Redmen use team effort to blank Vikings
Published 8:35 am Saturday, August 26, 2023
![](https://www.irontontribune.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2023/08/Gabe-Clutters-vs-SV-web.jpg?w=300)
Rock Hill Redmen fullback Gabe Clutters (36) gets a block from Blake Porter (3) as he gains yardage during Friday’s 28-0win over the Symmes Valley Vikings. (Robert S. Stevens of The Gold Studio in Ironton)
By JIM WALKER
jim.walker@irontontribune.com
PEDRO — The defense did a good job again, but this time the offense joined the party.
Rock Hill’s defense was strong for the second straight week and the offense got churning with a ball-control running game led by Levi Jiles in a 28-0 win over the Symmes Valley Vikings on Friday.
Rock Hill lost 17-7 last week at Minford but one touchdown was a punt return. This time, the defense held the Vikings to one net yard rushing, 93 passing and only 5 first downs.
The Redmen ran the ball 34 times for 214 yards led by Jiles with 114 yards on 11 carries with 2 touchdowns.
“We’re really young an inexperienced and it showed at times. We made a lot of fundamental mistakes,” said Rock Hill coach Mark Lutz. “But overall, the defense played really well and our offensive line and our backs all blocked well. It was a good team win.”
Rock Hill began the game with a drive to the Vikings 23 only to bog down and just missed completing a fourth down pass for a touchdown.
Neither team could generate much offense as both defenses took center stage. But it was the kicking game that provided the first score when Blake Porter cradled a Vikings’ punt at his own 18-yard line late in the first half and zig sagged his way past the first wave of tackles and the outran the rest of the field into the end zone for a touchdown.
“Porter’s an athlete. That was a heck of a play,” said Lutz.
Connor Blagg kicked the first of 4 extra points and it was 7-0 with 1:29 on the clock.
Rock Hill (1-1) began a drive at the Vikings’ 42 and it spilled over into the fourth quarter with Grant Bevins running the final yards for the score capping the 8-play drive to make it 14-0.
After a short punt, the Redmen had the ball at their own 40. Despite a procedure penalty, it took 5 plays to reach the Vikings’ 40 when Jiles bolted for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
The Vikings were forced to punt again and the Redmen had the ball at their own 49. Gabe Clutters ran for 6 yards and then Jiles ran 21 and 24 yards with the latter for the insurance score and a 28-0 lead.
Quarterback Gradee Holland was the Vikings’ offense as he hit 17-of-20 passes for 93 yards. Dylan Urban had 6 caches for 31 yards and Will Jones 6 for 26.
Sam. Valley 0 0 0 0 = 0
Rock Hill 0 7 0 21 = 28
Second Quarter
RH — Blake Porter 82 punt return (Connor Blagg kick)
Fourth Quarter
RH — Grant Bevins 1 run (Connor Blagg kick)
RH — Levi Jiles 40 run (Connor Blagg kick)
RH — Levi Jiles 24 run (Connor Blagg kick)
———
SVRH
First downs 5 10
Rushes-yards 16-1 34-214
Passing yards 93 9
Total yards 94 223
Cmp-Att-Int 17-20-0 1-4-1
Fumbles-lost 1-0 5-1
Penalties-yards 5-31 4-35
Punts-average 8-27 2-32
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING–Symmes Valley: Will Jones 2-18, Gradee Holland 8-minus 9, Eli Pratt 1-0, team 1-minus 7, Case Webb 4-minus 1; Rock Hill : Levi Jiles 11-114 2-TD, Gabe Clutters 8-37, Blake Porter 5-28, Connor Blagg 4-18, Chase Sizemore 3-7, 6-5, Grant Bevins 2-5, team 1-5.
PASSING–Symmes Valley: Gradee Holland 17-20-0 94; Rock Hill : Dallin Cox 1-4-1 9.
RECEIVING–Symmes Valley: Will Jones 6-26, Dylan Urban 6-31, Sam McCleese 2-12, Case Webb 2-13, Randy Adkins 1-10; Rock Hill : Blake Porter 1-9.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.