By RYAN WALKER

For The Ironton Tribune

COAL GROVE — Powered behind Kaden Murphy’s five touchdown runs and a defense that smothered the high-powered Redmen offense, the Coal Hornets cruised to a 43-3 win over Rock Hill in the Ohio Valley Conference finale on Friday night at Lemaster Stadium.

The Hornets rolled up 376 yards on the ground with Murphy responsible for 321 of those yards himself on 31 carries.

Meanwhile, Coal Grove’s defense surrendered just 3 first downs in the first half and held Rock Hill’s offense to just 129 total yards. Prior to the game, the Redmen were averaging 303.8 yards a game and 36.8 points per game.

The win improved the Hornets record to 6-3 on the season and solidified a playoff berth in the Division V playoffs. Early indications have the Hornets finishing at the 13th seed and traveling to face No. 4 seed Harvest Prep in the opening round.

The win also gives Coal Grove a 31-5 record at home against the Redmen.

Rock Hill finishes the regular season 7-3 and will host a first round playoff game next Friday night. The Redmen will either host Northeastern or Madison-Plains, depending on the outcome of the Dayton Christian-Cincinnati College Prep game on Saturday.

The Hornets got rolling on the opening possession of the game as Murphy ripped off a 33-yard gain on a third-and-8 play to get Coal Grove down to the Redmen 19.

Later on fourth-and-5, Murphy bounced outside on a sweep, slipped out of a tackle, and turned down the sidelines for a 14-yard score. The two-point conversion pass was snuffed out by Brody Simpkins but the Hornets led 6-0.

After a short kickoff and return, the Redmen set up shop at their own 42 and moved into Hornet territory after Anthony Stamper took a swing pass from Dallin Cox and muscled his way for a hard-fought 19-yard gain.

The Redmen were able to move as far as the Coal Grove 10 before the drive stalled out and settled for a 27-yard field goal from Rylan Barker to cut the deficit to 6-3 with 2:45 remaining in the first quarter.

Coal Grove took advantage of a short field after the kickoff and marched 57 yards in just 6 plays. Murphy carried the ball five times in the drive including the final handoff where he went off tackle and took a hard hit in the hole.

But the junior tailback spun off and scooted 36 yards for his second score of the night. Caden Turner knifed through the middle of the defense on the two-point try and the Hornets were up 14-3 just 50 seconds into the second frame.

The Hornets defense came up with a key fourth down stop on the ensuing possession. Needing just a yard, Stamper found a hole off tackle, but Logan Roberts was there to meet him in the hole and teammate Leland McKnight followed to clean up, giving the Hornets the ball back at the Rock Hill 48.

Coal Grove would later get the ball back with 4:35 remaining before halftime and piece together a 60-yard scoring drive.

Quarterback Rylan Smith would provide two key plays on the drive with his feet and his arm. The first was on a second down play as Smith called his own number on a keeper for 15-yard gain.

Then on the final play of the half, Smith scrambled around to buy time before floating a pass towards Turner and the fullback backed his way into the front corner of the end zone for Coal Grove’s lone pass attempt on the night and a 20-6 lead at the break.

The Hornets continued to melt the clock in the third quarter and the offensive line kept opening holes. Murphy scored his third touchdown of the night on a 15-yard burst behind the blocks of Josh Short and Wyatt Wray.

Murphy then broke loose for 72 yards after following the blocks of Brayden Huff and Derik Bloomfield on a sweep.

Murphy got his final score with 2:23 remaining in the game by breaking through two tacklers en route to pay dirt. Bloomfield came on and split the sticks on the extra point to make the final score 43-3.

Rock Hill was led offensively by Stamper with 71 all-purpose yards. Defensively, Brody Simpkins finished with 11 tackles, Stamper with 7 and Mason Hanners with 6.

Rock Hill 3 0 0 0 = 3

Coal Grove 6 14 16 7 = 43

First Quarter

CG — Kaden Murphy 14 run (pass failed), 7:50.

RH — Rylan Barker 27 field goal, 2:45.

Second Quarter

CG — Kaden Murphy 36 run (Caden Turner run), 11:10.

CG — Caden Turner 6 pass from Rylan Smith (run failed), 0:00.

Third Quarter

CG — Kaden Murphy 15 run (Murphy run), 4:06.

CG — Kaden Murphy 72 run (Caden Turner run), 2:43.

Fourth Quarter

CG — Kaden Murphy 39 run (Derik Bloomfield kick), 2:23.

—————

RH CG

First downs 8 15

Rushes-yards 25-81 43-376

Passing yards 48 6

Total yards 129 382

Cmp-Att-Int 4-10-0 1-1-0

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0

Penalties-yards 1-5 3-25

Punts-average 2-32.5 0-00.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Rock Hill: Cash Lyons 3-18, Dallin Cox 4-0, Anthony Stamper 12-42, Mason Hanners 1-2, Brody Simpkins 4-14, Yaden Bailey 1-5; Coal Grove: Rylan Smith 4-24, Logan Roberts 1-9, Kaden Murphy 31-321 4TD, Caden Turner 7-22.

PASSING–Rock Hill: Dallin Cox 4-10-0 48; Coal Grove: Rylan Smith 1-1-0 6 TD.

RECEIVING–Rock Hill: Sam Rusk 1-5, Anthony Stamper 2-29, Brody Simpkins 1-14; Coal Grove: Caden Turner 1-6 TD.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.