Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The lights in the entire stadium went out with 3:57to play Friday night at the Trojan Coliseum. It seemed like the only way to stop Talyn Parker.
When the lights came back on, Parker ran 8 yards for a touchdown to cap a Portsmouth comeback as the Trojans beat the Ironton Fighting Tigers 35-21 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Ironton had built a 21-0 lead with 5:13 left in the half before Parker scored just before the half to begin the comeback.
Parker then scored three times in the second half as he finished the game with 39 carries for 308 yards and five touchdowns.
Ironton (6-3, 5-1) Ironton forced a three-and-out to start the game and then went on a 62-yard, 11-play drive that came up an inch shy of the first down at the 9-yard line.
Portsmouth fumbled two plays later and Hunter Humphreys recovered for Ironton.
On third and 9, quarterback Gage Salyers found tight end Ethan Duncan open in the middle of the field on a delayed route and Duncan waltzed into the end zone with 3:32 on the clock.
Izack Unger’s conversion kick made it 7-0.
One contributing factor to Ironton’s collapse defensively may have been in part due to the loss of two top defensive players — Seth Fosson and Cameron Deere — to injuries at the end of the first quarter.
Portsmouth (6-3, 4-3) used a 32-yard kickoff return by Bryce Wallace to the Ironton 34.
The Trojans stalled at the 12-yard line and a 27-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left with 10:19 left in the half.
Ironton came right back thanks to a 57-yard keeper by Salyers to the Portsmouth 25-yard line.
After a penalty at the 1-yard line moved the ball back to the 8, Salyers and Duncan hooked up again on a touchdown pass. Unger’s kick made it 14-0 with 8:09 on the clock.
The Trojans went three-and-out and a 20-yard punt gave Ironton the ball at its 37-yard line.
Two plays later, Reid Carrico bolted 55 yards for the touchdown and Unger’s kick boosted the lead to 21-0 with 5:13 on the clock.
Portsmouth came back with a 65-yard, 11-play drive capped by Parker’s 15-yard scoring run. Joe Bowling’s kick cut the spread to 21-7 with 40 seconds left in the half.
The Fighting Tigers went three-and-out to start the second half and Portsmouth got the ball at the Ironton 49.
After Parker gained one yard, he then went 48 yards for a touchdown and the spread was sliced to 21-14.
Ironton again went three-and-out and Portsmouth marched 70 yards in 13 plays capped by Parker’s 3-yard touchdown run and the game was tied.
The Fighting Tigers fought back with a drive to the Trojans’ 21 only to have Salyers sacked on fourth down.
Parker gave Portsmouth the lead on the next play as he went 73 yards for the score and it was 28-21 with 8:21 left.
Ironton again was forced to punt and the Trojans got the ball at the Ironton 45 after a short punt.
It took 10 plays for the Trojans to score as Parker went the final 4 yards and it was 35-21 with 2:02 left.
Ironton wouldn’t quit and went 76 yards in seven plays — Portsmouth had two penalties for 18 yards to aid the drive — mostly on the passing of Salyers who hit Jordan Grizzle with a 14-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds to go and get within 35-28.
But Portsmouth covered the onside kickoff and ran out the clock.
Parker’s performance overshadowed an outstanding effort by Carrico who ran 23 times for 163 yards.
Salyers was 7-of-13 passing for 84 yards and Duncan had three receptions for 32 yards.
Ironton 7 14 0 7 = 28
Portsmouth 0 7 14 14 = 35
First Quarter
Irn — Ethan Duncan 16 pass from Gage Salyers (Izack Unger kick) 3:32
Second Quarter
Irn — Ethan Duncan 8 pass from Gage Salyers (Izack Unger kick) 8:09
Irn — Reid Carrico 55 run (Izack Unger kick) 5:13
Prt — Talyn Parker 15 run (Joe Bowling kick) 0:40
Third Quarter
Prt — Talyn Parker 48 run (Joe Bowling kick) 10:09
Prt — Talyn Parker 3 run (Joe Bowling kick) 1:14
Fourth Quarter
Prt — Talyn Parker 73 run (Joe Bowling kick) 8:21
Prt — Talyn Parker 4 run (Joe Bowling kick) 2:02
Irn — Jordan Grizzle 14 pass from Gage Salyers (Izack Unger kick) 0:57
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Irn Prt
First downs 14 14
Rushes-yards 34-262 54-322
Passing yards 84 19
Total yards 346 341
Cmp-Att-Int 7-13-0 1-6-0
Fumbles-lost 2-2 4-1
Penalties-yards 4-22 4-33
Punts-average 3-30.7 2-34.5
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING — Ironton: Reid Carrico 23-163, Seth Fosson 3-31, Gage Salyers 7-62, Ethan Duncan 1-6; Portsmouth: Talyn Parker 39-308, Danny Lattimore 9-11, Eric Purdy 2-7, Tyler McCoy 1-0, team 3-minus 4.
PASSING — Ironton: Gage Salyers 7-13-0 84; Portsmouth: Danny Lattimore 1-5-0 19, Talyn Parker 0-1-0.
RECEIVING — Ironton: Ethan Duncan 3-32, Jordan Grizzle 2-19, Ayden Barnes 1-17, Brycen Thomas 1-16; Portsmouth: Eric Purdy 1-19.