Published: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 / Updated: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 01:15 AM

Rock Hill 31. Lancaster 3

LANCASTER -- The Rock Hill Bearcats showed the difference between a good team and a really good team in their 31-3 Region 4-AAAA win over Lancaster on Friday night.

Ahead just 14-3 and with the first-half clock winding down, Rock Hill coach Joe Montgomery and his team pulled out all the stops to get on the scoreboard one more time before the break.

The Bruins were pinned inside their 25 with just over a minute to go. After holding Lancaster to 9 yards, which actually was 4 because of a block-in-the-back penalty, the Bearcats called a timeout after stopping the Bruins at the line of scrimmage on second down.

A third-down run by quarterback Matt Reese was good for 3 yards, leaving Lancaster in a fourth-and-14 situation. The Bearcats called another timeout with 33 seconds left. After Brandon Reese's punt, Rock Hill set up at Lancaster's 44.

Randall Dixon's first-down pass fell incomplete. He found Jatavius Stewart open across the middle on second down, and he was finally taken down at the Bruins' 12. The Bearcats lined up while the clock was stopped for the ball to be spotted. As soon and the clock started with 4.4 seconds left, Dixon spiked the ball.

Montgomery sent out the field goal team, and Fernando Gonzalez nailed a 28-yarder that split the uprights with the scoreboard clock showing zeros and sending Rock Hill to its locker room with a 17-3 lead.

Rock Hill, ranked No. 2 in South Carolina and No. 22 nationally by USA Today, moved to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the region. Lancaster fell to 5-4, 0-3.

“We held them got the ball back with 22 seconds and a chance to score again before the half,” Montgomery said. “That was a key part of the game for us. The game was close, and we needed to get another score. Our kids executed the way we wanted them to.”

Neither team scored, and neither could get its offense going, in the opening quarter. Lancaster's best penetration was to its 35..... Rock Hill's was two trips to the Bruins 45.

Lancaster was forced to punt on its second play of the second quarter, and Rock Hill started just its third possession of the half. It was the beginning of two plays that showcased the speed and running ability of Rock Hill's No. 2 receiver, Kirob Sims.

On first down, Dixon connected with Sims on a pass across the middle for 22 yards. On the next snap, Dixon hit Sims on the fly for a 32-yard touchdown.

Lancaster came to life offensively and scored on the ensuing possession. The Bruins, behind the running of tailback Timar Campbell, in for starter Zed Truesdale, and Reece led Lancaster on a 67-yard drive to the Bearcats 5. But the drive stalled, and the Bruins had to settle for a 23-yard field goal from Alex Roach.

The Bruins were looking good, trailing just 7-3. Lancaster's defense had played well to that point. But the Bearcats turned on the afterburners again and followed Lancaster's scoring drive with another quick TD.

Rock Hill started at its 14 and ran straight at the Bruins. Tailback Jamal Tyler accounted for 56 yards, including a 31-yard dash. The drive was capped by Dixon's 27-yard TD pass that Stewart caught across the middle before outracing the Bruins secondary to the end zone.

“Randall threw the ball well, and our offensive line was giving us good blocks,” Stewart said. “Our coaches told us we needed to start making plays on offense in the second quarter, and we began playing better. But give Lancaster credit. They are a good team.”

Lancaster moved the ball better in the second half, but Rock Hill continued to inflict damage. Stewart, who has been clocked at 4.58 seconds in the 40-yard dash, wowed the fans with a 94-yard touchdown run up the middle. Dixon did the honors on the final TD, running the ball in from the 3.

“We are putting everything we have into one basket,” Lancaster coach Bennie McMurray said. “We have to win out for a chance to make the playoffs. We have to beat Ridge View next week or our chances get a lot slimmer.”

ROCK HILL 31, LANCASTER 3

Rock Hill.....0.....17.....0.....14.....--.....31

Lancaster.....0.....3.....0.....0.....--.....3

SCORING SUMMARY

RH -- Kirob Sims 34 pass from Randall Dixon (Fernando Gonzalez kick)

L -- Alex Roach 23 field goal

RH -- Jatavius S Stewart 27 pass from Dixon (Gonzalez kick)

RH -- Gonzalez 28 field goal

RH -- Stewart 94 run (Shawn Sorrel kick)

RH -- Dixon 3 run (Sorrel kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

.....RHHS.....LHS

First downs.....12.....10

Rushes/yards.....25-225.....48-103

Passing.....8-18-0,2-10-0

Passing yards.....144.....8

Fumbles/lost.....2-2,1-0

Penalties/yards.....7-51.....7-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Rock Hill: Jamal Tyler 17-121, Stewart 3-95, Dixon 2-(-1), Aurthur Heyward 3-10. Lancaster: Zed Truesdale 7-12, Washington Kofi 3-2, Matt Reese 16-38, Derrick Kirkland 3-(-21), Timar Campbell 18-76, Marquis Brown 1-(-4)

PASSING -- Rock Hill: Dixon 8-17-0-144. Lancaster: M Reese 2-8-0-8..... Kirkland 0-2-0-0

RECEIVING -- Rock Hill: Stewart 2-35, Sims 4-88, Xavier McFadden 2-21. Lancaster: Truesdale 1-(-1), Brandon Reese 1-9

RECORDS: Rock Hill 9-0, 3-0 Region 4-AAAA; Lancaster 5-4, 0-3