Week 8 (7-0) Col. Bishop Hartley @ (5-2) Ironton

[Tigercannon71]

Im pulling for my Tigers to win this one, but after last night I think its going to be a long night. Irontons D isnt suspect as you guys are saying its more like MIA. Injury bug has hit which never helps as well. Tackling and blocking needs to improve greatly if they expect to keep this game competitive.

[pbuck]

I respect the Ironton football program I hope they pull this one out

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

as do i pbuck, and thanks.

[Piratefan2]

Good Luck Ironton!!!!!

[playa_44]

Hartley by as much as they want.

[B-dawg79]

Ironton will dominate oak hill with there jv let alone there varsity

We will find out wont we!

Having seen both, it should be a tight game. Ironton's defense is suspect and Oak Hill will move the ball on the ground and the air against them.

Red your just saying there good to back up minfords win against them they may be decent but are no where near the caliber of ironton the tigers will have there jv in by the third quarter

[tl895]

i would pull most of the starters if they get way behind. dont need anybody hurt. bottom line ironton will not win this game ironton is a good football team but hartley is just way better

[urban buck]

Good Luck Ironton.

[bilco 2]

I am just waiting for saturday morning, Hopefully my tigers will make all the nay sayers on here eat their words.
(really- hopeful.)

[14svt]

Coming from the Columbus area Hartley is the real deal there is Alot of players on this team from the 2010 team that won state But I hope Ironton is better than the team Johnstown beat last year if not Ironton is going to have a really long night
The team they beat Last Friday was supposed to be really good from Indy
Hartley 42
Ironton 7
Maybe more from Hartley

[fbfever9]

the Columbus area all stars

This type of quote from a fan of another private school?? Come on, man (or woman).... Everyone knows about 'open enrollment' and the advantages of being a private school. Not saying anything about NC specifically, because I know the vast majority of their players have come all the way up through the system. But, seriously though? What are going for here...... I don't get the digs at Hartley.

[dreamweaver]

Yea especially when Ironton had the same "problem" . I remember back in the 80's there were 8 transfers in one year to play football at Ironton. That success they have enjoyed over the years had alot to do with the success breeding success,my kid wants to play for them. That era has slowly come to an end.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

yes it's true columbus bishop hartley won the state in 2010.
as did last week's opponent columbus bishop watterson in 2010
but i for one am not ready to throw in the towel yet, and certainly hope our kids don't get this feeling from posters.
many of which are not even ironton posters
i remember an ironton team that went into lancaster a d1 powerhouse at the time who'd had amazing success that year, and completely destroyed them
i remember an ironton team that beat the unbeatable youngstown cardinal mooney at zanesville.
i remember an ironton team that beat a team ranked in the top 5 in the country from washington d.c.
i know an ironton team that has been to 8 state championsahip games, a team with 2 state titles
i remember beating akron st. vincent st. mary's who looked like notre dame for the 79 state title
i remember sitting in the shoe and watching ironton win the state title in 1989, over a huge campbell memorial team.
i remember all the battles with c.a.p.e, columbus desales, the countless playoff games.

with that said. i want all you young fighting tigers to know, you are not ever defeated till you quit trying.
the game on paper looks like bishop hartley will win , but they don't play the game on paper.
give it everything you got friday. wrap up on tackles, block longer. rally your teammates, anything it takes.
the real fighting tiger nation is very proud of you.and will be there where ever, and when ever you play.
we love and support you. you are number 1 to us, win,lose,or tie.
it's senior night. give it everything you have.
i for one would love to see all the doubters eat crow. but win, or lose
don't lose heart. just make sure you cannot look in the mirror or at a teammate , and be able to say------i did not give my all. the object is always to win games, and get into the playoffs.and nobody in these parts have done that better than the ironton fighting tigers. so give it everything you got, and don't come up short on effort, or fundamentals. and may the best team win. i pray for a safe, injury free game for both squads, give er heck tigers.bait.

[fbfever9]

does anyone know the answer to this...

what is the largest margin of defeat at home for Ironton? This Watterson game is up there for as far back as I can remember.

[tl895]

sorry bait we had a lot more boys to field a team with in those days. when we drop to d5 things may get better much quicker. but now the program needs to play within its means. get these monsters off the schedule

[kevbk6222]

sorry bait we had a lot more boys to field a team with in those days. when we drop to d5 things may get better much quicker. but now the program needs to play within its means. get these monsters off the schedule

monsters? ironton beat hartley two years ago. these are the teams ironton needs to face if they want to be taken seriously as playoff contenders. a loss to hartley would do more to prepare ironton for the playoffs than a win over any other team in lawrence county, or most other teams in the southeast for that matter.

[pembrook burrows III]

The bottom line is that the Tigers are playing hard, it just becomes a numbers game at some point. My view is that Ironton has enough good players to compete with teams in our area quite well. But when you step up into the class of some of the big city parochial schools, or even some of the larger public schools in the area, it will continue to be quite a challenge.

Realistically, Ironton has 10-15 kids athletic enough to effectively compete against the Watterson's and Hartley's, and yes, even the Cabell Midland's and Johnson Central's of today's high school football scene. But those programs have 20-30 of those kinds of kids. With many of the Tigers playing both ways, it becomes a game of exhaustion and attrition. What some on here like to complain about as "not wrapping up on tackles" is really just a faster, stronger, fresher athlete on the other team winning the battle. I mean, these are teams not with just a few fast guys, they are teams that can run at all positions. Watterson had 60 players, only 4 of which weighed more than 225. There's more of the same waiting in Hartley, which sports a roster of 64 players, only 6 of which are bigger than 225. You've got to catch 'em before you can block or tackle 'em.

So I am extremely proud of the efforts of all of the members of this year's Ironton team, regardless of what happens this Friday night. These players have been dealt a tough hand because of the school administration's decision to drop out of the SEOAL. Rather than competing for an SEOAL crown this year, Ironton will take its licks against some very tough squads. Don't get me wrong, I am not feeling sorry for Ironton; our kids are tough and can handle the adversity. They will leave it all on the field. And if the Tigers can withstand the physical challenges of these teams, it should harden them for the playoffs. Maybe Ironton won't win another state crown, but they will perform as well as any team from southeastern Ohio, and you can take that to the bank.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

sorry bait we had a lot more boys to field a team with in those days. when we drop to d5 things may get better much quicker. but now the program needs to play within its means. get these monsters off the schedule

monsters? ironton beat hartley two years ago. these are the teams ironton needs to face if they want to be taken seriously as playoff contenders. a loss to hartley would do more to prepare ironton for the playoffs than a win over any other team in lawrence county, or most other teams in the southeast for that matter.

i could not agree more. would you rather be coming into the playoffs with a chance to play a 1-7 team, or a columbus bishop hartley. the sky is not falling because the tigers have dropped 2 games to potential state championship caliber teams.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

The bottom line is that the Tigers are playing hard, it just becomes a numbers game at some point. My view is that Ironton has enough good players to compete with teams in our area quite well. But when you step up into the class of some of the big city parochial schools, or even some of the larger public schools in the area, it will continue to be quite a challenge.

Realistically, Ironton has 10-15 kids athletic enough to effectively compete against the Watterson's and Hartley's, and yes, even the Cabell Midland's and Johnson Central's of today's high school football scene. But those programs have 20-30 of those kinds of kids. With many of the Tigers playing both ways, it becomes a game of exhaustion and attrition. What some on here like to complain about as "not wrapping up on tackles" is really just a faster, stronger, fresher athlete on the other team winning the battle. I mean, these are teams not with just a few fast guys, they are teams that can run at all positions. Watterson had 60 players, only 4 of which weighed more than 225. There's more of the same waiting in Hartley, which sports a roster of 64 players, only 6 of which are bigger than 225. You've got to catch 'em before you can block or tackle 'em.

So I am extremely proud of the efforts of all of the members of this year's Ironton team, regardless of what happens this Friday night. These players have been dealt a tough hand because of the school administration's decision to drop out of the SEOAL. Rather than competing for an SEOAL crown this year, Ironton will take its licks against some very tough squads. Don't get me wrong, I am not feeling sorry for Ironton; our kids are tough and can handle the adversity. They will leave it all on the field. And if the Tigers can withstand the physical challenges of these teams, it should harden them for the playoffs. Maybe Ironton won't win another state crown, but they will perform as well as any team from souteastern Ohio, and you can take that to the bank.

and i want you to know pb3, i agree with you as well. ironton is in a tough spot, somewhat self inflicted for leaving the league, but frankly the seoal is barely even being competitive at this time. and without the addition of other schools, and because of the vast geographics of the league. other closer leagues, are picking it apart team by team. honestly i look for it to fold. ironton will remain independant, unless the soc invites us in , or another okac type league comes calling.
we will take our lumps from time to time, and our lack of depth is really hurting us. but no matter what, come playoff time, unless you are playing a private school, you will be playing teams of like size. but frankly , ironton could not be scheduling any better in my opinion.

FIGHTING TIGER FOOTBALL RESPECT EVERYONE---------FEAR NO ONE.

[86Tiger]

[quote="pembrook burrows III"]The bottom line is that the Tigers are playing hard, it just becomes a numbers game at some point. My view is that Ironton has enough good players to compete with teams in our area quite well. But when you step up into the class of some of the big city parochial schools, or even some of the larger public schools in the area, it will continue to be quite a challenge.

Realistically, Ironton has 10-15 kids athletic enough to effectively compete against the Watterson's and Hartley's, and yes, even the Cabell Midland's and Johnson Central's of today's high school football scene. But those programs have 20-30 of those kinds of kids. With many of the Tigers playing both ways, it becomes a game of exhaustion and attrition. What some on here like to complain about as "not wrapping up on tackles" is really just a faster, stronger, fresher athlete on the other team winning the battle. I mean, these are teams not with just a few fast guys, they are teams that can run at all positions. Watterson had 60 players, only 4 of which weighed more than 225. There's more of the same waiting in Hartley, which sports a roster of 64 players, only 6 of which are bigger than 225. You've got to catch 'em before you can block or tackle 'em.

So I am extremely proud of the efforts of all of the members of this year's Ironton team, regardless of what happens this Friday night. These players have been dealt a tough hand because of the school administration's decision to drop out of the SEOAL. Rather than competing for an SEOAL crown this year, Ironton will take its licks against some very tough squads. Don't get me wrong, I am not feeling sorry for Ironton; our kids are tough and can handle the adversity. They will leave it all on the field. And if the Tigers can withstand the physical challenges of these teams, it should harden them for the playoffs. Maybe Ironton won't win another state crown, but they will perform as well as any team from souteastern Ohio, and you can take that to the bank.[/quote]

Well said!!! This is another reason I think the parochial schools need their own divisions, especially the ones from the big cities.