Here’s how Rock Hill broke an eight-game losing streak to its rival, South Pointe
“We’re going to Cookout!”
That might be Rock Hill’s version of “I’m going to Disney World!”
The Rock Hill Bearcats could be forgiven for feeling a little like they won the Super Bowl Friday night at District Three Stadium. Antonio Barber’s 39-yard touchdown catch with 44 seconds left gave Rock Hill a 29-22 rivalry win over its rival, South Pointe. The burgers, milk shakes, chicken wraps and onion rings tasted even better than usual Friday night.
“That’s a great football team over there and I think they’ve got a really good chance to make history and win five straight state championships,” said Rock Hill coach Bubba Pittman. “It means a lot for our kids to get out there and compete against them, and come out with a victory. It’s huge for our program, and for our guys to understand they can win big games in big moments.”
Rock Hill senior Narii Gaither rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns, and Barber caught a pair of TDs.
Trailing by a touchdown, South Pointe (1-1) had one last crack at the end zone, but QB Tahleek Steele was sacked, then Bearcats (1-1) defensive back Anthony Jackson picked off the final pass. It was Jackson who dumped a Gatorade bucket full of ice on Pittman as he talked to the Bearcats postgame.
“Excitement, relief, man, all of that,” said Rock Hill defensive lineman Logan Hicks, who was integral in stuffing South Pointe’s rushing attack. “Defense did their job, put the ball in the offense’s hands and we got the win.”
Coming off a 35-point win over Northwestern, No. 1-ranked South Pointe was ready to claim a third straight city football championship. The Stallions had beaten Rock Hill eight times in a row, but fell flat Friday night against Bubba Pittman’s revved up crew.
“They play us better than they do anybody else, every year,” said South Pointe coach Strait Herron.
Rock Hill led after an offensively-allergic first half. The two teams combined for five punts and a turnover on downs in the first quarter and the second period wasn’t much better. South Pointe’s Omega Blake looked like the player of the half after converting a fourth down fake punt and later bashing a 59-yard punt that pinned the Bearcats at their 1-yard line.
Gaither told the offensive unit before they headed out on the field, “We are scoring on this drive.”
The Prophet was correct. Rock Hill marched 99 yards, with stops and starts, to take the lead with 55 seconds left in the half. The Bearcats converted a couple of fourth downs, before Hayden Jackson lobbed a pass to Antonio Barber, all alone in the middle of the field for a 22-yard score and a 7-0 lead.
After mustering just four first downs in the first half, South Pointe greased its offensive wheels during the break and played much better in the third quarter. Joe Ervin scored a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs to put the Stallions in front 15-7, but Rock Hill answered with the first of Gaither’s two second half touchdown runs. He scored the 2-point run to make it 15 all.
Another imperious Rock Hill offensive possession -- they were imposing at times Friday night -- resulted in another Bearcats’ lead, but South Pointe equalized through a 16-yard Tahleek Steele to a diving Isaac Ross to tie the score at 22 with 7 minutes left in the game.
Turning point
Trailing 15-7 in the third quarter after South Pointe scored a touchdown and a safety in less than a minute, it felt like the point in the game where Rock Hill could collapse. But instead of doing that, the Bearcat defense made a huge play, Caison Jones picking off Steele’s pass to keep the gap at one score. Rock Hill scored on its next two possessions and put the Stallions on the back foot.
“The team could have folded and let them run away with it, and they didn’t,” said Pittman. “They bounced back, they never wavered, the look in their eye never changed. Just proud of how they responded in that moment.”
Critical
Rock Hill defended the run with the stingy meanness of a neighborhood hermit. Hicks and D’Reece McMullen plugged the middle and the rest of the Bearcats flooded to the ball to prevent South Pointe runners from breaking free. Stallion running back standout Joe Ervin was held to 62 yards, about 100 less than he had against Northwestern the week before.
“I thought their linebackers were pulling the trigger pretty quick and getting to the football,” said Herron. “We’ve got to have an answer for it and we didn’t.”
Star contributors
Gaither was a churning, spinning ball of fury for the Bearcats. He finished with 188 yards and two TDs, and provided the will his team needed to knock off a seemingly unbeatable nemesis.
“Man, he was excellent, outstanding,” said Hicks. “But that’s just Narii. He’s been good all his life.”
Barber had two touchdowns, including the game-winner, which offset his costly decision to try and do too much on a kickoff return that led to a third quarter safety.
“You want to try and get the ball in his hands, even if he has a mistake now and then,” said Pittman.
Savion White made a couple of tackles-for-loss for the Stallions, while Jackson and Jones intercepted passes for Rock Hill.
On deck
Rock Hill hits the road Aug. 31 for a tricky-looking contest at Chester. The Cyclones entered Friday night ranked third in the state in 3A football. South Pointe hosts Nation Ford at District Three South Stadium.
Box score
South Pointe;0;0;15;7 - 22
Rock Hill;0;7;8;14 - 29
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
N/A
Second quarter
RHHS -- Antonio Barber 22 pass from Hayden Jackson (Colin Muschik kick), 0:55
Third quarter
SPHS -- Joe Ervin 1 run (Wyatt Grantham kick), 9:16
SPHS -- Ervin 1 run (kick failed), 4:56
SPHS -- safety, 4:43
RHHS -- Narii Gaither 6 run (Gaither 2-point run), 0:15
Fourth quarter
RHHS -- Gaither 4 run (Colin Muschik kick), 10:23
SPHS -- Isaac Ross 16 pass from Tahleek Steele (Grantham kick), 6:59
RHHS -- Barber 39 pass from Jackson (Muschik kick), 0:44
TEAM STATS
SP;RH
First downs;19;24
Rushing-yards;38-154;58-289
Passing;13-26-2;8-17-0
Passing yards;216;122
Fumbles-lost;0-0;0-0
Penalties-yards;7-50;8-65
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING Rock Hill: Narii Gaither 32-188, Noah Thompson 16-83, Hayden Jackson 9-13; Cam Walker 1-5. South Pointe: Joe Ervin 19-62, Marice Whitlock 10-59, Tahleek Steele 3-16, Quay Chambers 5-15, Omega Blake 1-2.
PASSING Rock Hill: Jackson 8-17-0, 122 yards. South Pointe: Steele 13-26-2, 216 yards.
RECEIVING Rock Hill: Antonio Barber 3-74, Tay Anthony 1-9, Thompson 1-1, Raphael Wright 3-38. South Pointe: Raseac Myles 1-8, Isaac Ross 3-42, Whitlock 4-60, Ervin 2-17, Travis Foster 1-3, Ty Good 2-86.
RECORDS Rock Hill 1-1; South Pointe 1-1.
This story was originally published August 24, 2018 at 10:08 PM.