WELLSTON -- The ground game was too much.

The Wellston Golden Rockets used a strong running game and a stingy run defense to beat the Rock Hill Redmen 36-14 Friday.

The Rockets (3-2) rushed for 415 yards led by Thomas Mayes with 224 yards on 25 carries. Rex Herrold carried 18 times for 128 yards.

Rock Hill (3-2) was limited to just 27 net yards rushing including just 6 the first half. Quarterback Steven Daily provided the Redmen with most of their offense as he completed 8 of 24 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice.

Herrold had a 7-yard touchdown run to cap a first quarter scoring drive. Herrold had a 56-yard run to set up his own score and Phillip Osborne's conversion kick made it 7-0.

On the first play of the second quarter, Mayes bolted 71 yards for a touchdown and it was 14-0.

A 28-yard run by Mayes highlighted the next Wellston drive and Mayes then scored from 8 yards away. Duty Fultz hit Osborne on the conversion pass and extend the lead to 22-0.

Robbie McClellan intercepted a Wellston pass with 1:36 left in the half, and then Daily found McClellan on a 33-yard pass to the 24. Daily hit David Schug with a 20-yard pass to the 4-yard line, and the duo clicked again on the next play for the touchdown. Matt McFann's conversion kick cut the deficit to 22-7.

A fumbled punt early in the second half gave the ball to the Redmen in Wellston territory. Daily hit McClellan with a 9-yard pass that set up a 7-yard scoring toss to James Russell and Rock Hill trailed just 22-14.

Wellston came back with a long scoring drive capped by Osborne's 3-yard run. Fultz passed to Osborne on the conversion and it was 30-14.

Mayes scored his second TD of game with just 30 seconds left to play.

Rock Hill0770--14

Wellston715014--36

First Quarter

We – Rex Herrold 7 run (Phillip Osborne kick) 6:44

Second Quarter

We – Thomas Mayes 71 run (Phillip Osborne kick) 11:49

We – Thomas Mayes 8 run (Evan Johnson pass from Dusty Fultz) 4:47

RH

– David Schug 4 pass from Steven Daily (Matt McFann kick) :23

Third Quarter

RH – James Russell 7 pass from Steven Daily (Matt McFann kick) 6:00

Fourth Quarter

We – Phillip Osborne 3 run (Phillip Osborne pass from Dusty Fultz) 8:28

We – Thomas Mayes 9 run (kick failed) :30

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RHWel

First downs923

Rushes-yards21-2755-415

Passing yards10112

Total yards128427

Cmp-Att-Int8-24-21-4-2

Fumbles-lost3-02-0

Penalties-yards3-288-50

Punts-average3-38.31-52.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING – Rock Hill: Dan Mullins 5-26, Aaron Hankins 8-11, James Russell 5-7, Steven Daily 3-minus 19. Wellston: Thomas Mayes 25-224, Rex Herrold 18-128, Phillip Osborne 9-54, Dusty Fultz 3-9.

PASSING – Rock Hill: Steven Daily 8-24-2 101. Wellston: Dusty Fultz 1-4-2

12.

RECEIVING – Rock Hill: Robbie McClellan 3-46, James Russell 3-31, David Schug 2-24. Wellston: Morgan Johnson 1-12.

Jim Walker/The Ironton Tribune