Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

This will be one to remember.
The first-ever meeting of the Ironton Fighting Tigers and West Lafayette Ridgewood Generals football teams will be for the Division 5 Region 19 championship and it will be held at Nelsonville-York High School at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Ironton (11-1) was first in Region 19 with Ridgewood (12-0) second in the computer ratings. The winner advances to the state semifinals.
The Fighting Tigers have made the state semifinals 11 times while Ridgewood has only one state semifinal appearance.
In fact, that appearance came in 2009 when Ridgewood was in Division 6. Ridgewood beat Minford 36-10, Oak Hill 20-12 and Fredericktown 20-14 to win the region before losing to eventual state champion Youngstown Ursuline 48-6 in the state semifinals.
Ridgewood is making its 14th playoff appearance this season and has an 8-13 record after routing Wheelersburg 42-17 last week.
Ironton beat Amanda-Clearcreek handily 31-7 on Saturday to advance. The Fighting Tigers have made 35 playoff appearances — tied with Cincinnati Moeller for second most in state history — and have two state championships, six runners-up and a 47-32 record in the playoffs.
Ironton played in the regional semifinals and finals at Nelsonville in 2009 and beat Heath 20-14 in overtime and then played Coshocton the next week and lost 20-14 in overtime.
The Fighting Tigers have played regular season games at Nelsonville-York High School on two occasions.
In 1969, they routed N-Y 60-0 because the Buckeyes wouldn’t let Ironton borrow any footballs after forgetting to bring some for the pre-game warm-ups.
In 2008, Ironton won 43-28 in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score.
The only time Ironton and Ridgewood schools have played a game of any kind was in the girls’ Division 3 regional championship game March 5, 2016. The Lady Fighting Tigers trailed 40-26 with 10:46 left in the game and rallied to win 46-43.
Tickets are available online at the OHSAA website ohsaa.org/tickets. Tickets are $8 in advance at $9 at the game. There is a processing fee on tickets ordered online.