Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
GALLIPOLIS — The road to the Ohio Valley Conference continues to run through Ironton.
Since Trevon Pendleton took over as the program’s head coach in 2018, the Fightin’ Tigers have won four outright OVC titles.
And, after grinding out a 27-17 win over Gallia Academy on Friday — highlighted by a dynamic performance from Shaun Terry on both sides of the football — Pendleton’s squad has clinched a share of another and is now in prime position for a fifth consecutive outright crown.
CREDIT: Baylee Harris/SOSA
“Sometimes, you just have to dig down deep,” Pendleton said after the win. “We had to dig deep tonight and find it in ourselves to do that. We get better at that each week.”
Gallia Academy (7-2, 4-2 OVC) started the night with possession but mustered very little production. After a punt, Ironton drove to the Blue Devil six-yard line with 4:05 to play in the quarter. That’s where Zayne Williams logged the game’s first score with a touchdown rush.
The Tigers’ 7-0 lead would hold to the end of the quarter.
The Blue Devils looked to answer in the second when they drove into enemy territory. However, while Ironton’s defense bent, it didn’t break, and Gallia Academy was forced to settle for a 37-yard field goal from Caleb Stout, making it 7-3 with 7:27 left in the half.
After its defense stepped up, Ironton’s offense returned the favor.
After moving the chains several times, the Tigers faced a 4th and 3 at Gallia’s 28-yard line. From there, Bailey Thacker faked to his left and rolled right to find a wide open Aris Pittman for a score, extending the lead to 14-3 with 2:11 left in the half.
Gallia had one last crack at it offensively before halftime and, after a few big plays and penalties, found itself at Ironton’s 12-yard line with time dwindling.
However, the Blue Devils were unable to find the end zone as Braylan Rathburn was forced to throw the ball away on second and third downs. To make matters worse, Stout’s field goal attempt on the final play of the half was wide right, leaving the Blue Devils empty-handed and trailing 14-3 going into the break.
The Tigers smelled blood in the water and when they got the ball to start the second half, they were immediately on the hunt again.
A huge carry from Braden Schreck set Ironton up in the red zone. Then, with 9:03 left in the third, it was time for Shaun Terry to go to work. Thacker found Terry on a bubble screen, and Terry did the rest, dancing his way into the end zone from 18 yards out, making it 20-3.
Terry followed up his touchdown with an interception on the defensive side of the ball at the 7:17 mark, giving his team the opportunity to throw a knockout punch.
“Shaun’s a playmaker,” Pendleton said. “We have to come up with a few more ways to get him the ball because he’s a really good player.”
However, the Blue Devils weren’t ready to waive the white flag.
After denying the Tigers a chance to capitalize on the turnover, Rathburn found Kenyon Franklin on the outside and Franklin burst his way to Ironton’s 18-yard line on the final play of the third. When the fourth started, Rathburn found Joey Darnbrough for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 10:19 to play. Stout nailed the PAT and the deficit had been cut to 20-10.
It seemed as though Gallia Academy now had the momentum, but not for long.
After setting up at their own 41-yard line, Braden Schreck lined up under center, took the snap and got to the outside, where he broke free down the sideline for a 59-yard score, making it 27-10 with 10:01 left in the game.
“Our offensive line works every day,” Schreck said. “They get the job done.”
Even though Schreck’s touchdown appeared to be the dagger, the Blue Devils just wouldn’t go away. Rathburn used his arm to lead Gallia into the red zone at the 6:32 mark. This time, he connected with Kenyon Franklin for a 14-yard strike and another score, cutting the deficit to 27-17.
All of the sudden, the Blue Devils were right back in it.
Defensively, Gallia needed a stop to get back into the thick of things.
After Ironton recovered an onside kick at midfield, the Blue Devils got the stop they needed on 4th and short, giving the offense possession.
Penalties haunted Gallia on the following drive, and the Blue Devils were faced with a 4th and 16 at the 2:36 mark. Rathburn rolled to his left and threw up a prayer to Kenyon Franklin, but the ball was batted down by Terry.
Gallia had one final attempt with the football in the game’s final seconds, but Terry sealed the deal with his second interception of the night, finishing off a 27-17 victory for Ironton, one that gave the Tigers a share of the OVC title.
“We knew coming into Gallia that it was going to be a hostile environment,” Terry said. “This game, we came together and pulled off this win. Gallia is a very good football team. They’re well-coached and they have good athletes. We knew what we were going to get, and a game like this is going to get us ready for the playoffs.”
The Blue Devils now look to finish the regular season on a high note as they travel to South Point next Friday.
For Ironton, the Tigers return home to Tanks Memorial Stadium for a matchup with Portsmouth. A win gives them their fifth straight outright OVC crown and will all but lock up the No. 1 seed in the Division V, Region 19 playoff picture.
“Just try to get three-percent better every day,” Pendleton said. “If we can do that from here on out, I think the sky’s the limit.”
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