Tigers take to skies to pull away from Briar Jumpers

SOMERSET, Ky. — When your running game is stymied, just turn to the passing game.

Worked for Ironton.

The Fighting Tigers were having trouble getting their running game going in the first half, so they beckoned the passing game and the call produced a 35-9 win over the previously unbeaten Somerset Brian Jumpers on Friday.

Quarterback Wyatt Wolfe was 12 of 20 for 197 yards and 3 touchdowns with a pair of interceptions, his first two picks of the season.

The main recipient of those passes was Kayden Edwards who caught 4 passes for 124 yards and all 3 touchdowns.

But wide receiver Bryson Kerns also played a key role with 4 catches for 48 yards, usually in a clutch situation.

Ironton (4-0) had just 39 rushing yards in the first half but finished with 112 on the ground for 309 total yards.

The Fighting Tigers defense limited the Briar Jumpers to 182 total yards including 71 rushing and 111 passing.

Edwards returned the opening kickoff to the Somerset 20-yard line. The drive stalled and Beckham Waginger kicked a 35-yard field goal.

A roughing the kicker penalty gave Ironton new life and on second down at the 15, Wolfe kept the ball on a bootleg and ran for the score. Waginger’s kick made it 7-0 with 9:09 on the clock.

Ironton forced a punt and drove to the Somerset 8-yard line. But Chance Fisher intercepted the ball at the goal line to halt the threat.

After an exchange of punts, Somerset (3-1) went on a 58-yard with 12 of the 13 plays all on the ground. Xavier Hudson scored from 2 yards out and Julian Carroll’s kick tied the game with 3:32 left in the half.

Brycen Mullens returned the kickoff to the 47-yard line to set up a quick 3-play drive that was capped by a 32-yard scoring pass to Edwards who caught the ball running across the middle of the field and outran the defense into the end zone and it was 14-7 with 2:27 left in the half.

The Fighting Tigers’ Ashton Layne came up with an interception three plays into Somerset’s next possession and Ironton had the ball at the Briar Jumpers 16.

Wolfe ran 3 yards on a fourth-and-2 at the 8, threw a 4-yard pass to Mullins and then scored on a quarterback sneak with just 6 seconds on the clock as Ironton went up 21-7.

A Somerset punt pinned Ironton back at the 6-yard line and when the Fighting Tigers were forced to punt, the kick was blocked and Wolfe — who is also the punter — kicked the ball out of the end zone to avoid Somerset jumping on the ball for a touchdown.

The safety cut the deficit to 21-9 and took the free kick at its down 29. But the Brian Jumpers fumbled the ball away and Ironton recovered at the 47.

On the next play, Wolfe teamed up with Edwards on a 47-yard scoring play and it was 28-9 with 2:20 left in the third quarter.

Somerset was at its down 30-yard line and facing a fourth-and-4 only to be stopped with a one-yard gain.

With the ball at the 31, Wolfe and Edwards teamed up again for a touchdown on the next play and it was 35-9 with 5:52 remaining.

Ironton travels to Jackson next Friday.

Ironton 7 14 7 7 = 35

Somerset         7 0 2 0 = 9

First Quarter

Irn — Wyatt Wolfe 15 run (Beckham Waginger kick), 9:09

Second Quarter

Som — Xavier Hudson 2 run (Julian Carroll kick), 3:32

Irn — Kayden Edwards 32 pass from Wyatt Wolfe (Beckham Waginger kick), 2:27

Irn — Wyatt Wolfe 1 run (Beckham Waginger kick) 0:06

Third Quarter

Som — Safety (punt blocked out of end zone), 5:20

Irn — Kayden Edwards 47 pass from Wyatt Wolfe (Beckham Waginger) 2:20

Fourth Quarter

Irn — Kayden Edwards 31 pass from Wyatt Wolfe (Beckham Waginger kick), 5:52

———————

Team Statistics

            Irn Som

First downs     13        9

Rushes-yards  21-112 30-71

Passing yards  197      111

Total yards      309 182

Cmp-Att-Int    12-20-2 11-23-1

Penalties-yards 14-110 5-56    

Fumble-lost 1-0 2-2

Punts-average 2-22.5 4-41.3

———————

Individual Leaders

RUSHING — Ironton: Tyson Harvey 7-31, Wyatt Wolfe 5-22 2-TD, Ayden Justice 4-29, Kayden Edwards 3-16, Brycen Mullins 1-21, Team 2-minus 7; Somerset: Corban Cimala 7-46, Julian Carroll 7-18, Guy Turner 6-13, Xavier Hudson 9-1 TD, Chase Crawford 1-minus 7.

PASSING — Ironton: Wyatt Wolfe 12-20-2 197 3-TD; Somerset: Guy Turner 3-7-0 26, Chase Crawford 8-16-1 111 TD.

RECEIVING — Ironton: Kayden Edwards 4-124 3-TD, Bryson Kerns 4-48, Nolan Wolfe 1-6, Brycen Mullins 2-19, Tyson Harvey 1-0; Somerset: Corban Cimala 5-22, Xavier Hudson 3-41, Jacobie Bashears 1-20, Julian Carroll 1-9, Damion Davis 1-18.

MISSED FIELD GOALS — None.