Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WILLOW WOOD — This has been called a backyard rivalry. If it isn’t, it certainly looked like one.

The Rock Hill Redwomen battled past the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings 56-53 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

Rock Hill overcame a halftime deficit behind the scoring of Kaci Russell and Anna Darby to post the road win.

Russell finished with a game-high 22 points and Darby had 17 points.

The Lady Vikings had three players in double figures as Jensyn Shepherd got 13 points, Meranda Hayes 12 and Breanna Brumfield 10.

Shepherd grabbed 10 rebounds while Kaitlyn Payne and Payton Walsh had 8 each.

Brumfield had 4 assists and Payne and Walsh had 3 each.

Brumfield and Hayes had 4 steals apiece.

Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter was disappointed to lose but saw some positives despite shooting just 21-of-68 from the field for 31 percent.

“For a first game, we didn’t play too bad. We got in some foul trouble and gave up too many easy shots,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter.

“We didn’t take any bad shots but we missed a lot of easy shots.”

Shepherd had 5 points in the first quarter as Symmes Valley went up 14-9. The lead was 27-24 at the half.

Russell scored 7 in third quarter to help offset 6 points by Brumfield as Rock Hill took a 42-39 lead..

Darby had 7 points and Rock Hill converted 6-of-14 from the line in the fourth quarter.

Rock Hill will host Ironton St. Joseph next Monday while Symmes Valley visits Green for a 6 p.m. varsity-only game this Monday.

Rock Hill 9 15 18 14 = 56

Sym. Valley 14 13 12 14 = 53

ROCK HILL (1-0): Jill Hairston 0 0 1-2 1, Taylor Hall 1 1 0-0 5, Anna Darby 4 0 9-14 17, Sami Dillon 3 0 4-7 10, Abbi Cline 0 0 1-2 1, Kaci Russell 8 0 6-13 22, Kyleigh Noel 0 0 0-0 0, Caitlyn Meadows 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 1 21-38 56. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Noel.

SYMMES VALLEY (0-1): Cailtyn Crabtree 1 0 0-0 2, Sierra Ross 1 0 2-6 4, Breanna Brumfield 1 2 2-8 10, Jensyn Shepherd 4 0 5-6 13, Meranda Hayes 6 0 0-2 12, Kaitlyn Payne 2 0 0-1 4, Payton Walsh 1 0 0-1 2, Maddie Scott 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 21-68 9-24 53. 3-point goals: 2-6. Fouls: 31. Fouled out: Walsh, Payne. Assists: 12 (Brumfield 4, Ross 3, Payne 3). Rebounds: 32 (Shepherd 10, Payne 8, Walsh 8). Steals: 11 (Brumfield 4, Hayes 4). Turnovers: 22.