Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

BIDWELL — Forget the Air Force. All the Rock Hill Redmen needed Friday night was the ground troops.

The Redmen stuck to their running game as they ran 57 times for 418 yards and rolled past the River Valley Raiders 28-6 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

In picking up their first win of the season, the Redmen (1-7, 1-2) did not throw a pass.

Shane Harper led the ground assault with 25 carries for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Chance Blankenship added 117 yards and a score on 18 carries.

River Valley had 113 yards on the ground and 148 through the air for a 261 total, but the Raiders suffered three turnovers on a fumble and two interceptions.

The Remen lost two fumbles for their turnovers.

Rock Hill went 81 yards in nine plays in the first quarter to score. Quarterback Gabe Marzicola kept the ball and rambled 52 yards for the score. Chance Blankenship threw a halfback pass to Austin Collins for the conversion and an 8-0 lead.

The score remained the same until the third quarter when the Raiders got within 8-6 on a 13-yard run by Kyle Brown to cap a 57-yard, 6-play march.

But the Redmen came right back with an 81-yard, 8-play drive that culminated with Harper running 28 yards for the touchdown. He also added the conversion and it was 16-6 with 1:43 left in the quarter.

The Raiders (1-7, 0-3) pinned the Redmen back at the 8-yard line on their next series, but Rock Hill used a 9-play drive to make it 22-6 when Blankenship darted 26 yards for the score.

Harper iced the win as he broke loose on a 79-yard gallop with 2:10 left to set the final score.

Rock Hill hosts Fairland in a league game next Friday.

Rock Hill 8 0 8 12 = 28

River Valley 0 0 6 0 = 6

First Quarter

RH — Gabe Marzicola 52 run (Austin Collins pass from Chance Blankenship) 5:11

Third Quarter

RV – Kyle Brown 13 run (pass failed) 6:00

RH — Shane Harper 28 run (Harper run) 1:43

Fourth Quarter

RH — Chance Blankenship 26 run (run failed) 7:43

RH — Shane Harper 79 run (run failed) 2:10

Team Statistics

RH RV

First downs 17 14

Rushes-yards 57-418 19-113

Passing yards 0 148

Total yards 418 261

Cmp-Att-Int 0-0-0 11-27-2

Fumbles-lost 6-2 2-1

Penalties-yards 4-50 8-59

Punts 2 4

Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Rock Hill: Shane Harper 25-232, Chance Blankenship 18-117, Gabe Marzicola 5-48, Jordan Blagg 6-18, Corey Depriest 2-3, Brandon Blankenship 1-0; River Valley: Kyle Brown 15-75, Dayton Hardway 4-38.

PASSING—Rock Hill: None; River Valley: Dayton Hardway 12-28-2 148.

RECEIVING—Rock Hill: None; River Valley: Austin Bradley 4-75, Austin Davies 3-28, Chris Clemente 1-18, Ethan Dovenbarger 1-12, Jacob Leach 1-9, Kyle Brown 1-6.