... - Sports - Preps - York

Saturday, Oct. 04, 2008

Rock Hill 56, York 29

The Rock Hill Bearcats topped the 50-point mark for the second straight game with a 56-29 win over York on Friday at District Three Stadium. The teams are heading in opposite directions. Rock Hill is 5-1 and clicking on all offensive cylinders. York (2-4) has lost four in a row and has allowed 96 points in its last two games.

The teams played to a scoreless tie through the first quarter before the scoreboard started lighting up. Rock Hill scored four touchdowns in the second quarter and added four more in the second half.

Rock Hill’s Jatavious Stewart got it done with his arm, legs and hands. The 5-10, 180-pound offensive dynamo got things started with the longest touchdown pass in school history. He scored on two runs and caught a touchdown pass for good measure.

In all, Stewart accounted for four scores while rushing for 88 yards on nine carries and throwing for another 147.

Stewart’s touchdown pass — a 99-yarder to Asa Watson— was one for the record books. But it needs to be entered with an asterisk to note the goal-line stand that preceded it.

On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Rock Hill defensive lineman Tae Hinton collided violently in midair with York running back Quastin Walker. Hinton won the battle as Walker was dropped a yard short of the end zone.

On the next play, Stewart took the shotgun snap and dropped back, being careful not to step out of the back of the end zone. He unleashed a hose of a pass to a streaking Watson around the 30. Watson caught the ball in stride and was gone, untouched.

Watson said it was a simple seam route, coincidentally known in the Bearcats’ playbook as “99.”

“Somehow, the safeties didn’t drop back in time. I didn’t expect to be open on the play,” Watson said. “The quarterback did a great job, and the blockers did a great job.”

The game was full of big plays.

York came right back with a four-play, 77-yard drive. Adrion Crawford zipped a pass to Bryce Dudley, who hustled to the goal line for the tying 40-yard touchdown.

Rock Hill led 28-14 at the half, but Walker made it a 7-point game on the first play of the second half. He took a handoff and bolted down the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown.

Walker, a 6-0, 182-pound junior, ran for a career-best 199 yards on 28 carries. Only gas-powered vehicles outrun him in York County. Rock Hill’s Jamal Tyler nearly matched Walker with 186 yards on 17 totes.

Rock Hill responded with four straight scores to put the game out of reach. During that stretch, it seemed everything fell into place for the Bearcats.

Like the York fumble that fell right into the arms of Bearcat linebacker Brandon Jackson, who rumbled 76 yards for a score. Or the catch Terrance Bingham made in the third quarter. A York defender tipped the ball, and Bingham slipped and landed flat on his back. The ball fell in his lap for a 27-yard reception.

“I just kept concentrating on the ball,” Bingham said. He said the offense is clicking because there are no individuals on the team. They play as a team.

Despite the lopsided score, York had more total yards (454) than Rock Hill (443). The Cougars also had more first downs, 19 to 17. “Our offense did a great job tonight. Our offensive line played well,” York coach John Barrett said. “On defense, we struggle. There’s no secret there.”

Rock Hill coach Joe Montgomery said York’s offense is much improved from a year ago.

“I’m happy we were able to answer and stay up by two or more touchdowns. We were blocking well up front, and we threw the ball well tonight,” Montgomery said.

ROCK HILL 56, YORK 29

York.....0.....14.....7.....8.....—.....29

Rock Hill.....0.....28.....14.....14.....—.....56

SCORING SUMMARY

RH — Asa Watson 99 pass from Jatavious Stewart (Brandon Berger kick) Y — Bryce Dudley 40 pass from Adrion Crawford (Logan Bass kick)

RH — Stewart 40 run (Berger kick)

RH — Jerante Hood 3 run (

Y — Nick Feemster 32 run (Bass kick)

RH — Stewart 3 pass from Randall Dixon (Berger kick)

Y — Quastin Walker 75 run (Bass kick)

RH — Jamal Tyler 37 run (Berger kick)

RH — Stewart 9 run (Berger kick)

RH — Brandon Jackson 76 fumble return (Berger kick)

RH — Tyler 9 run (Andy Garner kick)

Y — Corey Dover 9 run (Jon Hardy run)

TEAM STATISTICS

.....RHHS.....YCHS

First downs.....17.....19

Rushes-yards.....33-293.....50-365

Comp-Att-Int .....5-11-2.....7-20-1

Passing yards.....150.....91

Fumbles-lost.....1-1.....5-4

Penalties-yards.....5-50.....4-37

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — RUSHING — York: Walker 28-199, Crawford 10-54, Feemster 4-74, Taylor McSwain 3-0, Dover 4-22, Hardy 1-16. Rock Hill: Tyler 17-186, Stewart 9-88, Hood 5-20, Randall Dixon 2-(-1).

PASSING — York: Crawford 2-4-52, Dover 5-16-39-1. Rock Hill: Dixon 1-4-3-1, Jatavious Stewart 4-7-147-1.

RECEIVING — York: Bryce Dudley 1-40, Brandon Martin 1-12, Joseph Goins 1-13, Blake Peterson 1-7, Eric Simpson 2-12, Kent Thompson 2-20. Rock Hill: Xavier McFadden 1-4, Watson 1-99, David Young 1-17, Stewart 1-3, Terrance Bingham 1-27.

RECORDS — Rock Hill 5-1, York 2-4