FRANKLIN FURNACE — There was good news and only a little bad news for the Symmes Valley Vikings.

The Vikings had nearly 500 total yards on offense, but gave up 202. Still, they came away with a 34-22 Southern Ohio Conference win over the Green Bobcats Friday night.

“I thought our offense played very, very well,” said Vikings coach Rusty Webb.

“I thought our defense played well at times, but I thought there were times when we had lapses, and we had penalties at the wrong time. That’s something we need to clean up before next week.”

The Vikings (4-2, 1-0) play at East next Friday in a battle for first place in the SOC Division I.

Green (2-3, 0-1) got the ball at the Vikings 24-yard line after a blocked punt early in the game. Quaterback Matt Clarke threw a touchdown pass to Caleb Massie on the next play and it was 6-0.

Symmes Valley answered with a 10-play, 58-yard drive capped by Evan Herrell’s 7-yard scoring run. Cody Bland kicked the conversion and the Vikings lead was 7-6.

Following a shot Green punt, Symmes Valley drove 46 yards in seven plays capped by Bland’s 3-yard run and it was 14-0.

Green put together a 65-yard, seven-play drive, abut they couldn’t sustain the drive and punted to the Vikings who took over at their own 3-yard line.

But 97 yards and 14 plays later Herrell ran 25 yards for a touchdown and it was 21-6.

Green took a page out of the Vikings’ playbook with a 51-yard, nine-play drive capped by Clarke’s 1-yard run and it was 21-6 with 55 seconds left in the half.

Symmes Valley returned the kickoff to the 49 and Tyler Easthom broke loose on a 51-yard scoring run on the next play and it was 28-13 at the half.

“Coach Mercer had them ready to play,” said Webb. “Green came to play. They smacked us in the mouth and woke us up. Once we woke up, we played well.”

Bland scored on a 9-yard run late in the third quarter and the lead was 34-13.

Green got a 3-yard TD run by Chad Lewis, but Symmes Valley ate up the clock with a 64-yard drive to the 1-yard line that took 9:03 off the clock.

The Vikings amassed 424 yards rushing with Easthom getting 169 yards on 18 carries and Bland had 144 yards on 25 attempts. Kyle Bowen was 3-of-7 for 63 yards passing. Justin Payne had two interceptions.

Clarke ran 11times for 91 yards and was 3-of-11 passing for just 31 yards.

Symmes Valley 7 21 6 0 = 34

Green 6 8 0 8 = 22

First Quarter

Gr – Caleb Massie 24 pass from Matt Clarke (run failed) 6:41

SV – Evan Herrell 7 run (Cody Bland kick) 2:25

Second Quarter

SV – Cody Bland 3 run (Bland kick) 11:13

SV – Evan Herrell 25 run (Cody Bland kick) 3:19

Gr – Matt Clarke 1 run (Billy Moore pass from Matt Clarke) 0:55

SV – Tyler Easthom 51 run (Cody Bland kick) 0:30

Third Quarter

SV – Cody Bland 9 run (kick failed) 3:04

Fourth Quarter

Gr – Chad Lewis 3 run (Caleb Massie pass from Matt Clarke) 10:58

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SV Gr

First downs 26 14

Rushes-yards 64-424 38-171

Passing yards 63 31

Total yards 487 202

Cmp-Att-Int 3-7-0 3-11-2

Fumbles-lost 3-2 2-1

Penalties-yards 7-90 1-5

Punts-average 1-blk 2-36.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Symmes Valley: Cody Bland 25-144, Tyler Easthom 18-169, Evan Herrell 11-60, Kyle Bowen 8-45, Jesse Graybeal 2-6. Green: Matt Clarke 11-91, Chad Lewis 13-45.

PASSING–Symmes Valley: Kyle Bowen 3-7-0 63. Green: Matt Clarke 3-11-2 31.

RECEIVING–Symmes Valley: Wayne Meade 2-55, Ethan Wilson 1-8. Green: Caleb Massie 2-36, Jeff Massie 1-minus 5.