Year in and year out the two powerhouses qualify for the playoffs but, somehow, they have never met.

Monday, November 22, 1999

Year in and year out the two powerhouses qualify for the playoffs but, somehow, they have never met. That will change this Saturday night in Zanesville as the Tigers and the Cardinals will square off at 7 p.m. in the Division IV state semifinal game.

The winner will face the winner of the Sandusky Perkins (13-0) and Oak Harbor (12-1) game that will also be played Saturday at Tiffin Columbian Kalnow Stadium.

Ironton’s 37-29 come-from-behind win over Germantown Valley View Saturday night got them to the semifinal game against Cardinal Mooney, (12-1). The Cardinals beat Coshocton 27-8 last week to advance.

In 1993 it seemed the two powers might meet when Ironton had qualified for the championship game and Mooney lost to eventual state champ Wauseon in the semifinals.

Ironton (9-3) continues to knock off favored teams on its postseason march. First a win over Cincinnati Wyoming 28-14 in the opening round, a 21-7 win over Cincinnati Indian Hill and the upset of Valley View.

The Fighting Tigers pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in recent playoff memory trailing Valley View 21-3 at the half.

Jason Harmon and Michael Henry led the Ironton comeback. Henry recovered a fumble at the 2-yard line that led to the Tigers first touchdown. On its next play Harmon got loose for a 59-yard romp on a reverse that cut the Spartans lead to 21-16.

Ironton scored again before the end of the third quarter giving it a 24-21 lead.

Tickets for the Ironton-Mooney game will be on sale through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the high school principal’s office and during business hours at Bob Linn Sporting Goods.