Jackson holds off Little Miami late to start 1-0
By: Grant Kiefer
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JACKSON, Ohio (WOUB) — The Jackson Ironmen had to wait a day to start their season, hosting Division I foe—the Little Miami Panthers—out of southwest Ohio in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. Despite the difference in divisions and roster size, Jackson controlled the game and sealed it late to win, 21-14.
The Ironmen wasted no time setting the tone in their 2025 season opener. Jackson marched down the field on their opening possession with the kind of steady, methodical drive that’s become their identity. Junior running back Gavin Sites capped it off with the Ironmen’s first touchdown of the season, and just like that, Jackson was in front 7-0.
Little Miami responded with an even longer drive of their own, taking it well into the second quarter before senior running back Lucas Basta powered across the goal line to tie things up. But Jackson’s answer was immediate. On his first game taking snaps out of the backfield, senior Ryan Seimetz broke free and sprinted 62 yards untouched for a house call, sending the Ironmen sideline into a frenzy. His touchdown gave Jackson a 14-7 lead that would hold steady into halftime, as both teams traded stalled drives to close the half.
The Ironmen came out in the second half determined to create separation, and once again Seimetz delivered. After a clutch grab by receiver Eli Davis kept the chains moving, Seimetz barreled in from short range to stretch the lead to 21-7 midway through the third quarter. Jackson looked firmly in control, but Little Miami wasn’t done. Panthers quarterback Camden Fox engineered a gritty fourth-quarter drive, converting on multiple third and fourth downs before finishing it off himself on a keeper to cut the deficit to 21-14 with under six minutes to play.
That set the stage for a tense finish. Jackson had a chance to put the game away late, but came up short on a fourth down in Panther territory with just over two minutes left. Suddenly, Little Miami had the ball and a chance to go 63 yards with no timeouts to tie—or even win it.
However, Jackson’s defense had the final word. As Fox heaved a desperation pass downfield, Bodhi Wolford got a hand on it, deflecting the ball for defensive back CJ Crabtree to snatch it before it hit the turf. The interception sealed a dramatic 21-14 win for the Ironmen, who start the season with a statement victory over a Division I opponent.
Jackson proved its toughness early, leaning on its ground game and timely defense to get the job done. And if Seimetz’s breakout performance of over 100 rushing yards is any indication, the Ironmen have found a new offensive spark to fuel another big season.