WILLOW WOOD - The offensive numbers were big, but it was the defensive numbers that came up big for the Chesapeake Panthers.

The Panthers defense limited the Symmes Valley Vikings to 121 total yards en route to a 33-7 win Friday night.

Even though the offense generated 432 total yards, Chesapeake's defense proved to be the key. The Panthers limited Symmes Valley to five first downs, all in their third quarter scoring drive.

Chesapeake was first on the scoreboard on the game's opening possession.

Kersten Harris bolted 70 yards to the 4-yard line and two plays later Caleb McComas found Brent Ransbottom open in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard scoring pass and a 6-0 lead.

"That was a good individual effort by Harris," Panther coach Phil Davis said.

However, the score remained that way until the second half when Symmes Valley drove 70 yards in 10 plays on its first possession of the half. Seth Saunders ran 5 yards for the touchdown and Kyle Meadows kicked the conversion to put the Vikings up 7-6.

But Chesapeake answered with a scoring drive capped by a 16-yard touchdown run by Harris and the Panthers were back on top at 12-7.

"I didn't know how we'd react. But we didn't panic. They answered the challenge. That was the turning point," Davis said. "From the middle of the third quarter on, we executed pretty well."

Symmes Valley fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Panthers recovered to set up a 17-yard scoring strike from McComas to Ransbottom and it was

19-7.

"We didn't play very well," Vikings coach Rusty Webb said. "We played a good opening series to start the second half, but then they got things rolling and we couldn't stop them. We made too many mental mistakes."

The Panthers put the game away with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. McComas hit Thornburg with a 22-yard scoring toss and Harris busted loose for a 44-yard touchdown run with 10:15 to play.

Harris finished with 180 yards on 12 carries as the Panthers racked up 389 yards rushing. Mike Stapleton had 70 yards on six carries and Cory Methax added 70 yards on 10 carries.

McComas completed 4 of 7 passes for 59 yards. Thornburg caught two passes for 39 yards.

Matt Owens had 52 yards on 12 carries and Derek Carpenter 38 yards on eight attempts to pace the Vikings.

Chesapeake601215=33

Sym. Valley0070=7

First Quarter

Ch – Brent Ransbottom 3 pass from Caleb McComas (kick blocked) 10:47

Third Quarter

SV – Seth Saunders 5 run (Kyle Meadows kick) 7:06

Ch – Kersten Harris 16 run (pass failed) 3:59

Ch – Brent Ransbottom 17 pass from Caleb McComas (run failed) 3:09

Fourth Quarter

Ch – Jeffrey Thornburg 22 pass from Caleb McComas (Brent Ransbottom pass from Caleb McComas) 11:35

Ch – Kersten Harris 44 run (Cody Methax kick) 10:13

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ChSV

First downs125

Rushes-yards43-38931-124

Passing yards595

Total yards448129

Cmp-Att-Int4-7-01-3-1

Fumbles-lost0-02-1

Punts-average3-42.07-29.43

Penalties-yards12-952-15

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING-Chesapeake: Kersten Harris 12-180, Mike Stapleton 6-70, Cory Methax 10-70, Cody Methax 3-8, Caleb McComas 4-22, Jason Caynor 3-4, Aaron Donohoe 1-17, Ryan Reynolds 2-6, Anthony Jones 3-16; Symmes Valley: Matt Owens 12-52, Derek Carpenter 8-38, Chris Capper 4-6, Tyler Smith 2-7, Jesse Graybeal 1-4, Seth Saunders 5-17.

PASSING-Chesapeake: Caleb McComas 4-7-0 59; Symmes Valley: Chris Capper 1-3-1 5.

RECEIVING-Chesapeake: Jeffrey Thornburg 2-39, Brent Ransbottom 2-20 Symmes Valley: Derek Carpenter 1-5.