Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — This game was about the defense.
In a physical defensive battle, the Rock Hill Redmen beat the Chesapeake Panthers 14-10 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.
In a game featuring two teams with ground-oriented offenses, the defenses made big stops time after time and it was a key defensive stop by the Redmen that produced the margin of victory.
“Our kids were able to overcome a lot of adversity. Chesapeake just battled and kept coming at us and made some big plays,” said Rock Hill coach Mark Lutz.
“But give our kids credit. They didn’t quit or hang their heads. They picked themselves up and came back. A lot of the credit for that goes to our seniors.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Chesapeake managed to drive to Redmen 9-yard line but were stopped short of the goal on third down forcing the Panthers’ Jacob McCloud to kick a 22-yard field goal at the 5:14 mark.
Rock Hill (1-1, 1-1) answered with a 71-yard, 12-play scoring drive capped by Hayden Harper’s 1-yard scoring run.
Parker Knipp’s conversion put Rock Hill up 7-3 with 1:03 left in the half.
Chesapeake was facing a third-and-20 when Dilen Caldwell caught a screen pass and broke two tackles in the backfield and ran to the 3-yard line.
Rock Hill’s defense stiffened, but on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line, Donald Richendollar kept the ball and raced toward the right corner of the end zone to score with 6:46 to play in the third quarter.
McCloud kicked the conversion and the Panthers were up 10-7.
Rock Hill used a key 60-yard run by Brayden Friend to the Chesapeake 1-yard line that set up Harper’s second 1-yard scoring run. Knipp’s kick put the lead at 14-10 with 5:24 to play.
Rock Hill then got a big defensive play as Kordell French picked off a pass at the 15-yard line.
The Redmen got one first down but stalled and were forced to punt.
Chesapeake got the ball back at its own 43-yard line and had one last gasp. But the defense held including a sack by Harper for a 10-yard loss.
The Redmen got the ball back at the 40-yard line and ran out the final seven seconds.
Rock Hill finished the game with 224 yards — all on the ground. Friend led all rushers with 109 yards on 13 carries.
Hankins had 72 yards on 13 attempts and Harper 35 yards on 12 carries.
Chesapeake was limited to 106 yards rushing with Richendollar getting 32 yards on 14 carries. He also hit 3-of-7 passes for 45 yards.
Next Friday, Chesapeake goes to South Point and Rock Hill visits Gallipolis.
Chesapeake 0 3 7 0 = 10
Rock Hill 0 7 0 7 = 14
Second Quarter
Ch – Jacob McCloud 22 field goal 5:14
RH – Hayden Harper 1 run (Parker Knipp kick) 1:03
Third Quarter
Ch – Donald Richendollar 1 run (Jacob McCloud kick) 6:46
Fourth Quarter
RH ¬¬– Hayden Harper 1 run (Parker Knipp kick) 5:24
——
Ch RH
First downs 9 11
Rushes-yards 42-106 41-224
Passing yards 45 0
Total yards 141 224
Cmp-Att-Int 3-7-1 0-1-0
Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-1
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING —Chesapeake: Dilen Caldwell 2-minus 5, Marcus Burnside 3-9, Donald Richendollar 14-32, Ben Bragg 16-26, Jacob McCloud 6-23, Ian Hicks 1-11; Rock Hill: Brayden Friend 13-109, Owen Hankins 13-72, Hayden Harper 12-35, Hunter Massie 1-6, Noah Wood 2-4.
PASSING — Chesapeake: Donald Richendollar 3-7-1; Rock Hill: Hunter Massie 0-1-0.
RECEIVING — Chesapeake: Thomas Sentz 1-13, Dilen Caldwell 1-29, Aaron Ross 1-3; Rock Hill: None.