By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

By Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — First, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. Next, London Bridge came falling down. And now, it’s the Gallipolis Blue Devils.
The Rock Hill Redmen pulled off the season’s biggest shocker on Friday as they knocked down the Blue Devils from the unbeaten ranks with a stunning 35-31 Ohio Valley Conference win.
Rock Hill entered the game 3-4 overall and 2-3 in the OVC while Gallipolis was 7-0 and 4-0.
The loss means Gallipolis is in a must-win situation next Friday when they face unbeaten Ironton in order to get at least a share of the league title.
“You hear coaches say it was a team effort and that can be the case. Well, it is the case with this group tonight,” said Rock Hill coach Mark Lutz.
“Our line did a great job, our backs ran hard and blocked well for each other and defensively we made the big plays when we had to have them.”
The offensive line of center Landon Harper, guards Dave “Mr. Perfect” Jenkins and Daniel Medinger, tackles Andrew Medinger and Ryan Clement, and ends Chanz Pancake, Zaylor Gregory and Zach O’Bryant helped the Redmen gain 190 yards on 46 carries.
Quarterback Brayden Adams was 3-of-3 passing for 86 yards with all 3 completions being pivotal plays in scoring drives.
Kordell French ran 15 times for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns and Levi Jiles had 63 yards on 14 attempts with 3 scores.
Gallipolis finished with 265 total yards including 189 rushing on 31 attempts. Hudson Shamblin ran 15 times for 109 yards and a score while quarterback Brody Fellure had 12 carries for 77 yards and 2 scores while going 8-of-18 passing for 76 yards and an interception.
Gallipolis wasted no time getting on the scoreboard.
After a short kickoff with an 18-yard return the Blue Devils were at the Rock Hill 48. Three plays later Shamblin bounced outside and down the left sideline for the score. Caleb Stout kicked the conversion and it was 7-0 with 10:41 on the clock.
Bu the Redmen showed they were a worthy opponent as they went 80 yards in 14 plays keyed by a 14-yard third down pass from Adams to French who then had a 19-yard run that set up Jiles’ 2-yard touchdown run.
Hazley Matthews’ extra point kick tied the game with just 33 seconds left in the quarter.
It didn’t take the Blue Devils long to answer as they went 55 yards in just 6 plays capped by Fellure’s 9-yard scoring run and it was 14-7 with 11:34 in the second quarter.
Rock Hill was up to the challenge and came right back with a 53-yard, 9-play mark finished off by Jiles with a 10-yard scamper and the game was tied at 14-al with 6:43 on the clock.
After an exchange of punts, Gallipolis had the ball at the Rock Hill 40 with time running out.
The key play was a 22-yard run by Fellure to the 15 and a penalty moved the ball to the 8-yard line where Fellure hit Kenyon Franklin with a TD pass. Stout’s conversion kick made it 21-14 with just 9 seconds on the clock.
Everything seemed to be going wrong to start the second half for the Redmen and the game looked like it might get out of hand.
Back at their own 23 and forced to punt, the ball sailed over the punter’s head and he was tackled in the end zone for a safety as the Blue Devils led 23-14.
Gallipolis’ Mason Skidmore returned the free kick 37 yards to the Rock Hill 16. Shamblin ran for 8 yards and then Fellure ran the next 8 yards for the score. Shamblin ran for the conversion and the lead was 31-14 with 8:45 left in the third quarter.
But the Redmen were undeterred.
Getting the ball at their own 25, the Redmen went distance in 8 plays capped by Jiles’ third touchdown as he ran 4 yards with 3:51 left in the quarter.
It took just 2 plays for Rock Hill to get the ball back as Shamblin was tackled for a 5-yard loss and then a bad snapped was recovered by Jiles at the 29.
After 2 plays failed to move the needle, Adams found French on a 29-yard catch and run pass play with 1:01 left in the quarter. Matthews kick cut the deficit to 31-28.
Gallipolis got to the Rock Hill 44, but Brock Friend tipped a pass away from a receiver and French grabbed the carom to halt the drive and set up the winning drive for the Redmen.
With the ball at the 48, the Redmen got a big 19-yard run by French and a late hit out of bounds moved the ball to the 12. French did the honors and scored on the next play and Matthews’ kick pushed the lead to 35-31 with 9:46 to play.
Gallipolis had another drive that reached the Rock Hill 3-yard line. But a bad snap left the Blue Devils facing fourth-and-goal at the 14-yard line and a pass into the end zone was incomplete.
Rock Hill moved the ball out to the 34 but was forced to punt. The Blue Devils got to the 24-yard line but 2 straight passes into the end zone were incomplete as time ran out.
The Redmen will host Chesapeake this Friday.
Rock Hill 7 7 14 7 = 35
Gallipolis 7 14 10 0 = 31
First Quarter
Ga — Hudson Shamblin 33 run (Caleb Stout kick) 10:41
RH — Levi Jiles 2 run (Hazley Matthews kick) 0:33
Second Quarter
Ga — Brody Fellure 9 run (Caleb Stout kick) 11:34
RH — Levi Jiles 10 run (Hazley Matthews kick) 6:43
Ga — Kenyon Franklin 8 pass from Brody Fellure (Caleb Stout kick) 0:09
Third Quarter
Ga — Safety (punter tackled in end zone after bad snap)
Ga — Brody Fellur 8 run (Hudson Shamblin run) 8:45
RH — Levi Jiles 4 run (Hazley Matthews kick) 3:51
RH — Kordell French 29 pass from Brayden Adams (Hazley Matthews kick) 1:01
Fourth Quarter
RH — Kordell French 12 run (Hazley Matthews kick) 9:46
———
RH Ga
First downs 16 18
Rushes-yards 46-190 31-189
Passing yards 85 76
Total yards 275 265
Cmp-Att-Int 3-3-0 8-18-1
Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-1
Penalties-yards 5-47 13-119
Punts-average 2-32.5 1-45.0
———
Individual Leaders
RUSHING–Rock Hill: Kordell French 15-75 2TD, Levi Jiles 15-63 3-TD, Chase Delong 7-24, Skyler Kidd 4-10, Brayden Adams 3-14, Anthony Stamper 2-4; Gallipolis: Hudson Shamblin 15-109 TD, Brody Fellure 12-77 2TD, Cole Hines 1-0, Mason Skidmore 1-3, Team 2-minus 35.
PASSING–Rock Hill: Brayden Adams 3-3-0 85; Gallipolis: Brody Fellure 8-18-1 76 TD.
RECEIVING–Rock Hill: Chanz Pancake 1-42, Kordell French 2-43 TD; Gallipolis: Kenyon Franklin 3-19, Mason Skidmore 2-22, Cole Hines 1-11, Steven Davis 1-7, Joe Dambrough 1-17.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.