D4 R15 Semifinal: Ironton (7-4) vs. Johnstown-Monroe (11-0)

[TigerHillbilly]

What is a Johnnie?

[I-town-90]

Tigers are capable of anything as long as they show up ready to play. They cannot depend on their defense like they did last week. Defense needs a break. Offense must stay on field longer so the defense can rest up. Defense played a heck of a game last week. I am happy with the Tigers regardless, great group of kids and also some great athletes. Enjoyed watching them every game this year. Played a tough schedule this year just take your experience from those tough games and put it on the field. The most important thing is to hold on to the dang on ball.

I hear what you are saying, but Coach believes defense wins championships, as do I. If you recall the 89 title game, Coach got up 2 TDs and went into complete "close to the vest" punt and play D the rest of the game. Campbell Memorial dominated the time of possession because Coach wanted his defense on the field. Anyone who has followed Lutz and Ironton for long knows that he loves his defense. I for one was pleasantly surprised that our defense finally stepped up and played very good playoff caliber defense in the second half. We are going to need that the rest of the way. Give me a T...............................................

[camnott]

Good luck Tigers from Ironmen country!
Keep it rolling!

[Tigercannon71]

Wait is there some Johnny fans on here to talk trash to? I think we can come up with a lot of potty humor jokes on here. Serioulsy Im joking though.

You guys are right the D stepped up big time vs Amanda. They came out running on all cylinders in the 2nd half. If they continue to play D like that we will win. Those goal line stands to hold Amanda to FG were huge in deciding the game.

[JHS Pride]

The Johnnie D gave up two scores. The 3rd was a defensive scoop and score. They will put points on the board and their d will smack Ironton's archaic offense in the mouth. If Ironton starts turning it over the barn doors are going to fly wide open and it will be a long drive back to Lawrence Co.

Are you a Ironton fan trying to wake the giant? Talking a lot of trash for the johnnies when they probably don't even k ow about this site...lol

We know about this site now, no need to talk trash back.
We will let our proud JOHNNIES take care of it on saturday night.

[JHS Pride]

Irontons strength of schedule is bettter than Jtowns.
But not by much, Jtown also blew right through there games winning
by 3 or more touchdowns, the strength of schedule myth,
Iam not buying it, Ironton lost 4 reg seoson games so mabe
Ironton strength of schedule was to much.

[FridayNightLights]

Ok... i have sat on the sidelines too long time.

I have seen both of these teams play. My gut tells me Ironton but being a betting man i would call this game a pickem. Should be a great game but anything can happen on a Friday night.

[LucasJackson]

Tigers are capable of anything as long as they show up ready to play. They cannot depend on their defense like they did last week. Defense needs a break. Offense must stay on field longer so the defense can rest up. Defense played a heck of a game last week. I am happy with the Tigers regardless, great group of kids and also some great athletes. Enjoyed watching them every game this year. Played a tough schedule this year just take your experience from those tough games and put it on the field. The most important thing is to hold on to the dang on ball.

I hear what you are saying, but Coach believes defense wins championships, as do I. If you recall the 89 title game, Coach got up 2 TDs and went into complete "close to the vest" punt and play D the rest of the game. Campbell Memorial dominated the time of possession because Coach wanted his defense on the field. Anyone who has followed Lutz and Ironton for long knows that he loves his defense. I for one was pleasantly surprised that our defense finally stepped up and played very good playoff caliber defense in the second half. We are going to need that the rest of the way. Give me a T...............................................

This was a classic 5-2 defense. The 89 team had a tremendous defensive front. When you can have 5 guys that will do the work up front, your linebackers look like all americans. Scotty Johnson must have had 20 tackles in that game as a junior. that defensive front was tremendous!

[maniac66]

Irontons defense is good and they played tough all year they had a few break downs but they learned from their mistakes and are improving as a team.
They will hold on to the ball this Saturday and pull out a win AC was a very good team and they played Ironton tough but I think this schedule had a lot to do with it to.
Go TIGERS and show them doubters just how good you really are.

[JHS Pride]

I think Jtowns got more doubters than Ironton.People think
we are weaker than are record shows because they say
we don't play nobody.Thats only gonna make them boys
play that much more harder, they want to prove that they
can play with anyone, those boys will be ready and are excited
to play against a school like Ironton with a rich football tradition
they want to show everyone what Johnnie pride is all about.
Good luck.... GO JOHNNIES

[86Tiger]

GO TIGERS GO!!!!!! I KNOW HOW GOOD YOU GUYS ARE! LET'S PROVE IT SATURDAY!

[WitnessProtection]

Good luck to the Tigers from Zanesville!

[queenofhearts]

any updates on culbertson? Is he done for the year?

[Chieftain]

Johnston is the pick by CalPreps by 31-24. Johnstown is picked by 5 pts by Pasteur.

[Bleeding Red]

I look for a Johnstown win. Maybe by 2 TDs or more.

On other threads you bash SE Ohio teams for not playing brutal schedules. Ironton has in fact played a brutal schedule this year. Johnstown's schedule is like a jr high schedule in comparison, yet you pick them.

Old man, make up your mind. I am starting to think you are senile.

Too bad you didnt do your weekly picks this year. They were truly something to laugh at.

[sports junkie]

Ironton played the 3rd. toughest schedule in Di.IV. Johnstown 81st. toughest schedule. I think this will show Saturday night.
Ironton 22
Johnstown 21

[JHS Pride]

Ironton played the 3rd. toughest schedule in Di.IV. Johnstown 81st. toughest schedule. I think this will show Saturday night.
Ironton 22
Johnstown 21

If you think the schedules matter than why only have Ironton
winning by one point, unless your a little worried
about that powerful running game and not real sure how
good Jtown really are.

[football2011]

If Ironton had such a tough schedule and they are so much better then JM, why is your prediction only 22 to 21? Don' t doubt the Johnnies... I don't think you' ve seen them play. And it sounds as if Ironton has a huge issue with hanging onto the ball. GO JOHNSTOWN JOHNNIES! loving the comment about the "PAIN TRAIN"!

[Zunardo]

I can tell you now, Hamilton Township facility is not ideal for a D-IV game of this magnitude. I was there last year for the D-V game of Oak Hill and there was about half the seating that was needed. HT has almost NO following for their program, so they built bleachers to match their fan size. This place was not built with intention to host playoff crowds. It will hold a few more tham Amanda, but not much.

Actually, sprinter14, this place WAS built with the intention to host playoff games - just not Division 1-size crowds - and it has paid off. This will be the 5th football playoff game we've hosted in 4 seasons, one of them a state semi-final. BTW, we also have hosted basketball tournament games for the past 2 seasons. Is our stadium absolutely perfect? No, but we think it's a very, very nice facility, plus we have a good staff and we do a pretty good job treating visitors as our guests - plus our accomodations for players on both teams are first-rate. And come on now - you KNOW HT seats a LOT more than Amanda Clearcreek's stadium.

For visitors, the main parking lot is right off of Rathmell, backing up to the stadium. There is additional parking on the east side of the high school building (Lockbourne Rd side). There is a church on Rathmell next to the high school that will have their own parking lot and attendants (they are not affiliated with the high school or OHSAA). One thing to be aware of is that there is one permanent restroom facility which is on the home side, but there should be porta-johns located on the visitors’s side.

Ironton fans obviously have the longer route, but it is easy (and I like easy). Once you get to Chillicothe from the junction of US 23 and US 35:
- continue on US 23 heading north approximately 37 miles
- you will go through the light at the intersection of SR 317 / SR 665
- go past Scioto Downs and turn right at the light to Rathmell Rd, drive 1.7 miles to the school
- on Rathmell you will go through one traffic light (Parsons Ave), go past the Hamilton Education Center on the right, past a church on the right (parking previously mentioned), and the parking lot to the school will be on the right. NOTE: if the mapping apps direct you to turn east on SR 317 to Lockbourne, I would avoid that route because of heavy semi traffic on 317 going to and coming from the Rickenbacker Airport warehouses.

Johnstown fans (if there are any on this site), if you are coming around the east side of Columbus on I-270 and are unfamiliar with the Obetz area, I strongly recommend you go past the Alum Creek Dr exit and continue to the next exit , which is exit # 52 Bto US 23 south/Circleville. From there go 1.3 miles on US 23, and turn left at Rathmell, and go 1.7 miles to the school. Most of the map applications will route you to exit I-270 at Alum Creek Drive to Rathmell, which is closer, but the first intersection is usually congested, and there are 3 or 4 turns you have to take through Obetz and Reese, and it may be confusing, especially as it gets darker earlier. The US 23 route will be a mile or two longer but much simpler and easier.

If you travel early and want to stop for dinner in the southern Columbus area, simply go north on US 23 past Rathmell Rd, past the I-270 interchange, and you will see eating establishments on both sides of the road for the next 1.25 miles, culminating with the Ohio Deli of Food Network fame. The standard fast-food place are mostly on the left/west side of 23. Most of the sit-down restaurants will be on the right (east) side of the road: Bob Evans, a Chinese buffet, Mexican (Los Camperos, very nice), and a Ponderosa steakhouse buffet is on the left. If you want to go another mile further, there is a very nice Chinese place called the Rice Bowl on the right that I highly recommend, just before you hit SR 104.

Good luck to both teams!

[Zunardo]

HT has almost NO following for their program, so they built bleachers to match their fan size.

That WAS true 2 years ago, the crowds had shrunk each year since our last playoff game in 2002 (0-10 in 2009 will do that to you), but it has turned around dramatically. This year we pretty much filled the home bleachers from end to end, so much so that we had to build a bleacher section in the endzone for our growing marching band, because we needed the sideline bleachers for fans. We Hamilton Township residents are proud of all our students and athletes.

Here's hoping for pleasant weather and a safe trip Saturday for everyone.