WILLOW WOOD - It’s starting.

The late-season surge is beginning for Symmes Valley after the Vikings beat the Portsmouth Clay Panthers 54-38 Friday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

Getting most of the team late due to the football playoffs and facing the season with a young and inexperienced group, the Vikings are starting to make a push as the postseason approaches.

“The last two or three games we’ve started to play well in all phases. Hopefully we’ll continue to improve and play well in the tournament,” Vikings coach Alvin Carpenter said.

Kyle Meadows led the Vikings with 19 points and 20 rebounds. Matt Owens scored 10 points while Michael Humphreys had nine points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

Owens drained three 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Vikings raced to a 21-7 lead.

Meadows had six points in the second quarter and it was 29-15 at intermission.

The scoring was slow in the third quarter as Clay outscored the Vikings 5-3 to cut the deficit to 32-20.

But Meadows and Humphreys scored six points each in the fourth quarter to offset five points by Ryan Cucore and extend their lead.

Straud led Clay with nine points.

Clay was again without the injured Cam Thoroughman, the West Virginia signee who is not expected to return until next Friday.

Ports. Clay78518=38

Sym. Valley218322=54

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (8-6): Derek Webb 0 2 0-0 6, Justin Craft 2 0 1-2 5, Kent Robinson 2 0 3-6 7, Ryan Cucore 0 1 2-5 5, Dorin Marcum 1 0 2-2 4, Matt Straud 0 2 3-3 9, Evan Keaton 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 6

5

11-16

38. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Webb, Craft.

SYMMES VALLEY (8-8, 7-5): Tyler Smith 1 0 3-4 5, Kirt Shipley 1 0 0-0 2, Chris Capper 0 0 2-4 2, Seth Saunders 1 0 0-0 2, Kyle Meadows 5 0 9-13 19, Justin Wiseman 2 0 0-0 4, Matt Owens 0 3 1-2 10, Jerry Johnson 0 0 1-2 1, Michael Humphreys 1 1 4-4 9, Alex Burnett 0 0 0-1 0. Totals: 15-42

(4-12)

20-30

54. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 48 (Meadows 20, Humphreys 10). Assists: 10 (Humphreys 4). Steals: 5 (Owens 3). Turnovers: 16. Blocked shots: 4 (Shipley 3).