PEDRO — When assistant coach Barry Litteral said he was going fishing Saturday morning to forget about Friday’s game, it only seemed appropriate.

It was the ultimate “You should have seen the one that got away” story.

Rock Hill jumped out to a 15-0 lead and then watched as the Zane Trace Pioneers rallied to beat the Redmen 18-15 Friday in the season opener for both teams.

“To say we let one get away is an understatement,” said Rock Hill head coach Todd Knipp.

“We had some young guys playing and we made a couple of mistakes that cost us. We had our chances. We’re starting to get there. We have to learn to finish them off.”

After a 5-yard penalty prior to the first snap, quarterback Will McCollister put Rock Hill up 7-0 on the first play of the game with a keeper around left end as he outran the Pioneers’ defense for an 81-yard scoring jaunt.

Cody Massie kicked the extra point.

Running back Steve Lewis went 14 yards in the second quarter and Jesse Lane ran the conversion to put Rock Hill ahead 15-0.

Zane Trace got on the board before the half when quarterback Colton Whitehouse raced 59 yards for a touchdown to make it 15-7.

The Pioneers tied the game in the fourth quarter on a 7-yard pass from Whitehouse to Brandon Cox. Whitehouse then threw to Jayden Everidge for the tying two-point converson.

Nick Ganus kicked a 27-yard field goal with about eight minutes to play for what proved to be the deciding score.

Rock Hill won the statistic battle but lost the war. The Redmen had 325 total yards to 260 for Zane Trace.

McCollister ran 11 times for 107 yards as Rock Hill had 181 yards rushing. He was 9-of-19 passing for 144 yards and two interceptions.

Rock Hill’s Trey Wilds had eight receptions for 129 yards.

Whitehouse led the Pioneers with 91 yards on six carries. He was 4-of-12 passing for 64 yards.

Zane Trace 0 7 0 11 = 18

Rock Hill 7 8 0 0 = 15

First Quarter

RH — Will McCollister 81 run (Cody Massie kick)

Second Quarter

RH — Steve Lewis 14 run (Jesse Lane run)

ZT — Colton Whitehouse 59 run (Nick Manus kick)

Fourth Quarter

ZT — Brandon Cox 7 pass from Colton Whitehouse (Jayden Everidge pass from Colton Whitehouse)

ZT — Nick Ganus 27 field goal

—————

ZT RH

First downs 9 14

Rushes-yards 36-196 36-181

Passing yards 64 144

Total yards 260 325

Cmp-Att-Int 4-12-0 9-19-2

Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-0

Punts-average 6-33.0 1-28 5-27.6

Penalties-yards 4-20 6-40

Individual Leaders

RUSHING-Zane Trace: Chris Finley 11-43, Matt Marnell1 9-52, Colton Whitehouse 6-91; Rock Hill: Will McCollister 11-107, Coty Davis 6-21, Shane Harper 4-10, Jesse Lane 2-minus 9, Steve Lewis 8-34, Jerrod Bruce 4-18.

PASSING-Zane Trace: Colton Whitehouse 4-12-0 64; Rock Hill: Will McCollister 9-19-2.

RECEIVING-Zane Trace: Jacob McCoy 1-45, Brandon Cox 2-21, Harley Halley 1-minus 2; Rock Hill: Trey Wilds 8-129, Jesse Lane 1-12.

MISSED FIELD GOALS: None.