Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

It’s been 38 years between visits. The Ironton Fighting Tigers hope this meeting is just as enjoyable.
The last time Ironton and Wellston Golden Rockets met in football, it was the final game of the 1981 regular season. It also marked the final game for Wellston in the SEOAL.
Ironton didn’t give the Golden Rockets very nice send-off by rolling to a 54-19 win.
Now, the two teams will get together on Saturday night at Tanks Memorial Stadium in the first round of the Division 5 Region 19 football playoffs.
Ironton is 9-1 and finished first in the region. Wellston is 7-3 and was eighth.
Wellston has scored 266 points and allowed 154 compare to Ironton which has scored 388 and allowed nearly 100 points less with 56.
Rylan Molihan leads the Wellston ground game with 1,160 yards on 160 carries and 11 touchdowns.
Jonathon Garvin had 364 yards on 74 attempts and four scores while R.J. Kemp had 310 yards on 107 carries with six TDs.
Kemp is the quarterback and he is 74-of-139 for 955 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has thrown nine interceptions.
Hunter Smith tops the receiving corps with 31 catches for 469 yards and nine touchdowns. Garvin had 19 receptions for 194 yards, Jeremiah Frisby had five catches for 123 yards and a score while Molihan has 10 grabs for 96 yards and a TD.
Ironton counters offensively with its own plethora of weapons led by junior Reid Carrico who has 987 yards on 129 carries for a 7.6 yards per carry average.
The Ohio State commit also leads the team with 13 receptions for 312 yards and four touchdowns.
Senior quarterback Gage Salyers is a threat with his arm and his legs. The Youngstown State commit is 57-of-110 passing for 1,173 yards and nine touchdowns. He has thrown four interceptions.
Salyers has also ran 64 times for 457 yards — a 7.1 average — and he has scored six touchdowns. He has three interceptions on defense and returned one pick for a touchdown.
Senior fullback Seth Fosson had only 47 carries for 322 yards which is a 6.9 yards per carry average. He has scored six touchdowns.
On the receiving end are several targets besides Carrico who have the ability to beat teams deep.
Junior Trent Hacker had nine catches for 219 yards and three touchdowns, junior Kyle Howell 11 receptions for 162 yards and a score, senior Jordan Grizzle eight grabs for 136 yards and a TD, sophomore Ashton Duncan six catches for 86 yards and senior Collin Freeman four receptions for 97 yards.
Senior placekicker Avery Book is 5-of-6 on field goals — his only miss was a 48-yard attempt that fell just short — and he is 34 of 38 on extra points.
Defensively, Ironton has limited its opponents to 1,939 total yards. Teams have rushed 325 times for 1,174 yards which is 3.6 yards a carry.
Teams are 52-of-120 passing for 43 percent for 764 yards and Ironton has 10 interceptions.
Opponents have just 96 total first downs.
Ironton’s opponents had a 56-44 cumulative record while Wellston’s opponents are a combined opposite 44-56.
Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Ironton Offense
SE 29 Jordan Grizzle 5-10 190 Sr.
25 Colin Freeman 6-00 170 Sr.
LT 78 Ryan Cecil 6-01 270 So.
LG 70 Riley Boggs 6-02 260 So.
C 57 Caden McFann 5-11 250 Sr.
63 Rocky White 5-11 235 Jr.
RG 52 Matthew Davis 6-00 210 Jr.
RT 79 Nathaniel Davidson 6-05 315 Sr.
TE 24 Ashton Duncan 6-02 205 So.
WR 20 Kyle Howell 5-10 170 Jr.
10 Trent Hacker 6-02 175 Jr.
QB 7 Gage Salyers 6-01 205 Sr.
FB 44 Seth Fosson 6-01 235 Sr.
30 Cameron Deere 5-11 185 Jr.
TB 28 Reid Carrico 6-03 225 Jr.
PK 12 Avery Book 5-11 180 Sr.
Ironton Defense
DE 36 Gunnar Crawford 5-10 225 Jr.
33 Dalton Crabtree 5-10 190 Jr.
DT 2 Junior Jones 6-00 240 Sr.
DT 76 Nate Cochran 6-02 250 So.
DE 44 Seth Fosson 6-01 235 Sr.
LB 28 Reid Carrico 6-03 225 Jr.
LB 30 Cameron Deere 5-11 185 Jr.
CB 29 Jordan Grizzle 5-10 190 Sr.
10 Trent Hacker 6-02 175 Jr.
CB 25 Colin Freeman 6-00 170 Sr.
S 7 Gage Salyers 6-01 205 Sr.
S 20 Kyle Howell 5-10 170 Jr.
P 12 Avery Book 5-11 180 Sr.
Wellston Defense
DE 52 Josh Bodey 6-05 220 Sr.
DT 55 Garrett Warnock 6-00 240 Jr.
DT 75 Zach Howell 5-09 255 Sr.
DE 35 Evan Brown 6-00 215 So.
LB 42 Jonathon Garvin 5-11 105 Jr
LB 60 Brock Eggars 6-01 225 Jr.
LB 61 Jordan Carey 6-02 190 Sr.
CB 2 Jacob Baisden 6-01 185 Sr.
CB 15 R.J. Kemp 6-00 160 Jr.
S 11 Rylan Molihan 5-09 165 Sr.
S 4 Jeremiah Frisby 5-09 160 So.

Wellston Offense
SE 16 Hunter Smith 6-05 165 Jr.
12 Austin Wilkett (injured, out for season)
LT 52 Josh Bodey 6-05 220 Sr.
LG 67 Jarrod Wilburn 6-00 240 Jr.
C 55 Garrett Warnock 6-00 240 Jr.
RG 60 Lawrence Louderback 6-03 195 Jr.
RT 75 Zach Howell 5-09 255 Sr.
TE 2 Jacob Baisden 6-01 185 Sr.
HB 42 Jonathon Garvin 5-11 105 Jr.
RB 11 Rylan Molihan 5-09 165 Sr.
QB 15 R.J. Kemp 6-00 160 Jr.

 

Ironton Fighting Tigers
Ironton 30 Wheelersburg (7-3) 6
Ironton 10 Russell, Ky. (8-2) 0
Ironton 49 Fairland (6-4) 7
Ironton 10 Ashland, Ky. (8-2) OT 16
Ironton 38 South Point (1-9) 2
Ironton 50 Chesapeake (4-6) 6
Ironton 46 Rock Hill (3-7) 0
Ironton 49 Coal Grove (2-8) 12
Ironton 52 Gallipolis (9-1) 0
Ironton 48 Portsmouth (8-2) 7
Record: 9-1

Wellston Golden Rockets
Wellston 6 Jackson (10-0) 23
Wellston 44 Piketon (4-6) 22
Wellston 30 Lakewood (3-7) 7
Wellston 40 Portsmouth West (2-8) 7
Wellston 8 Alexander (4-6) 0
Wellston 42 River Valley (2-8) 0
Wellston 36 Nelsonville-York (7-3) 7
Wellston 18 Athens (5-5) 34
Wellston 42 Meigs (2-8) 34
Wellston 0 Vinton County (5-5) 20
Record: 7-3