ATHENS — This one looked like a heavyweight boxing match and it took some early style points to get the split decision.
The Ironton Fighting Tigers and Harvest Prep Warriors traded punches for 48 minutes with the outcome uncertain until the final seconds.
While Ironton was feeling its opponent out like a good boxer, Harvest Prep got out to a 14-0 lead and then held on as the heavy-punching Fighting Tigers batted back only to lose 20-14 in the Division 5 Region 19 semifinals.
Ironton (11-2) was settled in as the Warriors got a good kickoff return to start the game and then needed only 4 plus to score.
Good field position led to Harvest Prep’s second score and an interception return for a touchdown just before the end of the half made it 20-0 and then held one for the win.
Harvest Prep (11-1) started the game at the Ironton 45-yard line. E.J. Pierce hit Shawn Ruffin with a 17-yard pass, then ran 1 and 3 yards to the 24 where he hit Lenny Wicks with a swing pass that the running back turned into a 24-yard touchdown play.
The conversion failed and it was 6-0 with 10:47 left in the first quarter.
Ironton’s offense sputtered in the first quarter and a punt gave the ball to the Warriors at their own 45.
A 36-yard run by Dezmond Porter got the ball to the Ironton 5-yard line when Harvest Prep’s E.J. Pierce ran for the score on the next play. Pierce threw to Marchello Cox for the conversion and it was 14-0 with 8:35 on the clock.
Ironton then drove the back to the Warriors’ 11-yard line in 11 plays before being hit with a holding penalty that moved the ball back to the 21. It was then that quarterback Braden Schreck went back to pass and got hit just as he released the ball which allowed Jamarcus Jones to get the interception and return it 75 yards for the score and it was 20-0 with 2:59 left in the half.
The Warriors attempted to catch Ironton napping but misfired with a botched onside kickoff and Ironton had the ball at the Harvest Prep 43.
Ironton used 5 plays to move to the 31 and Schreck was forced from the pocket but found Shaun Terry behind the defense for a 31-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
David Fields kicked the conversion and it was 20-7 with just 1:03 left in the half.
After a Schreck punt pinned the Warriors back at their 9-yard line, Harvest Prep was unable to move the ball and punted from its end zone which gave Ironton the ball at the 33.
Ironton got to the 11 only to have the Warriors' Shavez Watkins strip the ball and run it to the 16. But Porter was stripped of the ball and Terry scooped it up at the 12-yard line and returned it for a touchdown. Fields’ conversion cut the deficit to 20-14 with 5:48 to play in the third quarter.
The Warriors went on a long 18-play drive that started on their own 26 and reached the one-yard line. But a motion penalty backed the ball up to the 6-yard line and a fourth down pass went incomplete.
The Fighting Tigers moved to the Harvest Prep 38 but Shreck was forced out of the pocket and his fourth down pass fell incomplete.
Ironton’s defense — which held the Warriors scoreless in the second half — forced a 3-and-out and Ironton had the ball at its own 23 but went 3-and-out, then forced another punt and took over at the Warriors 34.
But again, Schreck was harassed once again throughout the 6-play drive that reached the 45 only to be hit hard as he was throwing the ball and Chris Brown came up with the interception to end Ironton’s hopes.
Both defenses dominated the game as Ironton had 192 total yards and Harvest Prep 196.
Under heavy pressure the entire game and forced to throw a lot of passes away to avoid a sack, Schreck was 8-of-22 for 100 yards and a touchdown. His 2 interceptions were the first picks thrown by an Ironton quarterback this season.
Schreck also ran 18 times for 43 yards while Zayne Williams ran 9 times for 31 yards.
Pierce was 5-of-7 passing for 69 yards with a touchdown. Porter ran 9 times for 46 yards and Cox 36 yards on 7 attempts.
Harvest Prep 6 14 0 0 = 20
Ironton 0 7 7 0 = 14
First Quarter
HP — Lenny Wicks 24 pass from E.J. Pierce (run failed) 10:47
Second Quarter
HP — E.J. Pierce 5 run (Marchello Cox pass from E.J. Pierce) 8:35
HP — Jamarcus Jones 75 interception return (kick blocked) 2:59
Irn — Shaun Terry 31 pass from Braden Schreck (David Fields kick) 1:03
Third Quarter
Irn – Shaun Terry 12 fumble return (David Fields kick) 5:48
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HP Irn
First downs 11 9
Rushes-yards 44-127 32-92
Passing yards 69 100
Total yards 196 192
Cmp-Att-Int 5-7-0 8-23-2
Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1
Penalties-yards 7-43 8-65
Punts-average 4-29-8 5-40.0
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING–Harvest Prep: Lenny Wicks 13-21, E.J. Pierce 13-24, Dezmond Porter 9-46, Marchello Cox 7-36, Team 2-minus 4; Ironton: Zayne Williams 9-31, Shaun Terry 2-6, Tyler Carmon 2-11, Gavin Hart 1-1, Braden Schreck 18-43.
PASSING–Harvest Prep: E.J. Pierce 5-7-0 69 TD; Ironton: Braden Schreck 8-22-2 100 TD, Bailey Thacker 0-1-0.
RECEIVING–Harvest Prep: Shawn Ruffin 2-38, Lenny Wicks 1-24 TD, Marchello Cox 1-1; Ironton: Shaun Terry 3-44 TD, Tyler Roach 1-19, Aris Pittman 1-12, Bailey Thacker 1-7, Zayne Williams 1-1.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.
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