Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The last time the Ironton Fighting Tigers opened a football season against their rivals the Portsmouth Trojans, the year was 1917 and Ironton easily won that game 27-0.
History repeated itself on Friday night as Ironton began the 2020 season with a xx-x rout of the Trojans in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
With only six games on the original schedule due to the COVID-19, the league reversed the season-ending rivalry game to the first week.
The different date and time of meeting didn’t seem to matter as Ironton cruised past the Trojans 50-9.
The Fighting Tigers amassed 444 total yards with 334 coming on the ground.
All-American candidate Reid Carrico ran 10 times for 95 yards and three touchdowns in limited playing time.
Trevor Carter had six attempts for 77 yards and a TD while quarterback Tayden Carpenter was 6-of-7 for 110 yards and two scores in his starting debut.
Trent Hacker had a 37-yard reception and Will York caught a 25-yard TD pass.
Portsmouth was limited to 26 net yards rushing on 20 attempts and quarterback Drew Roe was 8-of-23 passing for 84 yards.
Hacker made a nice catch and tight-roped his way into the end zone for the first score with 9:06 on the clock. Kyle Howell ran for the conversion and it was 8-0.
Ironton scored again with 4:49 left in the first quarter on a 29-yarfd scamper by Carrico. Jimmy Mahlmeister kicked the first of six straight conversions and it was 15-0.
An Ironton fumble set up Portsmouth’s only first half score as Joel Bowling kicked a 41-yard field goal with 2:36 on the clock.
But the Fighting Tigers scored quickly as Carrico went 3 yards just 24 seconds later and it was 22-3.
Four different players scored in the second quarter as Ironton built a 50-3 halftime lead.
Cameron Deere went 8 yards for a score on the first play of the second quarter and it was 29-3.
York then caught his TD pass from Carpenter with 9:49 left in the half and it was 36-3.
Carrico then had a 5-yard scoring run and Carter went 36 yards for a score to complete Ironton’s scoring for the night.
The Trojans managed to get a 27-yard TD pass from Drew Roe to Reade Pendleton with 10:47 to play.
Ironton hosts Gallipolis next Friday in a matchup between the two top favorites in the OVC.
Ironton 22 28 0 0 = 50
Portsmouth 3 0 0 6 = 9
First Quarter
Irn – Trent Hacker 37 pass from Tayden Carpenter (Kyle Howell run) 9:06
Irn – Reid Carrico 29 run (Jimmy Mahlmeister kick) 4:49
Prt – Joel Bowling 41 field goal 2:36
Irn – Reid Carrico 3 run (Jimmy Mahlmeister kick) 2:12
Second Quarter
Irn – Cameron Deere 8 run (Jimmy Mahlmeister kick) 11:56
Irn – Will York 25 pass from Tayden Carpenter (Jimmy Mahlmeister kick) 9:49
Irn – Reid Carrico 5 run (Jimmy Mahlemeister kick) 7:21
Irn – Trevor Carter 36 run (Jimmy Mahlmeister kick) 2:40
Fourth Quarter
Prt — Reade Pendleton 27 pass from Drew Roe (kick failed) 10:47
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Irn Prt
First downs 22 9
Rushes-yards 39-334 20-26
Passing yards 110 84
Total yards 444 110
Cmp-Att-Int 6-7-0 8-23-0
Fumbles-lost 3-2 1-1
Penalties-yards 5-55 2-10
Punts-average 0-00.0 5-28.6
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING — Ironton: Reid Carrico 10-95 3TD, Trevor Carter 6-77 TD, Jaquez Keyes 10-55 Aaron Masters 2-24, Darrell Henderson 2-22, DeAngelo Weekly 1-34, Cameron Deere 1-8 TD, Jon Wylie 2-8, Austin Linn 1-13, Uriah Meadows 1-6, Aiden Young 3-minus 8); Portsmouth: Drew Roe 14-6, Amare Johnson 4-14, Alberto Poxes 1-5, Donavan Carr 1-11
PASSING — Ironton: Tayden Carpenter 6-7-0-110 2TD; Portsmouth: Drew Roe 8-23-0-84 TD.
RECEIVING — Ironton: Trent Hacker 1-37 TD, Will York 1-25 TD, Ashton Duncan 1-21, Erickson Barnes 1-18, Kyle Howell 1-14, Reid Carrico 1-5; Portsmouth: Reade Pendleton 3-30 TD, Chris Duff 2-31, Dariyonne Bryant 2-12, Donavan Carr 1-11.