DAYTON – It was like the offense was stuck in fast-forward.

Saturday, September 16, 2000

DAYTON – It was like the offense was stuck in fast-forward.

Nine first quarter plays resulted in four touchdowns and the Ironton Fighting Tigers stayed in high gear as they routed the Dayton Belmont Bison 60-8 Saturday afternoon at Welcome Stadium.

"We wanted to come in here and take care of business," Ironton coach Bob Lutz said. "We didn’t want to leave anything to chance. We wanted to jump on them early and put the pressure on , and for the most part we were able to do that."

Linebacker Matt Kelly got Ironton started with an interception on the third play of the game. He returned the ball 14 yards to the 15. Fullback B. J. Kerns carried twice for 6 and 9 yards to get the score. Tommy Lutz got the conversion and it was 7-0.

A 28-yard punt return by Chris Frazer put Ironton at the Belmont 21. Three plays later Kerns bolted 14 yards and the lead was 14-0.

Ironton blocked a punt on the next series for a first down at the Bison 22. It took just three more plays for Ironton to get on the scoreboard, this time Tyler Scior darted 8 yards to get the touchdown and it was 21-0 at the 3:49 mark.

"Good teams create opportunities, and then they take advantage of those opportunities," Lutz said. "We did a good job of that today, but we have to be better at it. The rest of the teams on our schedule are a lot better than Belmont."

A 22-yard punt and 18-yard return by Frazer gave Ironton the ball at the Belmont 27. Drew Mains hit Redgie Arden on the first play for the touchdown and the lead grew to 28-0.

A 48-yard punt sent Ironton back to its 30, but having to go a longer distance didn’t seem to bother the Fighting Tigers. Using nine plays, Ironton went the distance aided by a 20-yard pass from Mains to Kelly and Kerns pounded across the goal line from 2 yards out to make it 34-0.

Kerns finished with 84 yards on 10 carries and four touchdowns. Quarterback Drew Mains was 5-of-8 passing for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Ironton, ranked 10th in the first Associated Press Division IV poll, is now 4-0 on the season.

Belmont, 1-3, broke into the scoring column when a low snap on an Ironton punt led to a blocked kick and Brandon Huntley picked up the ball and ran 17 yards for the touchdown.

A Daniel Perdue pass to Earl Clark on the conversion cut the deficit to 34-8.

Ironton tied to answer with 74-yard drive, but three penalties stymied the effort.

Kelly caught a 21-yard touchdown pass, but a holding call negated the play just before the half ended.

Ironton reverted back to its rapid attack to start the second half by going 60 yards in a mere two plays. Kerns ran 29 yards to the Belmont 31, then Maurice Murphy went the distance on the next carry and it was 41-8 with 11:20 on the clock.

After a punt, Ironton had the ball at the Bison 40. Scior ran 14 yards on the first play, Murphy gained 6, and then Kerns ran 6 and 4 yards to complete the four-play drive and the lead ballooned to 48-8 with 7:36 left in the third quarter.

The second unit took over and Fighting Tigers backup fullback Matt White scored twice.