Ironton forfeits final game to Portsmouth, as season comes to end as a result of OHSAA sanctions
- Staff
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IRONTON — The Ironton Fighting Tigers routed the rival Portsmouth Trojans 55-13 on Friday at Tanks Memorial Stadium in the regular season finale, but the game will go down as a loss.
Ironton (8-2) self reporting using player(s) who were deemed ineligible due transfer violations as a result of an extended investigation by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
The OHSAA investigation covered the past seven years and resulted in a playoff ban this season as well as a $7,500 fine. In addition, three members of the coaching staff will be banned from coaching in the playoffs for the 2026 season and will be placed on probation for three years.
Coach Trevon Pendleton said the players handled the situation in a mature manner and took care of the business of winning the game.
“I look up to them the way they handled themselves. It’s impressive. They’re a great group of kids,” said Pendleton. “We’re family for life. We’re all connected by a common bond. Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.”
Ironton will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The Fighting Tigers are now second in with the most playoff appearances at 40. Cincinnati Moeller now leads with 41.
Ironton finished with 415 total yards while limiting Portsmouth (7-3) to just 142 yards.
Quarterback Kayden Edwards was 12 of 18 passing for 224 yards and 4 touchdowns with a pair of interceptions. He also ran 7 times for 108 yards.
Brycen Mullins had a big game on the receiving end as he caught 5 passes for 105 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Zayne “The Diesel” Williams had 50 yards on 8 carries with a touchdown as Ironton ran for 191 yards.
The Trojans managed 116 yards rushing on 45 attempts for just 2.6 yards per carry. Jamarcus Parker had 65 yards on 6 carries with 55 coming on one run. Fernando Poxes had 61 yards on 27 tries.
Ironton was unable to move the ball on its first series and a bad snap on the punt gave Portsmouth the ball at the Fighting Tigers’ 27.
But penalties and lost yardage left the Trojans at their own 30. Portsmouth punted the ball and Maddix Markel returned the kick 84 yards for a touchdown. Beckham Waginger’s kick made it 7-0 with 7:19 on the clock.
Following another Portsmouth punt, Ironton went 64 yards in only 5 plays as Edwards had a 29-yard run and a 38-yard reception by Tyson Cox set up a 1-yard scoring run by Kylan Grace and it was 13-0.
Ironton scored quickly to start the second quarter as Mullins took a pop pass and raced 59 yards for the touchdown and it was 20-0 with 10:47 left in the half.
The lead went to 27-0 when Ashton Layne picked off a pass and ran it back 9 yards for the touchdown at the 5:52 mark.
It took 6 plays to go 47 yards for the next Ironton score as Edwards hit Tyson Cox on a 21-yard scoring strike with just 1:38 to go in the half.
Parker’s 55-yard run got the ball to the Ironton 13 and 5 plays later Poxes just managed to get into the end zone on a 1-yard run with 9 seconds to play in the half.
Ironton had the ball at its own 10-yard line and a pass was tipped and intercepted by the Trojans.
With time for just one play, Marquez Locklear scrambled left and hit a diving Trevin Brooks with a touchdown pass and it was 34-13 as the clock hit zero.
A 47-yard run by Edwards set up a 17-yard scoring pass to Mullins and it was 41-13 with 4:27 left in the third quarter.
Brydon Baker caught a 29-yard pass to set up a 6-yard scoring run by Williams and it was 48-13 with 11:22 to play.
Ironton capped the scoring when Mullins caught his third TD pass on a 19-yard pass from Edwards with 4:33 to go on a running clock.
Portsmouth 0 13 0 0 = 13
Ironton 13 21 7 14 = 55
First Quarter
Irn — Maddix Markel 84 punt return (Beckham Waginger kick) 7:19
Irn — Kylan Grace 2 run (pass failed) 2:31
Second Quarter
Irn — Brycen Mullins 59 pass from Kayden Edwards (Beckham Waginger kick) 10:47
Irn — Ashton Layne interception return (Beckham Waginger kick) 5:52
Irn — Tyson Cox 21 pass from Kayden Edwards (Beckham Waginger kick) 1:38
Prt — Fernando Poxes 1 run (Jacob Roth kick) 0:09
Prt — Trevin Brooks 9 pass from Marquez Locklear (kick failed) 0:00
Third Quarter
Irn — Brycen Mullins 17 pass from Kayden Edwards (Beckham Waginger kick) 4:27
Fourth Quarter
Irn — Zayne Williams 6 run (Beckham Waginger kick) 11:22
Irn — Brycen Mullins 19 pass from Kayden Edwards (Beckham Waginger kick) 4:33
———————
Prt Irn
First downs 7 16
Rushes-yards 45-116 20-191
Passing yards 26 224
Total yards 142 415
Cmp-Att-Int 2-7-1 12–192
Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-0
Penalties-yards 8-89 12-137
Punts-average 4-31.0 0-00.0
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING—Portsmouth: Fernando Poxes 27-61, Jermarkus Parker 6-65, Trevin Brooks 1-3, Marquez Locklear 11-minus 13; Ironton: Kayden Edwards 7-108, Zayne Williams 8-50 TD, Kylan Grace 5-21 TD, Easton Caudill 1-12.
PASSING—Portsmouth: Marquez Locklear 2-7-1 26 TD: Ironton: Kayden Edwards 12-18-2 224 4-TD, Brycen Mullins 0-1-0.
RECEIVING—Portsmouth: Tyshoune Henderson 1-17, Trevin Brooks 1-9 TD; Ironton: Brycen Mullins 6-105 3-TD, Bryson Kerns 1-38, Tyson Cox 1-21 TD, Brock Biggs 1-11, Braydon Baker 1-29.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Jacob Roth, Portsmouth, 33 (WL).