) 6:49
Irn — Gage Salyers 7 run (Izack Unger kick) 3:55
——
Ch Irn
First downs 19 22
Rushes-yards 42-182 36-350
Passing yards 108 127
Total yards 290 477
Cmp-Att-Int 7-11-1 5-12-0
Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-2
Penalties-yards 8-75 6-58
Punts-average 2-34.0 0-00.0
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING — Chesapeake: Carson Nida 8-40, Will Todd 9-83, Kamren Harless 12-57, Austin Browning 7-minus 10, Tyler Eddy 2-4, Donald Richendollar 4-8; Ironton: Reid Carrico 21-234, Seth Fosson 6-69, Gage Salyers 3-15, Cameron Deere 2-15, Jordan Grizzle 2-12, Kameron Browning 2-5.
PASSING — Chesapeake: Austin Browning 4-7-0 77, Donald Richendollar 3-4-1 31; Ironton: Gage Salyers 5-12-0 127.
RECEIVING — Chesapeake: Eli Archer 4-60, Kamren Harless 1-29, Tylan Hutchison 2-19; Ironton: Jordan Grizzle 3-82, Ethan Duncan 1-25, Trent Hacker 1-20.