CANTON, Ohio (WKBN) – South Range gets its chance at something that hasn’t been accomplished in school history – to walk away from Friday’s game with the state championship. In order to achieve that historic feat, the Raiders must get by a veteran of the state championship in Ironton, which is seeking its third crown.

South Range gets the opportunity this Friday at 10:30 a.m. from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

High School Football Playoffs – Division V State Championship
Friday, December 2, 2022, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton at 10:30 a.m.
Ironton (15-0) vs. South Range (15-0)

Team statistics:
Scoring offense: South Range, 42.2; Ironton, 40.1
Scoring defense: South Range, 8.2; Ironton, 10.6

Playoff history:
Post-season wins: Ironton, 42; South Range, 29
State championships: Ironton, 2 (1979, 1989); South Range, 0

Game notes:
Ironton

  • Trailing by 14 in the second quarter (21-7), the Fighting Tigers rallied to score 28 unanswered points to prevail 35-21 in their state semifinal matchup with Valley View.
  • Coach Trevon Pendleton’s group has recorded an overall record of 50-5 over the last four years.
  • Ironton, led by coach Bob Lutz, won the 1979 Class AA (defeating St. Vincent-St. Mary, 7-6) and 1989 Division III (defeating Campbell Memorial, 12-7) championships.
  • The Fighting Tigers have appeared in five championship matchups since their win in 1989. Most recently, the Tigers were turned away by Kirtland in back-to-back games in 2019 and in 2020.
  • Ironton collected its 25th 10-win season this year. The Tigers have also played in the post-season in 22 of the last 25 seasons.

South Range

  • South Range shut out Liberty-Center, 35-0, in the Division V State Semifinal game. The Billy Skripac to Ayden Leon connection was working as the duo connected on three touchdown passes. Skripac finished the game with four touchdown strikes and threw for over 250 yards. The defense clamped down on the Tigers and held their offense to just over 100 yards of total offense.
  • The Raiders have won 28 of their last 29 games played.
  • South Range has won 15 games in a single season for the first time in program history.
  • The Raider defense has held the opposition to less than 10 points nine times this year.
  • Prior to their win, South Range had been turned away in the Final Four by Patrick Henry (48-28) in 2005 and by Eastwood (21-7) in 2017.

2022 Results
Ironton (15-0)
Tigers 35 Valley View 21*
Tigers 34 Harvest Prep 0*
Tigers 35 Portsmouth West 7*
Tigers 48 Portsmouth 0*
Tigers 51 Minford 7*
Tigers 42 Portsmouth 7
Tigers 29 Gallia Academy 22
Tigers 55 Coal Grove 6
Tigers 49 Rock Hill 7
Tigers 62 Chesapeake 0
Tigers 55 South Point 12
Tigers 32 Johnson Central (KY) 21
Tigers 34 Fairland 13
Tigers 29 Jackson 26
Tigers 12 Wheelersburg 3
*playoff

South Range (15-0)
Raiders 35 Liberty-Center 0
Raiders 49 Perry 21*
Raiders 34 Cardinal Mooney 6*
Raiders 49 Garrettsville Garfield 10*
Raiders 35 Liberty 6*
Raiders 28 Hubbard 0
Raiders 66 Lakeview 6
Raiders 42 Jefferson 7
Raiders 55 Niles 0
Raiders 56 Girard 12
Raiders 48 Poland 0
Raiders 23 Struthers 13
Raiders 34 Canton Central Catholic 21
Raiders 42 University School 14
Raiders 37 Springfield 7
*-playoff