WILLIAMSBURG — First, Kayden Edwards provided the wake-up call. Then, he provided the knockout punch. With the offense sluggish to start the game, Edwards used a punt return to set up Ironton’s first touchdown. He then had a long touchdown catch that opened the game up as the Fighting Tigers routed the Williamsburg Wildcats 42-0 in the season opener on Thursday. Ironton went 3-and-out on its first series of the game, but the defense stuffed the Wildcats two straight series to

They are the second line of defense, but that’s the only thing second about them. Linebackers make up the second line of defense and are needed to read the situation and react quickly. And their jobs are plentiful. While the defensive linemen tie up the offensive linemen, the linebackers are versatile players who fill holes, stop the running gaps, blitz the quarterback and drop back into pass coverage. Here’s a lot at five of the top linebackers to watch this high school foot

Members of the 2026 Ironton Fighting Tigers’ football team. IRONTON — Are the Ironton Fighting Tigers trying to gaslight the opposition? Ironton head coach Trevon Pendleton is making several moves that may confuse opponents and have them thinking it’s a practical joke. All the questions arose when senior Kayden Edwards (5-11, 175) was moved from quarterback to wide receiver. Last season playing strictly as the quarterback, Edwards was 74 of 113 for 1,167 yards and 15 touchdow

ATHENS — Vince Vaughn’s character in the movie “The Wedding Crashers” said the famous line, “Rule #76. No excuses.” Ironton head baseball coach John Hunt didn’t quote the rule or line, but he wasn’t offering any excuses after the Fighting Tigers suffered a 9-2 loss to the Minford Falcons in the Division 5 district title game on Friday at Ohio University. “Usually it’s about who makes the least amount of mistakes. (Minford) just came out and won the game. They played really we

ATHENS — Hughes came up huge. Jacob Hughes pitched a one-hitter as the Ironton Fighting Tigers blanked the Zane Trace Pioneers 2-0 in the Division 5 district semifinals. “We played well but Jacob just dominated the game,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “We didn’t have an error and got some clutch hits, but Jacob was just so dominant.” Ironton (17-6) will play Minford in the district finals at 2 p.m. on Friday at Ohio University. Minford (24-3) edged Wellston 7-6 in the other s

PEDRO — “Can you hear me? That when it rains and shines It’s just a state of mind Can you hear me? Can you hear me” — Rain by The Beatles While the rain fell and caused some throwing errors, the Ironton Fighting Tigers fought through the weather, and used the two-hit pitching of Braydon Baker to blank the Portsmouth West Senators 4-0 in the Division 5 district semifinals on Friday. “We had a few miscues, but our kids are mentally tough and can put things behind them and keep

IRONTON — The Ironton Fighting Tigers fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning. No problem. Despite falling behind early, Ironton chipped away and got a 4-3 walk-off win over the Amanda-Clearcreek Aces on Monday. “We gave up some runs to start the game, but the kids fought back and won it in the seventh,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “Dawson (Philyaw) pitched a great game. They didn’t get anything after the first inning.” Dawson Philyaw allowed just 5 hits, struck out

JACKSON — It was a post-conference letdown. After wrapping up a share of the Ohio Valley Conference last week, Ironton traveled to play the Frontier Athletic Conference champion Jackson Ironman on Monday and the Fighting Tigers were not up to championship form in a 6-0 loss. “Jackson has a good team but we did not execute very well,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “We were tentative in our approach in hitting, pitching and defensively which led to walks and called third strike

IRONTON — This one was about pride. Ohio Valley Conference co-champion Ironton beat Southern Ohio Conference-1 champion Green 7-4 on Thursday. The Bobcats split with the OVC title teams. They beat Portsmouth earlier in the season 1-0. Ironton (14-4) fell behind 4-2 before rallying for the win. Carson Freeman went the distance for the win. He struck out 5, did not issue a walk, and 76 of his 110 pitches went for strikes. Hampered by his team making 6 errors, Gabe Blevins got t

PEDRO — The Ironton Fighting Tigers are hoping to make this a habit. Behind the four-hit pitching of Dawson Philyaw, Ironton blanked the Rock Hill Redmen 8-0 on Wednesday to earn a share of the Ohio Valley Conference baseball title. The Fighting Tigers won the conference outright last season. “One of our goals was to win the league and we accomplished that. The kids worked hard all year and they did a great job,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “We tied for the title with Ports

GALLIPOLIS — Ironton was taking its games one at a time and decided their key game against Gallia Academy, they would cross that bridge when they got there. The game came on Tuesday as the Fighting Tigers decided they’d cross the Carter Bridges against the Blue Devils. Bridges went 3-4 with a double, home run and 3 runs batted in to lead a 15-hit attack and spark Ironton to an 8-3 must-win in an Ohio Valley Conference showdown. “That was the best all-around game we have playe

IRONTON — The offense was getting hits while the pitcher wasn’t giving up hits. It was the perfect combination. The Ironton Fighting Tigers banged out 11 hits while pitcher Carson Freeman hurled a one-hitter in a 10-0 Ohio Valley Conference run rule win on Monday. “Carson pitched a very good game and the kids hit well,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “The key for us is to keep getting good pitching and keeping our bats going.” Freeman picked up his second win of the season — b

IRONTON — It was gut check time and the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers were up to the challenge. Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Ironton scored 3 times and slipped past the South Point Lady Pointers 6-5 to clinch the Ohio Valley Conference softball title. Ironton is 15-6 on the season and clinches the title with a 1-0 record. Ironton holds a 3-game lead over South Point with only two league games to play. South Point is now 16-7 and 9-3 in the OVC. Ava

IRONTON — A pinch of this, a dash of that, a smidge of that, mix it up and you have a win. Ironton had a successful recipe on Friday as the Fighting Tigers blanked the Coal Grove Hornets 10-0 in a five-inning run rule Ohio Valley Conference win. Braydon Baker pitched a one-hitter and Ethan Sutton was 3-for-4 with 3 runs batted in to help spark the win. “A few kids made some great plays in the outfield, (Ethan) Sutton hit great and (Braydon) Baker pitched very well,” said Iron

ASHLAND, Ky — When is a loss not a loss Trick question. It’s always a loss. But despite losing 11-5 to the Ashland Tomcats on Tuesday, Ironton Fighting Tigers’ coach John Hunt saw a winning attitude. “Believe it or not, I was more pleased with today’s effort than I have been in some of our wins. The kids kept battling and played well,” said Hunt. Ashland (18-2) got single runs in each of the first two innings to lead 2-0. In the first, Brady Marushi led off with a home run. I

IRONTON — It wouldn’t have been a surprise if Braydon Baker filed charges against the Ironton Fighting Tigers’ offense for lack of run support. Baker has pitched well but has been the victim of very few runs. Until Monday. Ironton used 8 hits and 8 walks to blank the Chesapeake Panthers 10-0 in an Ohio Valley Conference game. “Baker threw the ball well and we finally got him some run support,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “That kind of thing happens in baseball. But we got h

PORTSMOUTH — If pitching is the name of the game, then the Ironton Fighting Tigers’ pitching Friday was named Jacob Hughes and Dawson Philyaw. Hughes and Philyaw combined on a 5-hitter as Ironton scored three times in the eighth inning to win a key Ohio Valley Conference game over the Portsmouth Trojans. “Jacob and Dawson’s pitching kept us in the game. Our pitching is our saving grace right now,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “Until we can get our bats going like I know they

PROCTORVILLE — Hits were scarce. Runs were at a premium. And the result was an outstanding pitcher’s duel. Nolan Fleming and Tanner Brown combined to edge Braydon Baker and the Ironton Fighting Tigers 2-1 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Wednesday. Fleming went six innings allowing 6 hits, one unearned run with 6 strikeouts and a walk for the win, Brown got the save as he pitched the seventh giving up one hit. Baker threw a complete game in taking the loss. He allowed onl

IRONTON — Evidently “zero” is Dawson Philyaw’s favorite number. Philyaw kept putting zero on the scoreboard in each inning as the Ironton Fighting Tigers blanked the Rock Hill Redmen 10-0 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Monday. Philyaw allowed just five hits for the complete game win as he struck out 10 and did not issue a walk. Philyaw threw just 75 pitches with 57 strikes. “Dawson Philyaw pitched a great game,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “Bryson Kerns hit the ball w

SOUTH POINT — When Ethan Sutton goes to the plate, his Ironton Fighting Tigers teammates can relax. Why not? Sutton is relaxed. The relaxed Ironton catcher went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and four runs batted in as the Fighting Tigers beat the South Point Pointers 13-2 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday. “Sutton has learned to relax and let his hands work and not try to muscle his swing,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “He has been hitting two or three balls a