When comparing offensive styles, the Division 5 state championship game it’s like the current dusty canvas jackets versus the 1930s Clark Gable vested sharkskin suit.
The Division 5 state title game will be played at 3 p.m. Saturday between the wide-open offense of the Ironton Fighting Tigers and the run-oriented Liberty Center Tigers.
Ironton (14-1) has 6,050 total yards — 3,306 passing and 2,744 rushing — on the season and is averaging 48.9 points a game while allowing just 10.5 per game with 5 shutouts. The Fighting Tigers have had 13 running clocks in their 15 games.
Liberty Center has rushed for 4,591 yards and thrown for 1,026 for 5,617 total yards. The LC Tigers are averaging 42.1 points a game and have allowed only 7.6 points a contest including 6 shutouts. They have also had 13 running clocks this season.
Here are the individual numbers:
Liberty Center quarterback Grady Miller connected on 30 of 59 passesg for 675 yards with 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He has also ran 39 times for 269yards and 6 touchdowns.
Ironton quarterback Braden Schreck has put up some huge numbers. The 6-2 senior has completed 173 of 239 passes for 2,880 yards, 35 touchdowns and just 8 interceptions.
Schreck also has 463 leads on 90 carries and 8 touchdowns.
Liberty Center is run-oriented and it shows in the statistics.
Waylon Rentz has carried 174 times for 1,786 yards and 29 touchdowns to lead the ground game.
Thomas Mohler has 115 attempts for 916 yards and 8 scores. Garrison Kruse had 843 yards on 84 carries with15 touchdowns while Miller has added 39 rushes for 287 yards and 6 TDs.
Although Ironton doesn’t have big numbers in the ground game, it’s still very good led by the power and speed of 5-9, 200-pound junior Zayne Williams with 720 yards on 89 carries for an 8.1 yards per carry average. He has scored 17 touchdowns.
Tyler Carmon has 416 yards on 49 carries for an 8.5 average and 8 scores. Kayden Edwards has 357 yards on just 25 rushes for a 14.3 yards per carry and he has 5 scores.
The Liberty Center leading receivers are all in single digits except for Blake Garber who had 12 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Cam Kahle had 8 receptions for 11 yards, Noah Hammontree 6 grabs for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns, Jaxton Lawniczak 6 catches for 93 yards and a score, and Jackson Bartels has 5 receptions for 90 yards and a TD.
The Fighting Tigers are led by All-Ohio wide receiver and Missouri commit Shaun Terry with 79 receptions for 1,440 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Tyler Roach has 458 yards on 24 grabs with 5 TDs, Williams 320 yards on 20 catches with 4 scores, Braydon Baker 285 yards on 22 receptions and 4 scores, and Nick Sites 11 catches for 224 yards and a score.
The LC Tigers have 16 quarterback sacks. Zander Zeiter had 3 sacks with Rentz, Steven Brogan, Hunter Spangler and Kyelar Kern 2 each.
The secondary has 20 interceptions with Kahle picking off 8 passes to lead the team. Rentz and Zeiter — both linebackers — lead the team in tackles. Rentz has 99 total tackles with 24 solos while Zeiter has 85 tackles with 17 solo stops.
Ironton’s defense only has 7 sacks but Jesse Copas has 28 hurries, Mason Wheeler 26, Aiden Layne and Williams 15 each, Austin Bump and Braiden Linn 13 each and Braylon Sturgill 10.
Bump leads the team with 109 total tackles with 32 solo stops. Mullins had 75 tackles from his cornerback spot, Sites 66, Copas and Wheeler 57 each, Williams 54, Josh Johnson 53 and Maddix Markel 50.
Wheeler has 14 tackles for a loss, Wiliams 11, Bump 10, Sites 9 and Copas 8.
Just like Liberty Center, the Ironton secondary has 20 picks and 7 have been returned for touchdowns with Brycen Mullins getting 3 Pick-6 and Carmon a pair. Mullins leads the team with 5 interceptions while Terry and Williams have 3 each.
Besides his 21 receiving touchdowns, Terry has 3 rushing scores and 3 punt returns for touchdowns.
Schreck is Ironton’s punter but has only 13 kicks for a 37.2 average including a 62-yarder.
Comments