Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — Two straight key conference losses left some bad memories with the Fairland Dragons.

But the Dragons proved they hadn’t forgotten how to win as they beat the Rock Hill Redmen 50-7 Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Fairland (4-5, 2-2) lost tough games to Coal Grove and Chesapeake the past two weeks but rebounded with a big win.

“I was scared to death that we would come out flat like we did against Tolsia,” said Fairland coach Dave Carroll.

“But the kids stepped up and made the plays. We had a pretty decent week of prep. I’m very happy. Rock Hill always plays us tough.”

Fairland came out running as they went 67 yards in 10 plays capped by Nathan Campbell’s 9-yard scoring run to make it 6-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Dragons’ special teams produced the next score.

Darren Bishop blocked a Rock Hill punt and Cody Midkiff scooped it up and ran 41 yards for a touchdown. Chance Short threw to Midkiff for the conversion and a 14-0 lead.

The defense set up the next score when Derrick Willis recovered a fumble at the 48. Fairland then went 52 yards in 11 plays with Campbell running the final two yards for the score. He also ran for the conversion and a 22-0 lead.

The Dragons then put together a 72-yard, 7-play drive that ended on a 21-yard pass from Short to Kyle Sowards with 1:31 left in the half. Sowards ran for the conversion and a 30-0 lead.

Rock Hill (1-8, 1-3) didn’t quit as Shane Harper scored on a 16-yard run to cap a 59-yard, 4-play drive. Bryce Krum kicked the conversion with 55 seconds on the clock.

The Dragons put together another scoring drive in the third quarter. Campbell’s 21-yard run culminated a 60-yard, 5-play march and Isaiah Vidal kicked the conversion.

Dylan Murphy recovered a Rock Hill fumble at the 30-yard line and six plays later Tyree Ceasar scored on a 3-yard run and it was 44-7.

Fairland’s final touchdown came when Murphy scooped up a fumble and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown with 1:05 to play.

Ceasar finished with 120 yards on 19 carries as Fairland ran for 266 as a team. Campbell also hit the century mark as he ran 13 times fro 103 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Short was 3-of-6 for 56 yards and a touchdown as Fairland racked up 322 total yards.

Harper carried 211 times for 80 yards and Chance Blankenship had 52 yards on 18 carries as Rock Hill gained 141 yards on the ground.

Fairland 6 24 14 6 = 50

Rock Hill 0 7 0 0 = 7

First Quarter

Fa — Nathan Campbell 9 run (kick failed) 1:51

Second Quarter

Fa — Cody Midkiff 41 blocked punt return (Midkiff pass from Chance Short) 11:40

Fa — Nathan Campbell 2 run (Campbell run) 5:21

Fa — Kyle Sowards 21 pass from Chance Short (Sowards run) 1:31

RH — Shane Harper 16 run (Bryce Krum kick) 0:49

Third Quarter

Fa — Nathan Campbell 21 run (Isaiah Vidal kick) 3:40

Fa — Tyree Ceasar 3 run (Isaiah Vidal kick) 0:55

Fourth Quarter

Fa — Dylan Murphy 45 fumble return (run field) 4:51.

Team Statistics

Fa RH

First downs 23 13

Rushes-yards 44-266 48-141

Passing yards 56 12

Total yards 322 153

Cmp-Att-Int 3-6-0 2-2-0

Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-3

Penalties yards 7-75 4-30

Punts-average 1-38.0 3-13.3

Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Fairland: Nathan Campbell 13-103 3TD, Tyree Ceasar 19-120 TD, Chance Short 2-14, Dylan Murphy 20-8, Kyle Sowards 3-8, Isaiah Geiger 2-13, Trey Nestor 2-4, Kobe Woodall 1-minus 4; Rock Hill: Shane Harper 21-80, Chance Blankenship 18-52, Gabe Marzicola 6-minus 6, Jordan Blagg 3-15.

PASSING—Fairland: Chance Short 3-6-0 56 TD; Rock Hill: Gabe Marzicola 2-2-0 12.

RECEIVING—Fairland: Nathan Campbell 2-35, Kyle Sowards 1-21 TD; Rock Hill Austin Collins 2-12.