Tigers press their way past Falcons in season opener

MINFORD — What turns you on? When it comes to the Ironton Fighting Tigers, the igniter is defense.

Ironton used a full court press and a stellar defensive effort to rally from 8 points down early in the fourth quarter to beat the Minford Falcons 53-42 on Tuesday in the Fighting Tigers season opener.

Ironton trailed the entire game as the defense played well but the offense had generated only 32 points early in the fourth quarter. That’s when the defense turned on the offense.

“The grit, the fight in the second half and the defense turned our offense up. I was very proud of the effort,” said Ironton coach Drew Stevens, who registered a win in his head coaching debut.

“The defense was huge. We will win through defense this year. This is our first game so we’re still working some kinks out. We didn’t shoot the ball well. I thought our offense was generated through our defense.”

One player who didn’t have too much trouble generating offense was 6-3 junior Ashton Layne who scored a game-high 27 points.

Stevens said Layne’s overall play and the defensive efforts of Zayne Williams and Kayden Edwards were key to the win.

“Ashton Layne was phenomenal in all aspects of the game, rebounding the ball and changing all the dynamics of the game. Zayne Williams was phenomenal. He comes in and sacrifices anything for the team. He played phenomenal defense,” said Stevens.

“Carson Freeman did a phenomenal job on defense. I thought Kayden Edwards on ball defense was phenomenal. He had six points down the stretch on steals that were crucial points in the game.”

Minford (2-5) went on a 7-0 run to start the game and led 13-5 before Ironton got within 13-8 on a layup by Layne.

But a 3-point play by Ashton Reeder gave the Falcons a 16-8 lead to end the quarter.

A steal and layup by Layne got Ironton within 18-16 and a foul shot by Edwards made it 18-17.

Minford went on a 7-0 run to end the half and it was 24-17.

Free throws by Curtis Glenn and Wyatt Dyer put Minford up 26-19. Maddix Markel made a layup that got Ironton within 33-32 but Colt Donahoe turned a steal into a layup and the Falcons led 36-32.

A layup by Glenn put Minford up 40-32 early in the fourth quarter. Ironton then put together a 21-2 run triggered by Steven Ison’s 3-pointer and a combined 13 points by Layne and Edwards.

Stevens doesn’t get to bask in his first win very long. Ironton plays at South Point on Thursday and hosts the annual Classic on Friday and Saturday.

“Even as a player I was never that nervous,” Stevens said, referring to the pregame jitters. “But I wanted it for these guys. I wanted them to get a win and start the season off right. These guys gave me everything they had.”

Besides Layne, Ison had 10 points and Edwards 9.

Glenn had 11 points while Donahoe and Dyer scored 10 each to lead the Falcons.

Ironton        8   9   15   21  =  53

Minford 16   8   12    6  =  42

IRONTON (1-0): Ashton Layne 27, Maddix Markel 4, Stephen Ison 10, Kayden Edwards 9, Brycen Mullins 1, Zayne Williams 2, Carson Freeman 0, Braydon Baker, Brian “Bubby” Kidd 0, Wyatt Wolfe 0. Totals: 18 2 11-20 53. Turnovers: 11.

MINFORD (2-5): Ashton Reeder 5, Curtis Glenn 11, Wyatt Swick 4, Colt Donahoe 10, Wyatt Dyer 10, Colby Mullens 2, Jett Adams 0. Totals: 15 1 9-16 42. Turnovers: 21.