Murphy's big plays help Hornets sting Redmen, finish undefeated in OVC

PEDRO — Eight was enough.

It had been 8 years since the last Ohio Valley Conference championship for the Coal Grove Hornets, but that changed this season as they completed an unbeaten league record in claiming their first football title since 2017.

Coal Grove beat the Rock Hill Redmen 26-7 on Friday to finish the regular season 8-2 including 6-0 in the OVC.

The Hornets offense was its usual ground-oriented attack but the defense shined by holding the Redmen to just 103 total yards.

Coal Grove had 286 total yards with 246 coming on the ground led by Kaden Murphy with 192 yards on 23 carries and he scored twice. Murphy also caught a 41-yard touchdown pass.

Fullback Caden Turner had 46 yards on 10 carries.

Rock Hill (6-4, 3-3) ran for 69 yards as Yaden Bailey had 35 yards on 5 rushes and he scored the lone Redmen touchdown. Brady Murrell had 31 yards on 5 attempts.

Coal Grove scored on the opening drive of the game by going 64 yards in 11 plays capped by Murphy’s 10-yard run and it was 6-0.

The defense was responsible for the next Hornets’ touchdown as Josh Short stripped the ball from the quarterback and then picked it up and ran one-yard for the touchdown and it was 12-0.

Rock Hill answered with a 60-yard drive in just 6 plays with Bailey going the first 15 yards and Cameron Howard’s conversion kick made it 12-7.

But the Hornets weren’t finished and extended the lead to 18-7 just 3 plays later as Rylan Smith teamed up with Murphy on a 41-yard catch and run pass play.

Coal Grove scored one more time when Murphy got loose and bolted past the defense for 50 yards and the touchdown. Turner added the conversion run and it was 26-7.

Next Friday at 7 p.m., Coal Grove will host McConnelsville Morgan in the Division 5 playoffs while Rock Hill is at home against Miamisburg Dayton Christian in the Division 6 playoffs.

Coal Grove 6 12 8 0 = 26

Rock Hill 7 0 0 0 = 7

First Quarter

CG — Kaden Murphy 10 run (run failed)

Second Quarter

CG — Josh Short 1 fumble recovery (run failed)

RH — Yaden Bailey 15 run (Cameron Howard kick)

CG — Kaden Murphy 41 pass from Rylan Smith (pass failed)

Third Quarter

CG — Kaden Murphy 50 run (Caden Turner run)

———————

CG RH

First downs 13 8

Rushes-yards 36-246 18-69

Passing yards 40 34

Total yards 286 103

Cmp-Att-Int 2-3-0 5-9-2

Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-2

Penalties-yards 13-115 8-74

Punts-average 2-40.5 1-41.0

———————

Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Coal Grove: Kaden Murphy 23-192 2-TD, Caden Turner 10-46, Rylan Smith 2-7, Braden Klaiber 1-1;; Rock Hill: Brady Murrell 5-31, Kelan Davidson 5-20, Raden Bailey 5-35, Jarrod Bridges 3-minus 17.

PASSING—Coal Grove: Rylan Smith 2-3-0 40 TD; Rock Hill: Jarrod Bridges 5-9-2 34.

RECEIVING—Coal Grove: Kaden Murphy 1-41 TD, Braden Klaiber 1-minus 1; Rock Hill: Cash Lyons 2-17, Braylon McClellan 2-20, Aaron Workman 1-minus 3.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None