Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WILLOW WOOD — Kaitlyn Payne and Meranda Hayes got their work done quickly.

Payne and Hayes combined for 36 points — 29 in the first half — as the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings beat the Green Lady Bobcats 69-40 Thursday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

“Payne did a great job in our press tonight and in a half-court set. The press really got us going with some confidence. Hayes did a nice job defensively which led to her offense,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Brandon Walker.

Jensyn Shepherd scored 10 points for the Lady Vikings (1-1, 1-1). Payne also had 5 assists and 4 steals while Maddie Scott added 5 rebounds and 4 steals.

Payne scored 8 points and Hayes 5 in the first quarter as Symmes Valley took a 22-7 lead.

Payne hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the second quarter as the lead grew to 47-18 at the half.

Kaylynn Blizzard had 20 points — 11 in the second half — to lead Green (0-3, 0-2). Johanna Straube added 9 points and Madi Applegate scored 7.

Walker was pleased that Green shot just seven foul shots after watching Clay shoot 51 times on Monday.

“We worked a lot since Monday on keeping our feet moving and not our hands. I was pleased with that,” said Walker.

The Lady Vikings play South Gallia at 1 p.m. Saturday at Rio Grande.

Green 7 11 9 13 = 40

Sym. Valley 22 25 14 8 = 69

GREEN (0-3, 0-2): Madi Applegate 3 0 1-4 7, Reem Mikdame 0 0 0-0 0, Irene Mancini 0 0 0-0 0, Leslie Gallion 0 0 0-0 0, Karlie Lujan 2 0 0-0 4, Kaylynn Blizzard 5 1 7-9 20, Johanna Straube 4 0 1-3 9, Lauren Guerieri 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 1 6-7 38. Fouls: 6. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (1-1, 1-1): Kaitlyn Crabtree 0 0 0-0 0, Sierra Ross 0 0 0-0 0, Kinsey Kazee 0 0 0-0 0, Breanna Brumfield 1 2 0-0 8, Elly Fulks 2 0 0-0 4, Meranda Hayes 6 0 2-4 14, Kaitlyn Payne 6 3 1-3 22, Shaylah Tibbs 0 0 0-0 0, Kelsea Massie 1 0 0-0 2, Kinzi Kitts 0 0 0-0 0, Kassie Baldwin 0 1 0-0 3, Maddie Scott 3 0 0-0 6, Jensyn Shepherd 5 0 0-0 10. Totals: 30-63 3-7 69. 3-point goals: 6-9. Rebounds: 11-O, 16-D = 27 (Scott 5, Payne 3, Fulks 3, Ross 3, Shepherd 3). Assists: 13 (Payne 5, Hayes 3, Fulks 2). Steals: 15 (Payne 4, Scott 4) Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.