Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WILLOW WOOD — The Symmes Valley Vikings kept punching, they just couldn’t deliver the knockout blow.

The Vikings erased a 12-0 deficit and tied the game only to lose 18-12 in overtime to the Buffalo (W.Va.) Bisons on Friday.

Symmes Valley (1-1) had chances to score but saw drives bog down.

“I’m very proud of my kids. Buffalo made a big play on the punt return and we could have hung our heads, but we kept hammering away,” said Vikings’ coach Rusty Webb.

“We just needed to punch one or two more in when we had the opportunity.”

The Vikings top puncher quarterback Derrek Smith who ran 16 times for 67 yards and was 8-of-12 passing for 143 yards and a touchdown.

Brandon Craft added 38 yards rushing on eight tries and Collin Webb had four catches for 103 yards and a score.

After the Vikings battled back with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to tie the game, they went on offense first in the overtime but missed a 31-yard field goal attempt.

Buffalo then got a 3-yard scoring run by Dylan Lucas to end the game that was delayed two hours by lightning.

“We played extremely hard. Our kids handled the delay well. We stayed focused. We just made some mistakes,” said coach Webb.

Buffalo took a 6-0 lead two minutes into the game when Lucas ran 35 yards for a score to cap a 62-yard, seven-play drive that was aided by a crucial 15-yard penalty against the Vikings on a key third-and-long situation.

The delay came at the start of the second quarter and then Lucas returned a punt 55-yards for a touchdown with 8:45 left in the half.

Smith ran 14 yards for a touchdown with 11:37 to go in regulation as the Vikings finished an 83-yad, six-play drive.

With just 4:06 to play, Smith hooked up with Collin Webb on a 57-yard touchdown pass play as the Vikings tied the game.

Lucas ran 19 times for 97 yards to lead the Bisons (2-0) who had 146 yards rushing and 50 yards passing for 216 total yards to the Vikings 296.

Buffalo 6 6 0 0 6 = 18

Sym. Valley 0 0 0 12 0 = 12

First Quarter

Bu — Dylan Lucas 35 run (kick failed) 9:55

Second Quarter

Bu — Dylan Lucas 55 punt return (run failed) 8:45

Fourth Quarter

SV — Derrek Smith 14 run (kick failed) 11:37 6-83

SV — Collin Webb 57 pass form Derrek Smith (kick failed) 4:06

Overtime

Bu — Dylan Lucas 3 run (no conversion)

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Buf SV

First downs 11 12

Rushes-yards 38-146 43-153

Passing yards 50 143

Total yards 216 296

Cmp-Att-Int 4-12-1 8-12-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-1

Penalties-yards 5-69 6-50

Punts-average 4-35.2 4-33.8

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING —Buffalo: Dylan Lucas 19-97, Jacob Hanshaw 7-32; Symmes Valley: Brandon Craft 8-38, Levi Cade 1-15, Cameron Meadows 6-12, Collin Webb 11-20, Derrek Smith 16-67, Austin Waugh 1-1.

PASSING — Buffalo: Ethan Burgess 4-12-1 50; Symmes Valley: Derrek Smith 8-12-0 143.

RECEIVING — Buffalo: Owen Tillis 1-23, Ty Smith 1-19; Symmes Valley: Cameron Meadows 1-9, Collin Webb 4-103, Curtis Lybrand 1-10, Brandon Craft 1-11, Jarod Sheppard 1-10.