The Vikings lost 42-13 to the Newark Catholic Green Wave Saturday night in an opening round Division V OHSAA playoff game.

Saturday, November 06, 1999

The Vikings lost 42-13 to the Newark Catholic Green Wave Saturday night in an opening round Division V OHSAA playoff game.

"We’ve come a long way, but we’re still not satisfied," said Viking coach Herb Conley. "We said at the half we’re just shooting ourselves in the foot, and you just can’t do that with a team with this much tradition. They come in expecting to win."

Symmes Valley trailed just 14-13 with nearly five minutes left in the half when they fumbled a punt at their own 7-yard line. Newark Catholic cashed in on this opportunity and scored again at the end of the half, putting the Vikings down by two touchdowns by the half.

"We’re proud of our kids. We brought them a long way," Conley said. "Next year, we’ve got to get a home game. We have to make winning a tradition."

Brad Carpenter led the Vikings with 104 yards rushing on 18 carries and a touchdown. Symmes Valley had 200 yards rushing as a team.

Even though the Green Wave did not have a rusher who went over 100 yards, they gained 209 yards on the ground as a team.

However, Jamie Cox threw for 116 yards, hitting 12 of 20 passes.

It appeared as though Symmes Valley was ready to shock Newark Catholic when Carpenter took the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown. Carpenter ran down the Symmes Valley sideline to midfield, then crossed the field and took it the rest of the way to score, giving the Vikings the early lead, 7-0.

The Green Wave wasted no time answering by going 57 yards on seven plays and scoring when Cox hit Justin Buchanan with a 27-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick was no good, leaving the Vikings with a 7-6 lead at 9:36 in the opening quarter.

Newark Catholic took the lead on the second possession when Jonathan Barbour went in from a yard out, capping off a 9-play, 71-yard drive. Cox hit Terry Elswick for the two-point conversion, making the score 14-7.

Symmes Valley bounced back with an 18-play, 81-yard drive, including a pair of fourth down conversions. Noah Henson showed determination by fighting off a host of Green Wave tacklers and breaking through for a 2-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt failed, making it 14-13, with 7:42 left in the half.

Symmes Valley held the Green Wave on its next possession, forcing a punt that the Vikings fumbled deep in their own territory. On the next play, Andy Fackler bounced outside, breaking a tackle and rumbling into the corner of the end zone, making it 20-13 with 4:59 left.

Cox hit Buchanan with a 6-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds left in the half. Buchanan then hit Barbour with a two-point conversion pass, making it 28-13 at the half.

Newark Catholic put the game away for good by taking the opening second half kickoff and driving 61 yards in 11 plays in five minutes and scoring when Kyle Williamson went untouched for a 6-yard touchdown run. Fackler added the point after, making it 35-13.

Williamson added a final touchdown with 8:34 left to play, giving the Green Wave a 42-13 lead, which was the final score.