GALLIPOLIS — In the film The Untouchables, Elliot Ness (played by Kevin Costner) delivered the memorable line "Never stop until the fight is done" to Al Capone at the end of the movie.
Well if you're not familiar with the movie or that quote, then not to worry, because the Rock Hill Redmen personified that quote on Friday night as they battled back from a 17-point deficit to upset the previously undefeated Gallia Academy Blue Devils, 35-31.
The win by the Redmen marks their first victory over Gallia Academy since the 2017 season.
The loss now puts the Blue Devils in a must-win scenario for at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference title next week as they face unbeaten Ironton.
Gallia Academy 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 Hudson 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.
But the Redmen would respond with their own scoring drive, going 80 yards in 14 plays keyed by a 14-yard third down pass from Adams to Chase Delong. French had a 19-yard run that set up Levi Jiles 2-yard touchdown run and Hazley Matthews kick tied the game with just 33 seconds left in the quarter.
The Blue Devils would quickly drive back down the field in just six plays to take back the lead as quarterback Brody Fellure would improvise on what appeared to be a busted play and scramble 10-yards into the endzone for the Blue Devil touchdown and a 14-7 lead early in the second period.
However the Redmen would continue to fight back, as they would embark on a 9-play, 53-yard drive to answer with a score of their own as Jiles would follow the blocking of the left side of the Redmen offensive line and a crushing lead block from senior Skylar Kidd to tie the game back up with 6:43 remaining in the half.
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.
Things began to not look so good for the Redmen at the start of the third quarter, when they began their opening drive of the half.
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 to extend the Blue Devils lead to 23-14.
Blue Devil returner Mason Skidmore took 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 for the Blue Devils, that would be the final time they would score for the remainder of the game.
In need of a big play, the Redmen would get it thanks to the arm of Brayden Adams.
Faced with a second down-and-14 play, Adams dropped back on a play action pass and hit a wide open Chanz Pancake for a 42-yard gain and put the Redmen deep into Blue Devil territory at the 18-yard line.
Five plays later, Jiles would score his third rushing touchdown of the night as he would plunge in from 4-yards out to cut the deficit to 31-21 with 3:51 left in the third quarter.
But that's when things began to unravel for the Blue Devils.
After a good return on the ensuing kickoff, Gallia Academy would start their drive at the Rock Hill 43-yard line. Two plays later Rock Hill would get the ball back as a bad snap from would zip past Fellure and be recovered by Jiles at the 29.
After being stuff on the first two plays, Adams would find Kordell French on a 29-yard catch and run pass play for the score with 1:01 left in the quarter. Matthews kick cut the deficit to 31-28.
Gallia Academy would drive to the Rock Hill 44 on their following possession, but Brock Friend tipped a pass away from a receiver and French make a leaping grab 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
Gallia Academy 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), :33 Second Quarter GA — Brody Fellure 10 run (Caleb Stout kick), 11:34 RH — Levi Jiles 10 run (Hazley Matthews), 6:43 GA — Kenyon Franklin 7 pass from Brody Fellure (Caleb Stout kick), :09 Third Quarter GA — Safety (punter tackled in end zone after bad snap), 9:33 GA —Brody Fellure 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 14 run (Hazley Matthews kick), 9:46 ——— RH GA First downs 18 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 2-32.5 1-45 ——— 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 1-29 TD, Chase Delong 1-14; 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.
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