Division V State Championship: Ironton (15-0) vs. South Range (15-0)

Who wins?

  • Ironton by 17+

    Votes: 6 3.7%
  • Ironton by 8-16

    Votes: 13 7.9%
  • Ironton by 1-7

    Votes: 27 16.5%
  • South Range by 1-7

    Votes: 39 23.8%
  • South Range by 8-16

    Votes: 52 31.7%
  • South Range by 17+

    Votes: 27 16.5%

  • Total voters
    164
  • Poll closed .
That’s hysterical. Would’ve been worse if there was no holding call on SR on the first drive. I thought I read 17 yards of offense for LC in the first half. Don’t think the refs had anything to do with that.
 

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Good luck Ironton! It will be 32 years ago next weekend when Ironton - Lake Catholic played for the Division III state championship in Massillon. Huge amount of respect for the Tigers ever since then. Beat South Range!
 
Good luck Ironton! It will be 32 years ago next weekend when Ironton - Lake Catholic played for the Division III state championship in Massillon. Huge amount of respect for the Tigers ever since then. Beat South Range!
Thank you SO MUCH.
That was an eye opener.
Back then, we all had very little clue about each teams stars.
As a high school kid only anyway, we had no clue the level of play Joe Jervicius (sp) would have.
Im sure our coaches did.

i know Canfield SR has been waiting a while to advance to the title game & im happy for them.
Ironton will have to play our best game of the year to win & it sure would be nice.
It is our 12th trip to the finals with a 2/9 record!
So many heart breaking losses in the finals & YES some beat downs from lake catholic, ASVSM, & KirtLand & some really great performances too!
Brand new attitude in IronTon since the arrival of our new coach & the FighTing Tigers will be ready to go!
 
Seeing two teams so geographically close is pretty cool. Anyone who may have thought the Youngstown area football has seen better days better think again. I know all the address stuff and the it’s not really Canfield SR etc…. It’s the Youngstown area and we all know they play at a high level and play quality football. I’ll be rooting for SR tonight just as I did for Canfield.
 
I will say as a whole the LC parents were very graceful even saying SR was the real deal and saying good luck and win it all. Very classy and they understood their boys had an exceptional season…
The same happened in The other semi -final.
10 flags for 105 yards against IronTon that even the Ohsaa.TV broadcasters commented on how bad it was.
Legit penalties &
3-4 horrendous ones.

As the teams met at Mid-Field, you could see the FighTing Tiger players consoling the upset VV players on the ohsaa.tv broadcast. The IHS SENIORS have been in their shoes last year especially, having a trend downhill with injuries & mental mistakes in a final 8 surprise loss to a local rival, but i kinda saw it coming.
But those senior Fighting Tigers know that feeling in the losses to KirtLand & are determined to NOT have it repeat next weekend.

I watched it all here in orlando where I’ve lived since 1997.

I have only missed a few games of IronTon’s since i graduated in 1982.

in person, radio, online radio, wifi, & now live stream.
IronTon diehard & proud to be!

Good Luck to both IHS & CSRHS.

#GoTgo
#BeTheStorm
 
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Gentlemen,

It occurs to me that this will be the first ever match-up of 15-0 teams in Ohio football history. Chardon and Badin were both undefeated going into last year's D3 title game, but Badin was 14-0. Chardon became the first team in Ohio history to go 16-0, followed the next day by MSML. If Kirtland and MSML both win tonight, as I suspect will happen, they would also both be 15-0 but they would not play for the title until Saturday.
How come Canfield and South Range do not play each other during the season? Is there some political reason or league things etc. Is one “ducking” the other? There has to be a reason why two local powers don’t play each other.
 
How come Canfield and South Range do not play each other during the season? Is there some political reason or league things etc. Is one “ducking” the other? There has to be a reason why two local powers don’t play each other.
They played a few times around 30 years ago. South Range was in the NE8 and I think ITCL among other leagues and only had the first 3 weeks free. Canfield asked South Range a few times but I think they couldn't get the open weeks to line up and I think sometimes South Range declined since they already play a very tough schedule for a borderline D-V school. I would like to see them play, I think they have played in some of the other sports lately like baseball and basketball, soccer and golf among others. I don't think there is any animosity or anything between the two schools, at least not that I have ever heard.
 
How come Canfield and South Range do not play each other during the season? Is there some political reason or league things etc. Is one “ducking” the other? There has to be a reason why two local powers don’t play each other.
That would be a great game! Which has been more dominant as of late in their respective divisions?

Curious to know.
I can always look it up on joe eitel, but would like to see a thread on this.

Same thing hapoens each year with IronTon.
We open each season -V- Wheelersburg which is about 15 miles North to the east nestled along the mighty ohio river!

Some folks up North called us River Rats on the old JJ’s forum, so now we PROUDLY CALL IT:

“RIVER RAT FOOTBALL”!!!!
 
That would be a great game! Which has been more dominant as of late in their respective divisions?

Curious to know.
I can always look it up on joe eitel, but would like to see a thread on this.

Same thing hapoens each year with IronTon.
We open each season -V- Wheelersburg which is about 15 miles North to the east nestled along the mighty ohio river!

Some folks up North called us River Rats on the old JJ’s forum, so now we PROUDLY CALL IT:

“RIVER RAT FOOTBALL”!!!!
Being called a River Rat is simply a right of passage for Steubenville and Ironton folks. Personally, i wear it as a badge of honor and when you call us River rats it’s a compliment. I ALWAYS root for The Mighty Ironton Tigers…. simply because Steubenville and Ironton are like mirrors and have so much in common.
 
How come Canfield and South Range do not play each other during the season? Is there some political reason or league things etc. Is one “ducking” the other? There has to be a reason why two local powers don’t play each other.
I have a feeling Canfield wouldn’t schedule SR. Heard some wrestling and baseball politics may be the driver. Also not a ton of incentive for Canfield to schedule SR.
 
If Ironton wasn't playing South Range I would be pulling for them. I think I have seen all of their title games except the first one in 73 as Mooney was playing WWR in the AAA title game at the same time. They have suffered some heart-breaking losses in the finals, thinking specifically of 1993 & 99.

I have not seen this year's Tigers but I think it will take their best effort to beat S. Range and vice versa. Good luck to both teams. As always, I hope to see a great game with no injuries.

GO RAIDERS!
I was at the 93 game as well. Tough one.
 
Being called a River Rat is simply a right of passage for Steubenville and Ironton folks. Personally, i wear it as a badge of honor and when you call us River rats it’s a compliment. I ALWAYS root for The Mighty Ironton Tigers…. simply because Steubenville and Ironton are like mirrors and have so much in common.
I can guarantee you won’t hear river rat stuff next week. SR is frankly honored to play such a storied program. We’re confident and playing well, but no way anyone is overlooking a team like Ironton.
 
Thank you SO MUCH.
That was an eye opener.
Back then, we all had very little clue about each teams stars.
As a high school kid only anyway, we had no clue the level of play Joe Jervicius (sp) would have.
Im sure our coaches did.

i know Canfield SR has been waiting a while to advance to the title game & im happy for them.
Ironton will have to play our best game of the year to win & it sure would be nice.
It is our 12th trip to the finals with a 2/9 record!
So many heart breaking losses in the finals & YES some beat downs from lake catholic, ASVSM, & KirtLand & some really great performances too!
Brand new attitude in IronTon since the arrival of our new coach & the FighTing Tigers will be ready to go!
Plus the beat down from the Bennies in '73 on the Tiger squad I played on.
 
How come Canfield and South Range do not play each other during the season? Is there some political reason or league things etc. Is one “ducking” the other? There has to be a reason why two local powers don’t play each other.
Canfield leads the series 3-1 in football

1987
South Range 16
Canfield 14

1988
Canfield 21
South Range 6

1989
Canfield 29
South Range 7

1990
Canfield 16
South Range 0

I'm not aware of any animosity between the two schools. They schedule each other in girls' and boys' sports like basketball, baseball, etc. I think it mostly boils down to Canfield being a DIII school and SR being a DV. With the expanded playoff teams now, there might be a bit of an opening for the series to be renewed although I think SR has their schedule set for at least one more year.
 
Canfield leads the series 3-1 in football

1987
South Range 16
Canfield 14

1988
Canfield 21
South Range 6

1989
Canfield 29
South Range 7

1990
Canfield 16
South Range 0

I'm not aware of any animosity between the two schools. They schedule each other in girls' and boys' sports like basketball, baseball, etc. I think it mostly boils down to Canfield being a DIII school and SR being a DV. With the expanded playoff teams now, there might be a bit of an opening for the series to be renewed although I think SR has their schedule set for at least one more year.
You would think they would be in the same league……..😂
 
Pasteur has SR as the biggest favorite in any title game -- at 15. Which I think is...insane. Seems way more like a toss-up.

Ironton will be the first team SR has played that can beat you in the air and beat you on ground. Attacking SR's secondary is the way to score, I think. It's not that they're bad, but it's more that SR is really good in the front 7.

It's almost like two mirror teams except one has kids committed to D1 schools. Heh.
 
I am rooting that the SR staff and players finally get to that last rung!
I have great respect for both programs, but Ironton already has quite a few championship banners hanging at The Tank. I'd love to see Coach Yeagley put one up before retiring.
 
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Ironton had a difficult time with shifty, speedier receivers. Lindstrom is that kind of player. Also with a big wide receiver on the outside like Leone and TE Strouss, this will give Ironton problems like they had against #20 from Kirtland. SR has a good but not great run game with Remish and the name slips me right now and also Skirpac.

Ironton had that big back that is going to Wisconsin ( Reminds me of a better Health Brownstead) but has other weapons as well

The question is can SR be as physical as Kirtland has been to defeat a team like Ironton? Can Ironton get enough stops?

Should be a great game.
 
Pasteur has SR as the biggest favorite in any title game -- at 15. Which I think is...insane. Seems way more like a toss-up.

Ironton will be the first team SR has played that can beat you in the air and beat you on ground. Attacking SR's secondary is the way to score, I think. It's not that they're bad, but it's more that SR is really good in the front 7.

It's almost like two mirror teams except one has kids committed to D1 schools. Heh.
South Range has physically overwhelmed every team they've played. I think when it's all said and done, Struthers will have been the only team that "hung around". Those kids are playing exceptional ball.
 
Pasteur has SR as the biggest favorite in any title game -- at 15. Which I think is...insane. Seems way more like a toss-up.

Ironton will be the first team SR has played that can beat you in the air and beat you on ground. Attacking SR's secondary is the way to score, I think. It's not that they're bad, but it's more that SR is really good in the front 7.

It's almost like two mirror teams except one has kids committed to D1 schools. Heh.
Offers dont matter! Just watch, ill come back to this.
 
South Range doesn't have a Keyes in their back field. But they have a run game by committee, Remish is the guy that looks for contact, Ewert is a little more elusive and seldom is tackled by one defender, and Dominquez sees the crease and gets to the second level, quick. If they want to go deeper they can insert Knauf who is the biggest of the group. All of them can line up in the single set, wide or in the slot, and each catches the ball well. Couple them with Lindstrom (good luck one on one), Leone (6'3" big frame, excellent verticle) and Crouse (6'3" big frame, very physical), and Moore (also tall, good hands) on the edges with the QB, Skripac (6'2" - 210, throws well, nice touch, strong runner) and the O.C. has lots of tools to work with.
 
People focus on a team where one or two players have D-I offers. The problem is they will play a team loaded withD-II &IIIcollege players and that is what SR is.They will out match the teams other players, even with a couple of D-I players. The match up should not be close. SR was a machine this year. Lacked D-I players but had far better total players than other teams.Well coached, played a good schedule and should be too much of a load playing 11 on 11. It’s a match up Ironton will lose .
 
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