Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CHESAPEAKE — The Rock Hill Redmen have been known all season for their running game.

But it took a couple of big pass plays to help the Redmen outlast the Chesapeake Panthers 35-31 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.

Brayden Friend had a 70-yard scoring pass to Zak Adkins and a key 36-yard completion to Jaret Bacorn that rallied Rock Hill from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Rock Hill (4-5, 3-3) had 289 yards rushing but added 82 through the air for 371 total yards.

Cameron Barnette ran 26 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns while Adkins carried 15 times for 115 yards.

Chesapeake (4-5, 1-5) was led once again by Austin Browning who racked up 263 yards on 30 carries and scored three touchdowns. Kamren Harless had 72 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown as the Panthers ran for 335 yards and threw for another 29.

Browning had a 10-yard scoring run with 10:01 to play to cap a 70-yard, 10-play drive that started in the third quarter and spilled over into the fourth. Dalton Nida’s kick make it 31-10.

But Rock Hill answered two plays later when Friend drop a pass into the outstretched arms of Adkins who caught the ball in stride for a 70-yard touchdown pass play. Brady Floyd’s kick got the Redmen with 31-28 with 9:02 left.

Chesapeake drove to the Rock Hill 27 but fumbled and T.J. McGinnis pounced on the ball at that spot for the Redmen.

On third-and-6, Friend threw downfield and the 6-foot-4 Bacorn outjumped the defensive back for a 36-yard gain to the Panthers 37.

A 19-yard run by Adkins got the ball inside the 5-yard line and Friend scored on a 1-yard run with 2:09 to play. Floyd’s kick put the Redmen up 35-31.

Chesapeake tried to rally and reached the Rock Hill 23 with time running out. Browning’s pass in the end zone was knocked away by Logan Hankins as time expired.

The Panthers took a 7-0 lead on the first series of the game as Evan Burcham hit Harless with a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Rock Hill answered with a 61-yard, three-play drive as Barnette carried for 13, Hankins for 27 and Adkins the final 26 and it was tied at 7-7.

An interception by Hankins gave Rock Hill the ball at its own 31 and eight plays later Barnette ran 1-yard to make it 14-7 with 4:03 on the clock.

Chesapeake fumbled on the ensuing play after the kickoff and Rock Hill had the ball at the 26. Six plays later Barnette had his second 1-yard scoring run and it was 21-7.

The Panthers only took three plays to answer with Browning going 45 yards for the score as the first quarter clock hit zero and it was 21-14.

Rock Hill missed a 32-yard field goal attempt and the teams then exchanged punts. A 23-yard run by Browning got the ball to the 22 and a penalty on the play moved the ball to the 11-yard line where Nida kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired and it was 21-17 at the half.

Chesapeake took a 24-21 lead in the third quarter on Browning’s second 45-yard touchdown run with 6:28 on the clock.

That set the stage for the wild finish.

Next Friday, Chesapeake visits Fairland and Rock Hill hosts Coal Grove.

Rock Hill         21        0          0          14        =          35

Chesapeake     14        3          7          7          =          31

First Quarter

Ch – Kamren Harless 14 pass from Evan Burcham (Dalton Nida kick) 10:30

RH – Zak Adkins 26 run (Brady Floyd kick) 9:41

RH – Cameron Barnette 1 run (Brady Floyd kick) 4:03

RH – Cameron Barnette 1 run (Brady Floyd kick) 1:07

Ch – Austin Browning 45 run (Dalton Nida kick) 0:00

Second Quarter

Ch – Dalton Nida 27 field goal 0:00

Third Quarter

Ch – Austin Browning 45 run (Dalton Nida kick) 6:28

Fourth Quarter

Ch – Austin Browning 10 run (Dalton Nida kick) 10:01

RH – Zak Adkins 70 pass from Brayden Friend (Brady Floyd kick) 9:02

RH – Brayden Friend 1 run (Brady Floyd kick) 2:09

——

RH      Ch

First downs     19        21

Rushes-yards  51-289 42-335

Passing yards  82        29

Total yards      371      364

Cmp-Att-Int    3-4-0   2-6-1

Fumbles-lost   0-0       2-2

Penalties-yards            6-56     6-37

Punts-average  3-28.0  1-22.0

——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING —Rock Hill: Cameron Barnette 26-124, Zak Adkins 15-115, Logan Hankins 5-41, Brayden Friend 4-7, J.J. Hackworth 1-2; Chesapeake: Austin Browning 30-263, Kamren Harless 11-72, Kelton Jones 1-0.

PASSING — Rock Hill: Brayden Friend 3-4-0 82; Chesapeake: Evan Burcham 2-3-1 29, Austin Browning 0-3-0.

RECEIVING — Rock Hill: Zak Adkins 2-46, Jaret Bacorn 1-36; Chesapeake: Kamren Harless 2-29.