Lady Luck doesn’t smile on Redmen in OT loss to Trojans
Published 1:34 am Sunday, September 10, 2023
![](https://www.irontontribune.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2023/09/Jiles-TD-stretch.jpg?w=300)
Rock Hill Redmen running back Levi Jiles (7) stretches out as he puts the football in the end zone for a touchdown during Friday’s 28-27 overtime loss to the Portsmouth Trojans. (Robert Stevens of The Gold Studio in Ironton)
By JIM WALKER
jim.walker@irontontribune.com
PEDRO — It was a gamble and the result would be either snake eyes or a lucky 7.
It wasn’t the lucky 7.
Having just got within 28-27 of Portsmouth in overtime, Rock Hill coach Mark Lutz rolled the dice and went for the 2-point conversion and the win.
But Lady Luck wasn’t smiling on the Redmen as the pass play failed and the Trojans had escaped with the Ohio Valley Conference win.
Portsmouth had some other lucky breaks in the game including a play that gave them a touchdown in the third quarter and the lead.
Portsmouth got the ball first in overtime and used a 17-yard pass to Landon Malone to get to the 2-yard line. Camron Williams ran for the touchdown on the next play and Zach Roth’s conversion kick made it 28-21.
Rock Hill used 5 plays to score with Anthony Stamper going the final 3 yards.
The Redmen elected to go for the 2-point conversion and the win but a pass into the end zone was batted away give the Trojans the win.
Rock Hill’s Blake Porter returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter only to be negated by off-setting penalties on the play.
The Redmen reached the Portsmouth 25 only to have the drive stall.
Each team punted twice after the failed drive but Rock Hill got the ball at its own 24 and 6 plays later Levi Jiles ran over a couple of defenders on his way to a 56-yard scoring run.
Connor Blagg kicked the conversion for a 7-0 lead with 1:08 left in the half.
A 29-yard run by quarterback Camron Willams got the ball to the Redmen 39 and 3 plays later, Williams rolled to his right and hit Colin Perry with a 27-yard touchdown pass.
Zach Roth kicked the point after to tie the game with 12 seconds left in the half.
The Trojans took a 14-7 lead with 9 minutes left in the third quarter thanks to a fumble snap on a punt.
Portsmouth (2-2, 1-0) took over the ball at the Rock Hill 21 and 3 plays later Williams rolled right and threw 3 yards to Colin Perry for the touchdown.
An unsportsmanlike penalty forced Portsmouth to attempt the conversion for the 35-yard line but Roth was on target and it was 14-7.
A 56-yard kickoff return by Blake Porter got the ball to the Portsmouth 13 and Porter scored from 11 yards out o third down.
The conversion kick was blocked and Rock Hill trailed 14-13 with 1:16 left in the quarter.
Rock Hill (2-2, 0-1) got the ball back at its own 20 and scored 6 plays later as Stamper ran for 14 yards, Jiles for 11, Porter for 35 and then Jiles went the final 10 yards to get the Redmen led 19-14.
Jiles ran for the conversion and the Redmen was up 21-14 with 1:11 left in the quarter.
Portsmouth with 3:02 to play and threw an incomplete pass and then Williams hit Malone with a 50-yard pass play to the Rock Hill 9.
Williams ran the ball in for the score on the next play and Roth’s kick tied the game with 2:21 left.
The Trojans had a chance to win in regulation as they got to the Rock Hill 26. Roth set up for a 43-yard field goal but a bad snap foiled the attempt and forced overtime.
Rock Hill had 202 net yards rushing led by Jiles with 131 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. Porters ran 5 times for 51 yards and a score while Stamper carried 15 times for 49 yards and a TD with Gage Clutters added 21 yards on 6 carries.
Williams was the Trojans offense as he completed 14-of-19 passes for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns while also running 22 times or 81 yards and a score.
Portsmouth 0 7 7 7 7 = 28
Rock Hill 0 7 14 0 6 = 27
Second Quarter
RH — Levi Jiles 56 run (Connor Blagg kick) 1:18
Prt — Colin Perry 27 pass from Camron Williams (Zach Roth kick) 0:13
Third Quarter
Prt — Colin Perry 3 pass from Camron Williams (Zach Roth kick) 9:02
RH — Blake Porter 11 run (kick blocked) 7:24
RH — Levi Jiles 10 run (Levi Jiles run) 1:16
Fourth Quarter
Prt — Camron Williams 9 run (Zach Roth kick) 2:24
Overtime
Prt — Camron Williams 2 run (Zach Roth kick)
RH — Anthony Stamper 3 run (pass failed)
———
PrtRH
First downs 10 11
Rushes-yards 30-91 48-204
Passing yards 181 9
Total yards 272 213
Cmp-Att-Int 15-19-1 2-5-0
Fumbles-lost 2-0 2-0
Penalties-yards 8-63 8-55
Punts-average 6-26.0 6-33.7
———
Individual Leaders
RUSHING–Portsmouth: Camron Williams 22-101 2-TD, Kaleb Johnson 2-minus 1, Zion Froe 3-minus 10, Jason Starr 1-5, Nick Copley 1-minus 6, Colin Perry 1-2; Rock Hill: Levi Jiles 14-131 TD, Anthony Stamper 14-42 TD, Gage Clutters 6-21, Blake Porter 5-51, Chase Sizemore 2-3, Dallin Cox 5-minus 33, team 2-minus 11.
PASSING–Portsmouth: Camron Williams 15-19-1 169 2-TD; Rock Hill: Dallin Cox 2-5-0 9.
RECEIVING–Portsmouth: Landon Malone 5-92, Colin Perry 4-49 2-TD, Leland Scurlock 1-13, Trevin Brooks 1-7, Nick Copley 1-6, Zion Froe 1-5, Lukas Bradley 2-9; Rock Hill: Blake Porter 1-5, Anthony Stamper 1-4.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.