| Ironton Tiger Football; chapter 2, a heart throbber. Mistake-prone Ironton jumped out to a 14-0 first half lead and then saw the lead dissolve in the second half as Portsmouth scored 3 times aided by Ironton mistakes. But the experienced men of coach Bob Lutz showed their character by marching 60 yards with less than two minutes in the game to post a 22-18 victory. Neither team was able to score in the opening period although Ironton, on its' second possession, drove to the Portsmouth 15 yard line where senior Joe Fletcher missed a 33 yard field goal. On the next possession, late in the first quarter, the Tigers started their first scoring march. Taking over on their own 48, it took the Tigers only nine plays to cover the 52 yards which was highlighted by a super catch by Fletcher of a Steve Sutton pass and several other fine plays during the drive. With 2nd and 6 to go at the Portsmouth 48, Sutton ran a bootleg aaround right end for an 11 yard gain. Four plays later a clipping penalty set Ironton back and forced them into a 2nd and 23 at the Portsmouth 40. Sutton then scrambled 15 yards to the Portsmouth 25. On 3rd and 2, Sutton dropped back to pass and found Fletcher open down the middle. Fletcher made a super one-handed catch and rambled down the left sideline and was knocked out of bounds at the one. Two plays later, Sutton went over from the one on a quarterback keeper and Fletchers kick made the score 7-0 with 8:37 remaining. Portsmouth took the kickoff and drove to the Ironton 14 where Floyd Cook was stopped on a fourth and one. From here it only took Ironton 2 plays to score. On a second and six at their own 18, fullback Tim Hodges took a handoff and went over the left tackle, broke to the sideline and galloped 82 yards for the score. Fletcher again added the extra point and Ironton led 14-0. Then came the rash of mistakes. Portsmouth kicked off to start the second half but the Tigers mishandled the kick and the Trojans recovered at the Ironton 12. Four plays later, sophomore halfback Jim Richardson went over from the one yard line. The run for the conversion failed and the Tigers led 14-6. Midway through the final quarter, defensive back Don Richardson intercepted a Sutton pass at the Ironton 40 and returned it to the 14. On the next play, Richardson scored his second touchdown to make the score 14-12 with 6:43 remaining to play. Portsmouth attempted a pass for the conversion but it was incomplete. On the next possession, Ironton was forced to punt, but the kick went off the side of the foot of the kicker for only five yards and the Trojans had the ball at the Ironton 48. A 17 yard pass from Kirk McMahon to Brian Sieve moved the ball to the 30. On 2nd and 11 at the 31, McMahon found end Lynn Fuller open for a 14 yard gain and a first down at the 17. On the next play, halfback Floyd Cook went over the right side and into the endzone untouched to give Portsmouth the lead 18-14 with 2:59 to go. The run for the extra point failed. Hodges returned the ensuing kickoff 24 yards to the Ironton 40. Two straight passes fell incomplete and then Hodges ran for eight yards. On 4th and 2, Hodges got the call and behind the blocking of the right side of the line, picked up a first down at the Portsmouth 45. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the 30. Two runs by Terry Royal moved the Tigers to first and goal at the nine. Sutton threw an incomplete pass to stop the clock. On the next play, Sutton found Fletcher open in the endzone with the game-winning score with 50 seconds remaining. Royal ran for the conversion. |
| Fighting Tigers Rally to stop Portsmouth by Darryl Jones Ironton Tribune |
| Tim Hodges: It is odd to look at this game in the same context as the State Championship game, but we really showed early on in the season, that we do not give up. We may not play the prettiest game, but we play it the full 48 minutes, none the less. |