Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — The preliminaries are over. It’s time for conference play.

The Rock Hill Redmen have disposed of their three non-conference opponents with relative ease and now turn their focus to the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Redmen will begin with their toughest opponent to date as they visit the Portsmouth Trojans on Friday.

Rock Hill has beaten Minford 33-14, Northwest 48-12 and Oak Hill 33-14.

Portsmouth is 2-1 after losing 4-0 at Wheelersburg last week. The Trojans had only two double-digit gains — a 46-yard run by Talyn Parker and a 29-yard pass from Luke Purdy to Ryan Williams.

Parker finished with 74 yards on 10 carries while Austin Lansing ran 14 times for 45 yards. Purdy was just 2-of-6 for 36 yards.

In the win over rival Portsmouth West, Purdy ran 19 times for 83 yards and was 11-of-20 passing for 120 yards. Parker had 46 yards on 19 attempts and Lansing 25 yards on seven carries.

Purdy ran for two scores and threw two TD passes for Ryan Williams.

The Trojans beat Lucasville Valley 32-12 in their opener, snapping a four-game losing streak to the Indians.

Parker had 194 yards on 22 carries and Purdy ran 10 times for 123 yards as Portsmouth ran for 342 yards. Purdy was 5-of-6 passing for 46 yards and a score.

Rock Hill won last year’s meeting 38-14 and return seven starters. Portsmouth has seven offensive and six defensive starters returning. However, the Trojans were young last season and hope their maturity will help their improvement along with the freshman Parker in the backfield.

In other area games, Oak Hill is at Symmes Valley in a key Southern Ohio Conference game, South Point visits Coal Grove, Gallipolis goes to Chesapeake, Fairland travels to Waverly, Green hosts Sciotoville East, Portsmouth Notre Dame travels to Eastern Meigs, Minford is at Northwest, Lucasville Valley goes to Raceland, Ky., Portsmouth West hosts Wellston, Boyd County visits Russell and Wheelersburg is at North College Hill on Saturday afternoon.