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SPORTS
Tigers edge Pirates
WHEELERSBURG, Ohio — Tyler Hager and Tres’ Wilkes each broke loose for long touchdown runs and defensive end Schylar Fields came up with a sack to stop Wheelersburg’s final drive to give Ironton a 12-7 victory over the Pirates in the season opener for the U.S. 52 rivals Friday night at Ed Miller Stadium.
Hager and Wilks got their scores on third-and-short situations. Hager raced 51 yards over left tackle on a third-and-2 at midfield for a score with less than a minute to play in the first period. Wilks sprinted 72 yards to the end zone on a third-and-2 at the Ironton 28 just over a minute into the third period to stake Ironton to a 12-0 lead.
Wheelersburg right back with a 66-yard, 11-play drive with quarterback Alex Shears going over from a yard out to make it 12-7 with 5:46 left. Pirates workhorse Brandon Schwankweiler had runs of 14 and 12 yards during the drive to set up the score.
Ironton twice had the ball in the red zone in the final period, but the Pirates stopped them both times. One was on an interception by Spears and the second came on an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-7 at the home team’s 25.
Wheelersburg moved from its 25 to the Ironton 36 with just over a minute left. Shears hooked up with Tommy Graf on a 24-yard pass on first down to get the Pirates going.
Two years ago, Wheelersburg scored in the closing seconds to pull out a victory. This time, the Pirates faced a fourth-and-9 from the Ironton 36. Schwankweiler went back to pass, Fields and his mate and tackle did a twist, Fields came free and made a bee line to Schwankweiler for the game-clinching sack. Ironton ran the clock out to win the heralded opener for the second straight year.
“Any way we could get a W today is all we cared about,” Ironton coach Bob Lutz said. “We got through.”
“A classic Ironton-Wheelersburg game,” Pirates coach Rob Woodward said. “We’ll hold our heads high. Our kids played with all their heart and sometimes that clouds the mind.”
Ironton had just five first downs. Wilkes (84 yards) and Warner (63) got the bulk on one carry. The Fighting Tigers had no yards passing.
On the two breakaway runs, Wheelersburg jammed the line and Hager and Wilkes, second man through each time, got through and had no one left to stop them.
“You lock in and something like that can happen,” Lutz said.
In addition to the final drive, Wheelersburg drove to the Ironton 20 on its first possession, only to turn the ball over on downs. Schwankweiler had 92 yards on 19 attempts.
“He’s their best player. We always want to know where he is,” Lutz said. “They had no really long runs and we had two. On the last play, we did an x move up front and Field came free.”
“We didn’t capitalize on our opportunities early,” Woodward said. “On the last pass play, we had a man behind the safety, but somebody missed a block up front. We have to see what we did wrong, fix the mistakes because we’ve got another strong opponent next week.”
Ironton travels to Russell Friday and the Pirates go to Oak Hill.
IRONTON 6 0 6 0 — 12
WHEELERSBURG 0 0 7 0 — 7
First Quarter
I — Hager 51 run (pass failed)
Third Quarter
I — Wilkes 72 run (run failed)
W — Shears 1 run (Lewis kick)
IR WH
First downs 5 12
Total Net Yards 219 225
Rushes-yards 31-219 27-158
Passing 0 71
Comp-Att-Int 0-2-1 4-8-0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1
Penalties-Yards 5-35 9-65
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Ironton, Waginger 4-8, Wilkes 8-84, Warner 14-62, Hager 4-63, Leach 1-2. Wheelersburg, Shears 10-minus 6, Schwankweiler 19-92, Workman 1-1, Graf 9-59, Hood 2-8, Workman 1-4.
PASSING — Ironton, Waginger 0-2-1, 0. Wheelersburg, Shears 4-8-0, 71 yards.
RECEIVING — Wheelersburg, Luster 1-21, Schwankweiler 2-26, Graf 1-24.
