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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Mistakes doom Ironton in overtime loss
NELSONVILLE, Ohio -- There were many things about Ironton's football matchup Saturday night with Coshocton in the Ohio Division IV, Region 15 final that seemed similar to its semifinal matchup the week before.
Same venue, same result after regulation, same score.
Just a different result.
Ironton had a field goal try blocked in overtime and Marcus Johnston bulled in on a 2-yard run to give Coshocton a 20-14 overtime win over the Fighting Tigers at Nelsonville York's Boston Field.
"This was a carbon copy of last week where (Heath) shut us down but we won in overtime," Ironton head coach Bob Lutz said. "This week, (Coshocton) won it in overtime. We played good, but not good enough."
Ironton (10-3) went on offense first in the overtime, but was unable to produce points after Keith Wetzel's 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
With momentum and the ball, Coshocton took over and got a big first down on a pass play from Logan Huebner to Keith Corbitt that put the ball on Ironton's 3-yard line. Two plays later, Johnston's 2-yard run sent the Redskins and their fans into a frenzy. Johnston finished with 139 yards and two scores on 26 carries.
Coshocton had a chance to end the game in regulation after blocking a punt with about three minutes remaining. In similar fashion to last week's game, Ironton averted danger when Coshocton kicker Brody Philabaum pushed the kick wide left.
The Fighting Tigers fought off many opportunities for the Redskins with sound defense, but never could get over the hump after falling behind early.
Ironton trailed 14-0 in the second quarter, but tied the game midway through the third quarter. After Brian Warner intercepted a deflected double pass at the Coshocton 8-yard line, Ethan Preston ran the ball in one play later to knot the score with 5:25 left in the third quarter.
That would be the lone score of the second half as solid defense mixed with offensive mistakes, which were numerous by both teams.
The Fighting Tigers' initial drive of the third quarter ended when Wetzel was stopped at the Coshocton 1-yard line on fourth down, but Warner's interception came just two plays later.
Conversely, all of Coshocton's points in regulation came in the second quarter courtesy of two Ironton turnovers.
Ironton's first drive covered 68 yards in 14 plays and chewed up nearly eight minutes of clock, but resulted in no points following a lost fumble in the red zone.
"You make the plays then that makes the difference in the game," Lutz said. "You put the ball on the ground and you'll get hurt."
Coshocton took over following the fumble and marched 83 yards in 14 plays, opening the scoring at the 9:56 mark of the second quarter on Johnston's 9-yard run.
The lead would bloom to two scores after Redskins' linebacker Zach Shaw intercepted an ill-advised pass by Preston and returned it to Ironton's 18-yard line.
A personal foul penalty after the play set the Redskins up at Ironton's 9 and Dominique McCloskey scored two plays later and ran in the two-point conversion to push the lead to 14 with 1:13 left in the first half.
Behind two scores, Ironton used a bit of trickery to get on the board before the end of the half. After a pair of 14-yard runs by J.P. Taylor put the Fighting Tigers at the Coshocton 36-yard line, Preston took the snap and pitched it on a reverse to Josh Pancake who then threw to Jon Monnig in the end zone for a score with just 27 seconds remaining in the half.
"That gave us a chance," Lutz said. "It was executed perfectly. We worked on it all year and used it in past years, but it was well done. It had to be a well-thrown ball and catch."
COSHOCTON 20, IRONTON 14
IRONTON 0 7 7 0 0 -- 14
COSHOCTON 0 14 0 0 6 -- 20
C - Johnston 9 run (kick failed)
C - McCluskey 4 run (McCluskey run)
I - Monnig 36 pass from Pancake (Wetzel kick)
I - Preston 9 run (Wetzel kick)
C - Johnston 3 run (no conversion)
I C
First downs 11 14
Total yards 49-248 54-284
Rushes-Yards 44-203 48-222
Comp-Att-Int 2-5-1 4-6-1
Passing Yards 45 62
Penalties-Yards 1-5 4-43
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-1
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Ironton: Taylor 13-73; Wetzel 16-61; Wilks 7-43; Preston 7-17, TD; Warner 1-9. Coshocton: Johnston 26-139, 2 TDs; McCloskey 14-45, TD; McKay 3-5; Huebner 3-19; Corbitt 1-11; Shaw 1-3.
PASSING -- Ironton: Preston 1-for-4, 8 yards, INT; Pancake 1-for-1, 37 yards, TD. Coshocton: Huebner 3-for-3, 39 yards; McCluskey 1-for-1, 23 yards; Corbitt 0-for-1, 0 yards; Henry 0-for-1, INT.
RECEIVING -- Ironton: Monnig 1-37, TD; Wilks 1-8. Coshocton: Corbitt 3-39; Henry 1-23.