The Red Devils (0-1) are licking their wounds after a humbling 41-21 defeat to rival Greenup County. Ironton (0-1) comes in looking for its first win as well, following a 28-6 setback against Ohio small school powerhouse Wheelersburg. First year head coach Trevon Pendleton has stirred up excitement within the Fighting Tigers' tradition rich program. This has mostly been a one sided rivalry over the decades, but Russell did take two in a row from Ironton in '15 and '16 before getting handled 35-7 a year ago.

It will be worse than last year's game.

Ironton looked pretty good against the defending D5 State Champions last week. I look for the Fighting Tigers to win this one.

Tigers should win, but this is high school football where one seldom predicts, just how a bunch of teenage guys will preform on any Friday.

Ironton 54

 

Russell 7

Unfortunately Ironton could probably score as many as they want in this one against this Russell team.

How I wish the talent level could even get half or more as close to the 2002 team, or even the 05 and 06 teams.

This one got out of hand last year, due in large part to the mistakes that come with inexperience. I think it was Ironton's first play from scrimmage where Russell missed an assignment or two and Ironton's QB took off untouched for a long TD run. Things just got worse from there. Blown assignments resulted in a few other big plays for the Tigers a year ago. Ironton was 5-6 last season, but Russell did its part to make the Tigers look like winners.

 

Russell's got to cut out all the little mistakes. They add up quickly. Know your assignment and do your job to the best of your ability. That's all anyone can ask. If everyone, coaches and players alike, tighten it up, things will get better.

In doing some reading on an Ohio site,it appears the new coach is slowly bring back the old Ironton attitude.If so, this team will be better in week six then they are now. And in a year, maybe two I think they will be more like the old Tigers teams. I believe as the team starts to turn the corner, it will being more and more kids wanting to play for them.