Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

The Rock Hill Redmen built as much as an 18-point lead but two crucial fumbles helped the Portsmouth Trojans rally late for a 33-32 Ohio Valley Conference win on Friday.

“Any time you play a high school football game you can’t make mistakes. We made some mistakes and they capitalized on them. They made us pay for our mistakes,” said Rock Hill coach Todd Knipp.

Rock Hill (3-1, 0-1) racked up 308 total yards — all on the ground — led by Brady Knip with 102 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns.

Logan Hankins added 75 yards on six tries with a score and Trystan Matney had 61 yards on 12 attempts.

Portsmouth put together a deep drive on the first series of the game, but Tim Adkins picked off a pass and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown.

Matney’s kick made it 7-0 with 7:08 on the clock.

Portsmouth came right back on its next possession and tied the game on a 7-yard run by Luke Purdy and the conversion kick at the 5:33 mark.

Rock Hill (3-1, 0-1) regained the lead on a 3-yard touchdown run by Brady Knipp with less than three minutes in the quarter and it was 14-7.

Knipp extended the Redmen lead to 20-0 with 8:32 left in the half on a 15-yard scamper.

The Trojans (3-1, 1-0) answered with a 20-yard touchdown run by Purdy and trailed 20-14.

But Rock Hill quarterback Mason Darby had a 1-yard keeper just before the half and it was 26-14 at the break.

The Redmen took the second half kickoff and drove for a score as Hankins ran 4 yards to make it 32-14.

“We started to relax and they started to get momentum and field position,” said coach Knipp. “And our mistakes caught up with us.”

Talyn Parker’s 1-yard touchdown run with 2:15 left in the third quarter cut the deficit to 32-20.

After a Rock Hill punt, Purdy connected with Ryan Williams on a 35-yard scoring pass and it was 32-27 with 7:07 to play.

Portsmouth’s kickoff went out of bounds but Rock Hill knocked the ball out of play and penalized half the distance to the goal back to the 3-yard line.

Rock Hill then fumbled and Portsmouth recovered at the 8-yard line. Purdy hit a wide-open Parker in the end zone for a 7-yard scoring pass and the Trojans led 33-32 with 5:12 left.

The Redmen were unable to generate a scoring drive on their next two possessions that included a second lost fumble at their own 44.

Rock Hill hosts Fairland this Friday while Portsmouth entertains Gallipolis.

Rock Hill 14 12 6 0 = 32

Portsmouth 7 7 6 13 = 33

First Quarter

RH — Tim Adkins 85 interception return (Trystan Matney kick) 7:08

Prt — Luke Purdy 7 run (kick good) 5:33

RH — Brady Knipp 3 run (Trystan Matney kick) 2:36

Second Quarter

RH — Brady Knipp 15 run (run failed) 8:32

Prt — Luke Purdy 20 run (kick good) 5:04

RH — Mason Darby 1 run (kick failed) 1:35

Third Quarter

RH —Logan Hankins 4 run (run failed) 10:49

Prt — Talyn Parker 1 run (kick failed) 2:15

Fourth Quarter

Prt — Ryan Williams 35 pass from Luke Purdy (kick good) 7:07

Prt — Talyn Parker 7 pass from Luke Purdy (run failed) 5:12

Rock Hill Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Brady Knipp 19-102 2-TD, Logan Hankins 6-75 TD, Trystan Matney 12-61, Tim Adkins 9-41, Mason Darby 5-20 TD, Matt Malone 2-9. Total: 53-308.

PASSING—Mason Darby 0-4-0.