Big and fast.

Tuesday, October 09, 2001

Big and fast. There’s size on the offensive line and speed at the skilled positions. The talent is better than the 3-3 record. And for those reasons Ironton Fighting Tigers head coach Bob Lutz is concerned about the Dayton Dunbar Wolverines.

"They’ve got a big offensive line, their running backs can scoot, their quarterback can make plays, and they have a defense that gets after you like Portsmouth," said Lutz.

Dunbar beat Dayton Belmont 26-12, but the game was played from start to finish in a downpour.

Two weeks ago the Wolverines were within 24-15 of Big Walnut late in the game. Big Walnut, ranked No. 1 in Division III, returned two interceptions for touchdowns – the second on the game’s final play – to win 37-15.

"Dunbar is usually the best team in the Dayton City League. They lost to Toledo Scott the first game of the season and Scott usually has good athletes. They’ve had some tough games," Lutz said.

A young team, the Division III Wolverines have just six seniors, five who play on offense and four on defense.

The quarterback is Brandon Slocum, a 6-foot, 175-pound junior. Senior speedster Roy Montgomery is small at 5-4, 145, but Lutz said "he can run and he’s a tough kid for his size."

Sharing the fullback spot are senior Justin McBeth (5-9, 162) and junior Derrick Moss (5-10, 185).

"They can both run," said Lutz.

The tight end is senior Dewayne Eslick (6-2, 170), the flanker junior Donte Averette (6-0, 175), and the split end junior Tynarre Conyers (6-1, 170).

The offensive line consists of center Nathan Davis-Powell (5-10, 248), guards Gerald Richardson (6-3, 262) and Louis Davis (5-9, 245), and tackles McShawn Brown (6-3, 255) and massive Chris Sanderson (6-6, 360). Richardson and Brown are seniors and the others juniors.

The defense has sophomore Jeremiah Starks at nose guard, junior Jayrome Brown (6-4, 260) at right tackle with a pair of sophomores on the other side, Tyrone Bonner (5-11, 260) and Phillip Anderson (6-0, 205).

The ends are Moss on the left side and senior Darren Nunn (5-10, 185) on the right. The middle linebacker is Davis and the outside backers junior Laquan Montgomery (5-9, 182) and McBeth.

The secondary has senior Dionta Gordon (5-9, 142) at left corner and Eslick on the right side. Sophomore Quinn White (5-8, 155) is the free safety.

"Moos and McBeth fly to the ball. They make a lot of plays. Brown and Starks both come up the field hard. This team likes to swarm to the ball," Lutz said.

Ironton, 7-0 and ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Division IV poll, has played Dunbar twice and lost both games. The Fighting Tigers fell 12-6 at Dunbar in 1996 and then the Wolverines rallied in the second half to win 18-15 the following year.