Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — After driving up and down the hilly road in the first half, the Rock Hill Redmen took to the freeway in the second half.
After being tied at the half, the Redmen stepped on the gas and drove past the South Point Pointers 36-12 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.
Rock Hill (2-2, 1-2) jumped out quickly to a 12-0 lead only to have the Pointers battle back and tie the game. In fact, the Redmen needed a goal line stand just before the end of the half to keep the game even.
But the Redmen took command in the second half as they outscored the Pointers 24-0 for their first conference win of the season.
“We started well and then we hit that proverbial brick wall. We were blocking the wrong people and we turned the ball over. You can’t do that against a good team,” said Rock Hill coach Mark Lutz.
“South Point hasn’t won a game, but I can tell you they are a talented team. That number 72 (Maurice Long) is a tough kid, but our number 79 (Andrew Medinger) did a pretty nice job himself in the second half.”
Rock Hill forced a punt on the opening series of the game and then went 58 yards in just 6 plays capped by Owen Hankins’ 17-yard run.
The conversion kick failed and it was 6-0 at the 6:51 mark.
Chanz Pancake came up with an interception on the first play following the kickoff.
Rock Hill then drove 65 yards in six plays with a pass from Trent Williams to Hunter Blagg the key play as it covered 48 yards to the Pointers’ 18. Three plays later Skyler Kidd scored from 12 yards out and it 12-0 with 2:38 to go in the quarter.
South Point (0-5, 0-5) created a break as Long stripped a Rock Hill back of the football and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. The conversion kick was blocked and the lead was cut in half to 12-6 with 37 seconds left in the quarter.
An interception by Elijah Wilburn gave the ball back to the Pointers at midfield and quarterback Jordan Ermalovich hit Owen Fredrick for 19 yards and then Malik Pegram outjumped the defenders for a 31-yard gain and the touchdown.
The Redmen fumbled on their next series and Maddox McCallister recovered at the 41.
The Pointers converted a fourth-and-5 to keep the drive alive and threw 6 more passes completions to reach the 2-yard line.
But Chase Delong witih help from Brice Schob sacked Ermalovich for a 15-yard line creating a fourth-and-goal at the 20.
Ermalovich hit Brayden Hanshaw with a pass but he was stopped short of the goal at the 2-yard line with 38 seconds to go in the half.
Rock Hill came out in the second half and marched 64 yards in 8 plays capped by a 10-yard scoring pass from Williams to Malone. Kidd ran for the conversion and the Redmen took the lead for good at 20-12 with 7:02 on the clock.
Two plays later, Hankins sacked Ermalovich in the end zone for a safety and it was 22-12.
Kordell French returned the free kick 50 yards to the Pointers’ 10-yard line only to have the Pointers’ defense stiffen and left Rock Hill facing a fourth-and-goal at the.
Hankins then connected with Pancake for an 8-yard TD pass and Wilson’s conversion kick pushed the lead to 29-12 with 3:41 left in the quarter.
The Redmen fumbled the ball away with 10:42 left and the Pointers recovered at the 35. But the Redmen held and forced a punt, then went 59 yards in 7 plays was Blagg went the final yard and it was 36-12 with 4:12 to play.
The Redmen finished with 279 total yards. They ran the ball 44 times for 211 yards behind a balanced stable of running backs. Blagg ran 10 times for 51 yards, Hankins 10 times for 42, Kidd 8 carries for 42, Delong 4 for 17 and Jiles 59 yards on just 5 attempts.
Williams was 2-for-3 for 58 yards with a touchdown and interception.
Ermalovich completed 9-of-16 passes for 121 yards with a pick and TD but the Pointers were held to a net 2 yards rushing on 25 carries.
Next Friday, Rock Hill visits Ironton and South Point will host Fairland.
South Point 6 6 0 0 = 12
Rock Hill 12 0 17 7 = 36
First Quarter
RH – Owen Hankins 17 run (kick failed) 6:51
RH – Skyler Kidd 12 run (run failed) 2:38
SP – Maurice Long 36 fumble return (kick blocked) 0:37
Second Quarter
SP – Malik Pegram 31 pass from Jordan Ermalovich (kick blocked) 10:34
Third Quarter
RH – Brayden Malone 10 pass from Trent Williams (Skyler Kidd run) 7:02
RH – Safety (Owen Hankins tackled Jordan Ermalovich in the end zone) 6:08
RH – Chanz Pancake 8 pass from Owen Hankins (Blake Wilson kick) 3:41
Fourth Quarter
RH – Hunter Blagg 1 run (Blake Wilson kick) 4:12
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SP RH
First downs 10 11
Rushes-yards 25-2 44-211
Passing yards 166 68
Total yards 168 279
Cmp-Att-Int 12-21-1 3-4-1
Fumbles-lost 1-0 5-3
Penalties-yards 5-17.5 6-44
Punts-average 3-29.0 0-00.0
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING — South Point: Blaine Freeman 2-minus 6, J.T. Morrison 9-20, Jordan Ermalovich 10-minus 1, Malik Pegram 1-1, Elijah Wilburn 1-minus 6, Xavier Haney 2-minus 6; Rock Hill: Hunter Blagg 10-51, Owen Hankins 10-42, Skyler Kidd 8-42, Chase Delong 4-17, Levi Jiles 5-59, Trent Williams 1-2, Kordell French 1-5, Brad Whisman 1-0, Anthony Stamper 1-minus 4, Wyatt Jenkins 1-minus 2, Mason Hanners 1-minus 3, team 1-minus 3.
PASSING — South Point: Jordan Ermalovich 9-16-1 121 TD, Xavier Haney 3-4-0 45; Rock Hill: Trent Williams 2-3-1 58 TD, Owen Hankins 1-1-0 8 TD.
RECEIVING — South Point: Malik Pegram 4-58 TD, Brayden Hanshaw 2-35, Alex Lambert 3-26, Owen Fredrick 3-47; Rock Hill: Hunter Blagg 1-48, Brayden Malone 1-10 TD, Chanz Pancake 1-8 TD.