Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — Through the first five games of the season, it’s been about offense for the Fairland Dragons.
So why change now?
The Dragons high-powered, quick-strike offense was hitting on all cylinders on Friday as they beat the Rock Hill Redmen 42-6 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Fairland (5-1, 5-1) had 367 total yards with quarterback Max Ward hitting 12-of-15 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
Gavin Hunt caught four passes for 68 yards and two scores and he also returned a fumble for a touchdown. Zander Schmidt caught four passes for 57 yards and at TD.
Tevin Taylor ran just twice for 56 yards and a score as the ground game generated 154 yards.
Rock Hill (2-4, 2-4) managed to control the clock with 45 carries for 159 yards rushing but failed to complete its only pass.
Hunter Blagg ran 13 times for 56 yards, Hayden Harper had 14 carries for 53 yards and Owen Hankins rushed 10 times for 46 yards in a balance running game.
Fairland went 61 yards in eight plays to start the game and Ward hit Hunt with a 5-yard scoring toss with 10:28 on the clock. Emma Marshall kicked the first of six conversions for a 7-0 lead.
A shanked punt by Rock Hill gave the ball back to Fairland at the Redmen 31 and five plays later Ward hit J.D. Brumfield with a screen pass that covered 19 yards and it was 14-0.
In the second quarter, Rock Hill had a drive stall at the Fairland 34 and it didn’t take the Dragons long to score again as Ward hit Hunt in stride on a post route that covered 49 yards.
The Redmen drove from their own 20 to the Fairland 36 only to stall again.
A 28-yard pass to Zander Schmidt helped get the ball to the Rock Hill 31 and a 25-yard scramble by Ward moved the ball to the 12.
Four plays later, Ward and Schmidt combined for a short 2-yard TD pass and it was 21-0.
Rock Hill returned the kickoff to midfield where the runner was ruled to have fumbled the ball and Hunt returned it 50 yards for the touchdown with no time on the clock.
Fairland only had the ball for two plays in the third quarter but the second play was a 46-yard scoring run by Tevin Taylor for a 42-0 lead.
The Redmen went 52 yards in 11 plays capped by Hunter Blagg’s 3-yard scoring run with 8:31 to play.
Rock Hill hosts Crooksville at 7 p.m. next Saturday in the first round of the Division 6 Region 23 playoffs. Fairland has a bye and will play the Rock Hill-Crooksville winner at home on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Fairland 14 21 7 0 = 42
Rock Hill 0 0 0 6 = 6
First Quarter
Fa – Gavin Hunt 5 pass from Max Ward (Emma Marshall kick) 10:28
Fa – J.D. Brumfield 19 pass from Max Ward (Emma Marshall kick) 3:53
Second Quarter
Fa – Gavin Hunt 49 pass from Max Ward (Emma Marshall kick) 10:11
Fa – Zander Schmidt 2 pass from Max Ward (Emma Marshall kick) 0:13
Fa – Gavin Hunt 50 fumble return (Emma Marshall kick) 0:00
Third Quarter
Fa – Tevin Taylor 46 run (Emma Marshall kick) 3:40
Fourth Quarter
RH – Hunter Blagg 3 run (run failed) 8:31
——
Fa RH
First downs 14 10
Rushes-yards 18-154 45-159
Passing yards 213 0
Total yards 367 159
Cmp-Att-Int 14-17-0 0-1-0
Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-0
Penalties-yards 6-44 3-21
Punts-average 0-00.0 2-25.0
——
Individual Leaders
RUSHING —Fairland: Tevin Taylor 2-56, Garrett Spence 3-35, J.D. Brumfield 7-26, Max Ward 2-25, Peyton Jackson 4-12; Rock Hill: Hunter Blagg 13-56, Hayden Harper 14-53, Owen Hankins 10-46, Trenton Williams 1-5, Skyler Kidd 1-4, Chase Delong 1-6, Hunter Massie 5-minus 11.
PASSING — Fairland: Max Ward 12-15 184, Peyton Jackson 2-2-0 31; Rock Hill: Hunter Massie 0-1-0.
RECEIVING — Fairland: Gavin Hunt 4-68, Zander Schmidt 4-57, Steeler Leep 1-15, Tevin Taylor 1-11, J.D. Brumfield 1-19, Brycen Hunt 1-23, Gavin Davis 1-6, Dylan Holley 1-14; Rock Hill: None.