Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

SCIOTOVILLE — Offense is for show, defense makes you go.

With the offense struggling, the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings relied on their defense to beat the Sciotoville East Lady Tartans 63-48 on Wednesday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

Symmes Valley was just 7-of-40 from the field in the first half for 18 percent, then recovered to make 15-of-34 shots for 47 percent in the second half to fuel the comeback.

“We couldn’t hit shots in the first half but our defense carried us until our offense starting clicking,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter.

“Our defense in the first half was one of our better halves of defense all season.”

Jensyn Shepherd and Payton Walsh each had a double-double to lead the Lady Vikings (10-8, 9-3). Shepherd had 14 points and 19 rebounds while Walsh had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Caitlyn Crabtree scored 12 points and Meranda Hayes 10 points in the win. Breanna Brumfield had six assists and six steals.

Another key to the win was the Lady Vikings cutting down turnovers in the second half. After committing 19 in the first half, Symmes Valley had only seven in the second half.

Shay Brown scored 20 points and Peyton Helpinstein scored 16 to pace East.

East went up 12-6 in the first quarter as Helphinstein scored seven points and the Lady Tartans were up 22-20 at the half.

Shepherd scored six points in the third quarter as the Lady Vikings rallied to take a 39-33 lead.

Crabtree scored eight points in the fourth quarter to offset nine by Brown as the Lady Vikings outscored East 24-15 to get the win.

Symmes Valley hosts South Gallia at 1 p.m. on Saturday in a varsity-only game.

Sym. Valley 6 14 19 24 = 63

Sciotoville 12 10 11 15 = 48

SYMMES VALLEY (10-8, 9-3): Caitlyn Crabtree 6 0 0-0 12, Sierra Ross 0 1 2-2 5, Jensyn Shepherd 5 0 4-6 14, Meranda Hayes 4 0 2-4 10, Kaitlyn Payne 1 2 1-2 9, Kassie Baldwin 0 0 2-2 2, Payton Walsh 4 0 3-34 11, Breanna Brumfield 0 0 0-0 0, Ericca Ross 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-74 14-20 63. 3-point goals: 3-10. Rebounds: 50 (Shepherd 19, Walsh 10). Assists: 15 (Brumfield 6, Hayes 4, S. Ross 3). Steals: 12 (Brumfield 6, Haynes 2, Baldwin 2). Turnovers: 26. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.

SCIOTOVILLE EAST (NA): Megan Carver 1 0 0-0 2, Jasomyn Frautschy 1 0 1-2 3, Peyton Helpinstein 5 1 3-4 16, Taelyn Smith 1 0 1-1 3, Sydney Dingus 2 0 0-0 4, Katelyn Gifford 0 0 0-1 0, Shay Brown 3 3 5-8 20. Totals: 13 4 10-16 48. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.