Catawba Ridge beats Rock Hill. Copperheads win again as SC nears football playoffs
Catawba Ridge football held on to beat Rock Hill on Friday for its third straight victory.
The Copperheads took the first punches early in their 26-21 win at District Three Stadium. While they opened a two-score lead during the second half, Rock Hill had several chances to score during the game’s final minutes.
Catawba Ridge (7-2, 4-1 Region 3 5A) now has a shot to finish in second place ahead of the playoffs, which start in two weeks.
Winners of seven of their past eight games, the Copperheads have one game remaining in the regular season.
“This group has just been resilient,” Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak said. “I think that’s a really good word for them. They have trusted everything that we’ve told them. Every single kid on this team buys into playing their position — whether it’s special teams, the starting quarterback, or a kid who may not see the field but they’re running scout team defense for us throughout the week.
“They have all bought in, and they’re so much fun to be around. We’re hoping right now to just get one more week, whatever we can do to keep this group together week after week.”
Notable
▪ The home student section wore the vibrant colors of teal, pink and purple on Friday night in memory of Marlie Dru Sullivan, the Rock Hill High School student who died at 15 in a golf cart collision.
▪ Catawba Ridge ranks seventh in the S.C. Class 5A Division II Upper State rankings. Its lone loss came to top-ranked Northwestern, which is still unbeaten and No. 2 in The Charlotte Observer’s latest Sweet 16, and is currently on a bye week.
▪ The Bearcats (5-5, 4-2 Region 3 5A) looked to win for the fifth time in the past six weeks after starting the season 0-2. Wide receiver Malik Clark, who scored his ninth touchdown of the season on Friday, was recently named a finalist for South Carolina’s “Mr. Football.”
Up next?
Catawba Ridge returns home to “The Pit” for its final regular-season home game, hosting Clover at 7:30 p.m. Friday, while Rock Hill closed out its regular season.
They said it
“They mean a little bit more down here. There’s so much history in this town — Football City, USA — so any time you can win against any of the Rock Hill schools, that’s a big deal. Fort Mill, we want to show that we have good football as well, and we get in there and compete. We’ve done that over the years and feel good about who we are.
“We understand that there’s some big-time football played inside this stadium, and some big-time teams down here. That’s what we want to get to, and that’s what we want to be.” — Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak
Scoring summary
Catawba Ridge 13 6 7 0 — 26
Rock Hill 0 14 0 7 — 21
FIRST QUARTER
CRHS: Junior Nolan Jones scooped up the football after a blocked field goal attempt and returned it for a 69-yard touchdown that gave the Copperheads an early 7-0 lead.
CRHS: Following an interception from sophomore Jalen Richardson, starting quarterback CJ Couch connected with senior wide receiver Preston Cooper for the touchdown. The point after attempt was blocked, keeping Catawba Ridge’s lead at 13-0.
SECOND QUARTER
RHHS: Ian Grissom found senior EJ Ratley for a short touchdown pass that capped a strong scoring drive, and the Bearcats pulled to 13-7 midway through the second quarter.
CRHS: The Copperheads marched downfield, and Couch eventually slung a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Braylen Burgis over the middle. Their two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, keeping the score at 19-7.
RHHS: On third down late in the first half, Grissom hit Clark on a deep ball. The Mr. Football finalist completed a 64-yard touchdown grab, bringing the Bearcats back within a touchdown.
THIRD QUARTER
CRHS: Senior offensive lineman Lewis Price punched it into the end zone for the Copperheads with under a minute left in the third quarter. It came after Rock Hill had tried an unsuccessful fake punt, and Catawba Ridge quickly took a 26-14 advantage.
FOURTH QUARTER
RHHS: The Bearcats scored early in the fourth quarter, making it a 26-21 game.
This story was originally published October 25, 2024 at 11:07 PM.
