March 18, 2024

RS CENTRAL STILL IN HUNT FOR PLAYOFF BIRTH

RS CENTRAL SPOILS SOUTH POINT HOMECOMING WITH 21-19 WIN

By: Anthony Perkins

Belmont – South Point hosted the RS Central Hilltoppers on Friday evening in a Southwestern 2A Conference gridiron contest with both teams going into the game with one conference loss to date.  On their homecoming night the host Red Raiders gained an early advantage on their first possession when Carson Smith split the uprights with a forty-yard field goal just over four minutes into the game.

RS Central, who lost to South Point last year on a last second touchdown pass, came into the game with their own powerful rushing attack and went on an 80-yard touchdown drive on their first possession which Xavier Toms capped off with a five-yard run around the right side. Tripp Triplett added the point after to give the visiting Hilltoppers their first lead at 7-3.  Toms 50-yard burst on the first play from scrimmage was the big highlight on the Hilltoppers first drive.  For the contest, Toms carved up the Red Raider defense for 130 yards on 13 carries. 

Carson Smith added another field goal from 33 yards out for South Point to cut the margin to 6-7 before the first quarter ended.  South Point’s defense forced a three and out on the next RS Central possession and the offence gave South Point a 13-7 lead on their first possession of the second quarter on the heels of a one-yard fullback dive play by Hunter Hogue.

RS Central had one more opportunity to score before the half ended but a fumble by Xavier Toms and a recovery by South Point’s Aiden Ramirez inside the South Point ten ended the threat to keep the score at 13-7.

During the half-time festivities Ms. Lilly Myers was crowned Homecoming Queen for South Point High.

In the third quarter the Hilltopper offense added two touchdowns with the first coming on a five-yard run by quarterback Jaden Coston and the second a two-yard run by Ken Hines.  During that same quarter the Hilltopper defense limited the South Point offense to only four play which netted only two yards sending both teams into the final quarter with RS Central holding a 21-13 advantage.

RS Central forced a South Point punt early in the fourth quarter and was pinned down inside their own twenty.  On the first play from scrimmage RS Central’s Toms gained five tough yards but coughed up the ball and South Point took over inside the Hilltopper 25.  After a five-yard gain, a four-yard gain and a four-yard loss, South Point turned the ball over on downs when a fourth down pass fell incomplete. 

The Red Raider defense rose to the occasion and forced another three and out but the Hilltopper punt only netted nine yards and gave South Point the ball at the RS Central 30.  Seven plays later fullback Hunter Hogue punched in a one-yard touchdown run to cut the margin to 19-21.  A two-point run attempt by quarterback Will Rhinehart came up a half-yard short and with only three minutes left in the game, the Hilltoppers were able to run out the clock to preserve a 21-19 RS Central victory.

Next week South Point will travel to Shelby to take on the Golden Lions and RS Central will host the Chase Trojans.

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